It's time to think about range improvements !

Now that the shooting season is generally over for Northern shooters, we all should be looking at how we can help with range improvement projects during the next season.  Keeping your range up in good maintenance is the job of all club members and competitive shooters. We can't just assume that someone else will do the job.  Get in contact with your discipline chairman and offer your help in planing and execution of some project that will help keep your range up or improve it.  Enjoyable hours can be spent away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life while doing some project at the range.

Here is the new target pit project from 2 years ago at Rio Salado.  Lots of volunteer help got this big  project done, and we all enjoyed the process.

Dec. 300 m Match Results --

It was another great turnout for Mpls. Rifle Club's monthly 300m match.  

 From Brian Shiffman:

This was the last match for 2011 and we sent it off with a great turnout and some close competition.  There were 23 shooters in two relays.

  Again, we were blessed with fair weather, no snow to obscure the targets, and winds from any and all directions at any given time.  The wind, although not really stiff, was tricky, and it took some strategy to take it into account; or, you had to be lucky.  It was a good day to get experience in dealing with variable winds.

   There were two 3-Position shooters with Mark Havlik using is AR15 with battle sights beating Erik Hazelton using a really nice wood stocked .223.  Erik is a junior. 

   Of the 5 Prone shooters, Bill Lair bested the rest with a 571.

   The remaining 16 shooters were in F-Class and mere points separated most of the shooters.  Robert Smith came armed with his new secret weapon; a front rest made of kryptonite with eyes of its own; he took the class with a score of 589.  A scant one point back, in second, was David Leis with 588.  Then a tie for third between Karl Kupl and Johan Boden with 584 each.  From then on down, the next 8 shooters were only 1 or two points behind the ones above.

   The full results are at http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=12

   The next match is scheduled for January 8, 2012.  It is as early in the month as it can be (second Sunday).  We will go through the pre-registration procedure for this match.  I am NOW taking pre-registration for 1^st or 2^nd relay.  I will also send out an email with your assigned relay and you will need to send me a confirming reply.

  Here is wishing all a very merry and happy holiday season.  See you at the range next year.

Brian D. Shiffman  shiff004@umn.edu  

That 300 m target is a hard target.  Not a lot of 200s are shot on that target with Iron sights.  That target forces you to hold hard and use your best trigger control.  It has a 10 ring about 4 inches in dia. and is shot at 30 yds farther out than than the 300 yd Highpower target, which has a 6 in Ten ring (MR63).  Shooting Sm Bore on the 100 yd metric Sm Bore target is similar, as that target is really a "reduced" 300m target.  

Notes:

Berger Bullets Southwest Long Range Nationals - Feb 7-12, 2011, Ben Avery Range, Phoenix AZ              Match bulletin -- Click Here  
Rooms discounted to  $67 for this match. Cure your winter blues and shoot 5 days in sunny, warm, Phoenix. 

Watch--- from Berger Bullets:

Dec 11, 2011

This in from Steve Knutson:

       " Fun Smallbore winter league.

 Come shoot, learn, eat!   Just to get out of the house!!!

Winter "port hole" doors have been installed

Also posted on mrcnews.org."   Click Here for more info  

   These winter Sm Bore matches (7) are fired at the Mpls Rifle. Club's heated shooting house at the Now Then range in NW Anoka Co.  It's a nice facility and heated.  All matches are 50 yds, with classes for modern, and vintage rifles.

Shooters News for the MN area - Dec 8

Shooters News - The Week Ahead 

Yes, there is a Rifle match this Sunday! 
Get your mid range rifle out and shoot some 300 m matches from the comfort of the enclosed (read - warm) Mpls. Rifle Club's shooting house. All this on Electronic targets so there is no need to go out and pull targets. it's been a long time since they had two full relays, so email Brian and go shooting.

From Brian Shiffman:
"This Sunday, Dec 11, will be the December 300 Meter Club Match at the MRC range.

IMPORTANT:

Since we have had high turnouts for the past two months I am going to follow a suggestion proposed be several shooters: For this match we will have pre-registration so we can squad for first and second relay.  First relay will shoot at 10 AM while second relay will shoot at 12 PM.  Send me email to choose your preferred relay.  If you are not pre-registered there will be no guarantee that you will get to shoot when you walk up.  BUT, I have to believe that the second relay will not be full.

