Don't winterize those rifles yet!
300 meter match -- Nov 14 at MRC
From Brian Shiffman of Minneapolis Rifle Club
It is hard to believe, but the November 2010 MRC 300 meter match is this Sunday. It feels more like September. BUT, don't let your guard down. Winter IS coming, and by my faithful fuzzy caterpillar, it will be one we will remember for cold and snow.
The weekend weather is expected to be chilly with a high on Sunday about 40 but no snow!! And, or course, with our heated shooting house, life is good.
The match begins at 10AM which means you had better be there early to set up and take care of administrative details. And, you also want to leave time for chatting. The match is open to all who want to participate with a couple of exceptions regarding equipment: no muzzle brakes and only full metal jacket or identified match bullets. No expanding or fragmenting bullets.
We will have four classes available for shooters: 3-position, F-class, Prone and Offhand.
Fee for the match is $15
I hope to see you at the range.
US Developement team competes in Australia
Stacey Tamulinas -Local shooter and Adjutant for the US Development Team of the US Palma team has recently returned from Australia where he participated international matches with the team. Stacey was kind enough to send us this report and a few pictures from that event.
From Stacey :
Do you come from the land down under?
October 3rd I left for Australia, part of an expeditionary team to learn as much as we could about the Belmont Ranges near Brisbane, AU. This was in preparation for the World Championships in 2011. We took part in 10 days of individual and team matches that tested the skills of the shooters and coaches.
The individual matches consisted of the Natives Rifle Club 2 day match, the NRAA(National Rifle Association of Australia) 2-day President's Match and the 3-day Queen's Match. The team competitions were the Provincial Team Match, the NRAA President's Team and the NRAA Mini Palma Team Match.
The first 3 days in OZ were perfect weather, bright sunshine and warm mild breezes. The next four days would be quite different and quite challenging. First shooting day of practice and zero check day had intermittent light rain. First day of the Native's, shooting at 300, 500 & 600 yards with intermittent heavy rain but all matches completed. Took 2nd at 500 yrds. The heaviest rain in OZ history taking place the next day. 800 and 900 yd canceled. Tried to shoot 1000 yds after lunch. Winds at 11 o'clock, 10-15 mph with gusts to 20. The first two relays made it through when conditions turned ugly. See attached photos. Without being able to see the number boards most people gave up. Norm Anderson was last up and toughed- it- out.
The first day of the President's we went to 300 yrds. More heavy rain. Parking areas are turning into bogs. We were told to report to 1000 yds to fire two strings. See attached photo. Fortunately, the first day of the President's was canceled. Spent the afternoon drying equipment and taking care of export forms. Weather conditions improved greatly for the second day of the President's as did the scores. American, Trudie Fay, came in 3rd for the President's Aggregate All of the scores for the individual or team matches can be seen at http://www.nraa.com.au/results/data/natl/2010/results.php
The Queen's Matches had much nicer conditions but the wind still was not that cooperative. Noma Mayo was in 5th in the Aggregate after the second day. The next morning I looked at the weather forecast for the last day, 35 km/hr. Bryan Litz had lost 8 points and down in 60th place. His comment: Bring it! People were getting blown off the target and scores were falling quickly. Bryan shot a 48.5V at 900 and 46.2V at 1000. Under the prevailing conditions, fantastic scores. Good enough to be the first American ever to win the Queen's prize. (see attached photo) The Aussies were impressed enough to name a hamburger after him (see attached photo) the next day. Sales were brisk.
Our efforts in the team matches were mostly successful. The Blue and Red and US teams placed first and second in the Chairman's Team Challenge.(see attached photo). We also won the big Mini Palma Match against some very competitive teams from Australia and New Zealand. The Australians were mostly supportive and congratulated us. A few were overheard saying some of their best shooters were competing in the Commonwealth Games in India. Hmmmm. I'll be watching next year when a couple of Gallaghers and Reeve show up.
Things to consider before you travel to OZ with your firearm. You will need to obtain a licence and a permit to possess a firearm. If you do not have these when you arrive, you will not be taking your rifle with you. Also, each state requires their own license and permit. Therefore, you will need additional permits even if you are only changing planes in another AU state. After you arrive, you will need to file paperwork to take your rifle back home with you. The Australians, it seems have taken the inconvenience of traveling with a firearm to a whole new level. My friends in OZ assure me that US Customs, TSA and Homeland .Security have made bringing a rifle to the US, equally as difficult. Fair enough!