If you choose a relay that is already filled, I will send you a reply to let you know and we will attempt to work out a satisfactory arrangement.

This is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED; earlier email responses will take precedence over later email.  If you are bringing a friend to shoot the match with you, let me know that in your email, OR, have your friend contact me by email; one of you should indicate that you need to shoot on the same relay.

You can also indicate your first and second choice of relay in your email.  I will respond (to all those that pre-register) on Saturday afternoon with the relay shooter schedule

If I missed anything, let  me know immediately.

The fee is still $15 for the match. 

I don’t know what the weather will be (my fuzzy caterpillar is on vacation) but it will be cool for sure but we will be nice and cozy in our shooting house.

 Brian D. Shiffman

shiff004@umn.edu

Notes:
Capt. Bob Peasley passed this on from the NRA ---  
"Notes from the Director

Rodriquez Range Rebuild

Each year at this time the CMP, Ohio National Guard and the NRA meet to go over after action reports from the just completed National Matches held at Camp Perry. I was pleasantly surprised to see a great deal of construction activity being done at Camp Perry when I arrived for the Fall Planning Conference. Completion of the power upgrades, buildings being re-roofed, parking lots being repaved but the most exciting activity was seeing the Rodriquez butts being taken down. On the priority list for many years has been the complete reconstruction of the Rodriquez butts and targetry replacement and this project will be complete by the National Matches 2012.

Construction crews with major earthmoving equipment were tearing out old concrete pit walls, walkways and targets. The plan is to use modular concrete walls to rebuild the pit walls and walkways, but a great deal of earthmoving will take place before that part of the project begins. Talking with the project foreman, the June 1, 2012 project deadline would be met without much trouble, weather is always a question mark up on Lake Erie but the project is moving along at a fast pace. New targetry will be installed and I have been assured that all of the bugs that we found in the Viale range targetry have been addressed.

I would like to pass along the best wishes for a very Merry Christmas to everyone from the entire staff of the NRA Competitive Shooting Division. 

Best regards,  Mike Krei, Director  NRA Competitive Shooting Division

last Week

The AZ Palma Championships were held over 3 days of 50 deg weather, under Sunny skys and interesting winds to test the shooters. See a few pictures  and results -  Click Here

Read Rick Curtis's short match report - Click Here 

  As a retired Long Range shooter, I spent this match in the pits pulling targets for the F-class shooters ($$). They like to shoot fast, they tend to stay in the middle, so I can give them HM target service.  F-ers will always hire a HM puller. 

  I ended up pulling for one of the fastest shooters there is.  If you think that you have shot with fast shooters in the past, you havent seen anything till you have pulled for Dave Gosnell.  In his Sunday 900yd match, when the wind was 8 to 10 from the SW and steady, he fired a solid 10 on the first shot (10 in. ten ring), and after that, with easy 6 second target service, he fired a shot every 10 seconds on the clock and never once was it 2 seconds after the target hit the top that the next shot arrived. He finished his 2 sighters and 15 shots for record in about 3 min flat.  Dave said "I don't like to dilly dally".  He also won the match and after 3 days took home the F- Open championship. 

 As you can read in Rick's rpt, Bob Gustin won the sling shooter side of the match, and Phil Hayes came in 2nd, just 5 behind after 3 days.  I had shot service rifle team with Phil in the Huge Washington's Birthday match for years, and won a lot of 1st's. I asked Phill how things were going on Sat, down in the pits and he said that he was doing well, and  then said "Jim, I'm just on top of my mental game right now. I'm seeing the conditions.  I'm looking down there at the flags and mirage and I just know what to do."  

  This was not surprising, as I had somewhat the same conversation with Rick Curtis in the morning line up for squading.  Rick (I think 5thplace) said almost exactually the same thing.  "I'm seeing the conditions."  Rick said that he could just lay there between shots and see these up and down 2 and 3 min changes.  I think that this shows us all where the Top Shooters are at.  They are at the top of their mental game and are applying that to reading the conditions. 

  In the F-class team match Sunday, German Salager's team of  Warren Dean, Jeff Calhoon, and 2 others, were comfortably in the lead, and on the way to a new F team record score for a Palma match.  German's first three shooters held their own, as the wind started to get a little more nasty. All of them benefited by Germans HM wind reading skills.  Shooter #4 came to the line confessing that he had only 17 rds and hoped he had no misfires.  Of course it didn't go well.  On the 12th shot the Spotter fell out of the X ring as the target hit the top, then the puller waited  a few seconds and decided to pull the target and replace it just as shooter #4 fired his irreplaceable round, which went over the target (withdrawn target).  The shooter shot his last rds but was one short of 15 record shots there at the 1000 yd line.

  What to do?  All the other shooters on the team were using way different loads and bullets (It's F class).  German had his last shooter move on to the gun of the #3 shooter and he would take the shot with that gun.  Now the wind had changed and German waited and waited till the  last minute of the match, put 1 min left from the last shot from that gun and the shooter fired an down wind 7 ----- on the Paper!  Germans team takes the record.

  Oh, by the way German Salazer won the FTR class as his shoulder injury heals. All the other F-ers hope German gets well soon and re-enters the ranks of the sling Shooters.

Up coming:
The Berger Bullets SW Long Range Matches are on again for February at Ben Avery range in Phoenix. Michelle says it will be ever bigger and better this year with the addition of more shooting days.  Stay Tuned. 
February 6th - Practice Palma
February 7th - Palma 800-900-1000
February 8th, Mid-Range 300-500-600
February 9th - Palma
February 10th - Palma
February 11th - 1000 Yard
February 12th - 1000 Yard
All most all 100 target frames are now working at Ben Avery.  Mid Tompkins has put in a bid for the "World Championships"  a few years from now.  Plan ahead

Plan Ahead -- Western WildCat Sm bore matches and March Sb madness in Phoenix. 

This news letter will be intermittent this winter -- especially if no one sends in any news.   I know the juniors have winter matches.  Let's hear about it.  Even without the news letter stuff will be posted on the blog as it dribbles in. 

That's all folks !
   Its 60 deg and I'm off to the range to sight in the new Shillen "ratchet groove" barrel, that the G-man helped me install on the Anchutz 2013. 

Hawkeye

Just IN ! Results of AZ Palma Champs

 Read Rick Curtis's report at :  SouthWest Rifle Shooting
 
Click to expand

Nancy coaching the ladies record holding F Class team











You can expand the results larger after clicking by Rt. clicking it, then selecting "view Image" and then left click expand to readable size.

Robert Pritski Coaching wind for the Nat Guard team -- all firing AR-10 .308 cal "Service Rifles"

 German Salazar coaching his F-class team to a new National Record score.

Just having fun !

Next Up -- The Palma Matches at Phoenix AZ.

Well, Next week is the big winter Palma matches at Ben Avery Range in Phoenix.
    Click Here for Palma Matches weather report.
   Those are always good matches, as there are huge amounts of competitors, and (normally) great weather. Now that the Firing lines at BA have been regraded and 1000yd line rebuilt to A+ standards, it's the place to shoot long range during the winter.  We have had great weather the past 5 years or so, but I do remember shooting in the cold rain about 2005.  This year I might work in the pits again.  Since I'm not really good at 1000 yd shooting, I think I'll pull targets for $$$.  It's a long day to pull for both the individual, and the Team match, but fun to watch the battle of the Top shooters from the Pits when the word is passed up and down about who has a good X count and is shooting clean.

Oliver Milanovic firing from 500 yds at Rio

 