Other interesting (strange) things to know about shooting in OZ. Mechanical wind reading devices will be confiscated if used on the Belmont Ranges. They have lots of range flags and a wind sock instead. The Australians can only use Sierra 2155 and 2156 155 gn bullets or 2 styles of OZ home grown bullets. If they are found using anything else (eg Berger Fullbore) they will be banned from competition for a year. Only one powder can be used, locally made Varget. Foreign competitors are exempt from the ammunition restrictions.
Firing points are perfectly groomed, smooth and level. They will sometimes mow the lines just before they are used. They look great but lots of lawn clippings floating around. Your firing point is to the left of the marker. Hey, they drive on the wrong side of the road too. Bolts must be removed at all times except when you bring your rifle to the firing line. This is fine for making everything safe, not so good for keeping things (lawn clippings) out of your receiver.
Being a fan of the AU band, Men at Work, I had long wondered about Vegemite Sandwiches. While visiting a small zoo in Brisbane, I asked the guy behind the lunch counter about the stuff. After we had received our order, he was kind enough to deliver one to our table at no charge. It would be best described as a salty yeast paste on white Wonder Bread. Interesting, but I wouldn't pay for one.
I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to OZ I made several friends and it truly was an adventure. The National Team coaches and shooters were great to shoot with. I'm sure the Belmont Ranges will offer more challenges next year. The National Development Team will be condensed to The Palma Team and we will be ready.
Best regards,
Stacey Tamulinas
Thanks Stacey for that Report and the pictures, but next time take more pictures.
Winter Shooting Clinic -- Feb 5th
From Capt. Bob Peasley
Nov. 4, 10
Greetings Minn. HP shooters:
The North Star Rifle Club winter meeting will most likely be at Gander Mt. Lakeville on Sat. Feb. 5 at 1300 hrs. I am planning on another clinic open to all clubs at 1000 hrs. Other clubs & non members are invited to attend this clinic. This years very boring but very important topic will be MATCH OPERATIONS. I'll try to cover everything you need to know about being the BIG CHIEF IN CHARGE. Stuff like NRA rules (big subject) NRA programs, courses of fire, range preparation, squadding, types of targets, awards, results bulletins AND more! As always this will be an open event with questions from you and hopefully answers from me. All the clubs are needing more BIG CHIEFS IN CHARGE because the current chiefs are all aging and it's time to pass on some wisdom & knowledge to the next generation. Also as always North Star will provide a Pizza lunch about 1145 as we wrap up the discussion. A donation of 2 bucks a slice will be requested. Feel EL-FREEBO to print this and post it at your local club house or out house.
Now............... on to deer season!
HOLDHARD,
Capt. Bob
History Lesson (s)-- a little extra for your winter reading list
History Lesson (s)-- a little extra for your winter reading list
I like to read history and get a better perspective of why things are the way they are and how they got that way.
From our resident Serbian shooter -- Elliot Zunich, who visited "the old country" this fall.
"a shory History of Kosovo"----An interesting and lengthy read from Colorado State.
Thanks, Elliot. I'll definitely have to read this more closely when I have time (in about 18 years). At a very brief glance, it looks reminiscent of a lot of what I have seen Dr. Srdja Trifkovic write in Chronicles magazine over the last decade and a half. Unfortunately, some of his earlier, prophetic articles don't seem to be readily accessible on-line any more, but the following are a sampling of pieces from the last few years: Of course, he is also the author of the following: He and his colleague, Dr. Thomas Fleming (the editor of Chronicles), were contributors to Kosovo: The Score, published by the Lord Byron Foundation for Balkan Studies and The American Council for Kosovo: http://www.balkanstudies.org/sites/default/files/newsletter/Kosovo%20The%20Score%201999%202009.pdf Dr. Fleming has also published a brief English-language history of Montenegro:\ I have met them both through educational functions of The Rockford Institute, but can't claim any closer relationship than that. Eric |
And:
Now, here I have one for you. -------The best and most interestingly written history of Afghanistan that I have read. The British fought 2 wars there and the Russians fought one. Now we are fighting the 4th Anglo-Afghan war and I'm hoping that the result will not be the same as the last 3.
Click here for link to book.
extra: The Battle for Kabul and the Retreat to Gandamak The 1st Anglo-Afghan war
extra: The Battle for Kabul and the Retreat to Gandamak The 1st Anglo-Afghan war
That's all folks
If you have any shooting news (or rumors and gossip), please send it in to share with all of us.
Hawkeye
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