  I usually get hired by the F-class shooters because they want 4 to 5 second pit service, and I can give them that service because they are shooting very small groups -- even from 1000 yds. There's no reaching all over the target when pulling for the top  F-ers like John Chilton or Steve Lockwood, and now German Salazar who is storming the FTR class this year.    
   I can pull targets next weekend and not feel guilty about not shooting as I had good shooting this weekend at the Rio Salado 500 yd match, coming in 2nd to Allen Elliot who only dropped 2 pts in the 3 twenty shot matches. I dropped 2pts. in the first match, cleaned the 2nd one for my first 200 score in a long while, and thought I could challenge Allen for the win in the last match but lost 6 pts in that match (4 to a mental error about which way to turn the elevation knob while shooting lower and lower for 3 shots and 4 lost points).  Well, 592 wasn't a great score compared to Allen's 598, but I was competitive and that makes for a good day at the match.
  I shot the space gun because its become obvious to me that I shoot the "space gun" better than the other 3 match rifles that I trade off on.  I can adjust my Anchutz rifle stock in every direction for good fit, but the space gun always feels more comfortable to shoot.  The space gun also shoots the .223 cartridge very well, out to 600 yds so recoil is low and good ammo is easy to make.  I like that -- easy ammo to make. .223 and 6BR cartridges are easy to make and the "standard"  match loads work in pretty much everyone's gun.  Keep it simple. The AR-15 platform must have been designed for someone just my size.  Even the A2 service rifle is the perfect configuration.

Well, this was a good weekend for shooting and I'm looking forward to the Palma Matches next weekend.
Hawkeye

Now This is a Bargain

From Ron Berg             
                               SHOOTERS             CHRISTMAS SALE

"Due to health and age I’ve decided to give up the shooting sports that I’ve enjoyed for many years and offering for sale my competition rifle and related reloading equipment,

Winchester Model (post)70 long action in 308 cal with a 1 in 11 Rock competition barrel (at the Sept match on the F Class target my avg was 96-97 per 10 shot string)

Included with the rifle are;  set of RCBS 308 dies also

10X40 Tasco Target Scope with sun shades

Front Rest and Rear Rests

The rifle also can be setup for OTC Iron Sight Competition it has an adj butt stock and forend stop (included are bases for front and rear sights and clip slot attachment) 

Included also are 34 loaded rds 168 hornady A-Max and

About 100 win cases

All this for $800.00

Contact me at my E-Mail address or by phone Home           1-715-845-7843 or cell 1-715-829-5160

1 spotting scope (champions choice) with stand   $100.00

2 RCBS Rock chucker loading presses                  $30.00 ea

1 RCBS Jr loading press w/lee priming attachment $30.00

1 REDDING Powder scale                                       $20.00

1 powder measure w/stand                                        $10.00

 Thanks

 Ron"

I first met Ron pulling targets on on the low end of Viale range at Camp Perry in about 1990. Since then I have shot a lot of matches with Ron at ranges such as Eau Claire, Northwestern Gun Club, Red Wing, and Harris MN, and enjoyed his company always.  Hawkeye

Out of town match -- AZ long Range Champs

 This in from Rick Curtis: 
Southwesternrifleshooting

"The Az Long Range Championship is now in the books, with both days being nearly identical in the conditions that challenged the shooters this year. Each day started with near zero wind and cloudy light conditions that quickly progressed to a fishtailing 6 oclock wind that at times exceeded 18 mph. 
   In the F Class divisions, David Gosnell absolutely whipped his fellow F-Open competitors like rented mules all weekend. Day 1 saw him finish with an
outstanding 589, a full 23 points ahead of second place Eric Cortina. Sunday saw Dave pour it on by agging a 591 to finish head and shoulders above the rest with a brilliant 1180. Congratulations David on securing a well earned place in Arizona F Class history! 
   Over in F-TR the bipod boys witnessed no less than an epic performance by first time Long Range F-er German Salazar. The G-man absolutely destroyed the competition, winning every single match but one, including an F overall win in match two. His day one 579 agg outdistanced second place winner Steve Lockwood by a considerable margin.
    Lockwood put in a valiant performance on day two to finish just behind Salazar in that agg but the damage was done and German emerged as the 2011
Az F-TR Champion.

    Finally over on the sling side of the line, which by the way was pretty evenly split between F and sling shooters this year, Arizona's own Phil Hayes put in a masterful performance all weekend. Hayes was running the Berger 115's in a new chamber configuration of his own design known as the 6X51 Hayes.
    Based on the 243 case Phil guesstimates he can effectively triple the barrel life over the parent case with his design. They say the proof is in the pudding, well Phil and his little cartridge crushed the competition, posting a 593 on Saturday and a nearly perfect 599 on Sunday to earn a decisive victory over the rest of the bondage boys and girls, laying claim to the title of State Champion! Congratulations to Phil, David and German on your respective division victories.

In closing I would like to give a big tip of the hat to Joe, Jack and Richard who setup and ran the pits each day, Fred Filkins on another great call of the line
and to Mid and Nancy Tompkins for all there hard work in the stat trailer. Next up is the Az State Highpower Championship this coming weekend that starts
off with a 3X600 on Friday. Great way to work off all those Thanksgiving calories. Then we hope to see many of you for the Az State Palma Championships Dec 2nd,3rd and 4th."

Thanks Rick. We'll see you this weekend at one of the prone matches. I got back in the sling again Sunday with an 80 OTC at Rio Salado.  Had a 197 at the 500, with the space gun, so I'm going to try it again Friday at the AZ 600 champ, or on Sat at Rio in the 500 yd match.  Darn, that .223 match rifle shoots good at Mid range!  Hawkeye

2011 Sm Bore outdoor Prone Final aggregate.

  From Chad Danielson:
   Jim,   Below are the final standings for the 2011 Season Smallbore Prone Aggregate Championship. Congratulations to Elk River Junior Shooter Eric Hazelton who won both the Junior Category Aggregate Championship, and the Overall Aggregate Championship with a total of 15,202 .  Behind Hazelton for 2^nd was Duluth Shooter Jim Biles who accumulated 12,663 points throughout the summer.  Brooklyn Park Junior Shooter Emily Quinner finished 3^rd for the season with 11,073 points.  Seven of the top ten finishers posted over 10,000 points for the season, but Hazelton set what will more likely be the mark to beat come next season with his 15,202 as he competed in all 8 of the tournaments making up the season, as the last scheduled tournament date of September 18^th, in Elk River was rained out.  

                         

1. Eric Hazelton (Jr.)   15,202 - 660
2. Jim Biles                   12,663 - 696
3. Emily Quiner (Jr.)    11,073 - 700
4. Steve Knutson           10,944 - 564
5. Chad Danielson         10,882 - 479
6. Nick Learn (Jr.)        10,789 - 413
7. Jim Evenson              10,669 - 501
8. Stacey Tamulinas        9,449 - 571
9. Lori Huseby (Jr.)        9,360 – 368
10. Julie Huseby              9,316 - 354

Mpls. Rifle Club Nov. 300 meter Match -- Results

From Brian Shiffman:   

"We had a wonderful day to have a match with indoor heat and electronic targets.  While it was not really cold the heat did take the chill out and made for comfortable shooting.  Very little wind to contend with.  We had a full house of 14 shooters; well, actually, we had more but the few additional people did not want to wait until the first relay was complete before shooting.  So, we did not have to have a second relay.  I would have been the only one shooting it!!  I made the executive decision that it was better to return back to the house for leaf clearing.

Among the group we had a couple of new shooters to our matches, and, a few interesting story lines:

Erhardt Bruderer took top honors in the 3-position class.

Kathy Nickell had never shot our matches and was using a borrowed AR 15.  I enquired about the specs and she knew them all.  Although the Nightforce scope went up to 22 power, she had it on 7 power and then proceeded to come in third place, behind Bob Eckstein and Johan Boden.  She was consistent throughout the match with two 195’s and a 194.

Bob and Johan tied with 590 for top spot but Bob bested Johan by one point on the third string to take first place.  Bob was shooting a Savage model 12 F/TR in 308 with a Nightforce scope and a front bipod that looks like a brace from a bridge.

Tom Loberg did not shoot his usual 308 but and a “new” one.  He and Johan had been battling month by month for top honors, both shooting factory Federal match 308; Tom using 168 grain bullets.  Well, his new rifle did not like that factory ammo.  Although he was also consistent from series to series, he finished in 6^th place.  After the match he shot a few Federal 175 grain match loads which seemed to group quite well.  I expect he’ll be using that load at the next match.  For those who would think the poor performance of the 168 grain ammo was due to a different barrel twist it turns out that both the old and new rifles were 1 in 12.  We have to look elsewhere.

A new shooter for us was Matt Hankes who won the prone position match with a score of 303.  How?  He was the only prone competitor.

We had 4 shooters shooting 3 positions.  Unfortunately, I failed to record the score of Ed Facundo so as soon as I get his score from the scoreboard at the range (or someone gets it to me) I’ll post it on the match results web page.  We also had two shooters shooting offhand.  Mike Marzitelli was shooting 222 Magnum while Robert Smith was using his AR 15.

I had loaded the 108 grain Berger BT for 6mm BR to try in a match for the first time.  I have been working up a load for this new to me bullet.  Since I did not shoot this match I’ll have to wait until the next match.  I had been shooting the 105 Berger VLD bullets with the length set into the lands by about .015”.  The 108 is not a VLD so it should not be loaded as far forward, usually these bullets are at their best with about .001 to .015 of jump before contacting the lands.  I have not played with seating depth, yet, choosing a “little” jump as a starting point and just playing with powder charge.

All in all it was a good shoot

 The results for the match (minus Ed Facundo’s score) can be found at:

 http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=11

 Brian D. Shiffman  shiff004@umn.edu

 Click Here for complete Results

Shooting Tutorial

From: Kurt Borlaug - MN State Service rifle team coach and Capt.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0H08JTs1Lg

  "Gents, The USAR team has posted a bunch of videos filmed last summer at Perry. This one is of extreme value to us all. Pass it on to your buddies not listed here and talk it up. Follow links to more. There are some other good ones of 600 yard team shooting w/ Anderson coaching.
 Also, Tom heard today that the Nosler order is on the way and we should be expecting the drop at my place early next week. Maybe we can do some testing on those pills before the snow flies.
Later, Kurt"

Some thoughts on this:  

Gents
This is a good tutorial.  
The most important words in it are "shooting window".    No matter what the wind is doing over a long period of time, there will be a "average condition" where the wind goes back to after rising or falling.  This "average condition" should usually be your shooting window.  Wait for it!
   As we all know, there are two ways to play the wind.  David Tubbs is very successful at "chasing the spotter"-- He continues to shoot as fast as he can through small wind changes in order to minimize the number of changes that he faces. Other shooters wait out the changes and shoot only in their "window".  
  The two best shooters that I watch all the time use the window method.   Rick Curtis, and Nancy Tompkins are Window shooters.  I watch them weekly in Sm Bore matches, and they are the last ones done in each 20 shot match, and usually have the top scores.
Other shooters, like me, use a combination of both methods, because I have a hard time staying in position for the 22 min it might take to get all 22 shots off using the window method---and it takes better wind reading skills to use the window method. 
   Other things come into play---  
The wind does not rise and fall evenly.   It rises more quickly than it falls. The wind also changes direction as it rises and falls, and usually with a predictable pattern.  Wind gusts (big or small) are sinking cells of air.  These cells of air have rotation.  In the Northern hemisphere gusts of wind usually have a somewhat clockwise rotation.  That means that "usually"  a gust of wind will "veer" in the clockwise direction, (Click Here) and when the wind is dropping, the direction will change (backing) in the counter clockwise direction. So--if the wind is from 7:00 and it rises, you can usually notice that it is changing towards 9:00 and therefore may have even more effect on the bullet flight.  Think about this in a 6:00 fish-tailing condition.   When the winds goes to 7:00 (left wind), it will be at a higher velocity than a change to 5:00 where the wind is dropping. So the 7:00 wind will blow you twice as far out, as you would be by misreading a change to 5:00.  The corollary to this, is that a veering wind from 10:00 to 12:00 might be rising in velocity, it will also have less value as a head wind.  
   If you want to learn about the wind, study a book on sailboat racing. Sailors get "all" their power from the wind. The angles they sail relative to the wind and the course they want to follow are what makes the difference between the winners and losers.  Sailors are the masters of the wind.  They go to great lengths to understand the changes in the wind and write a lot about it in books on sailboat racing. 
    Yes, the wind is complicated, hard to understand and apply correctly.  This is the real reason to shoot only in your "shooting window:"
   As for the coach telling the shooter to "favor"  in prone slow fire with iron sights---  Come on!   What is the point of that?  Does the coach not know the value of the wind?  Are they in such a hurry that the shooter can't click?  I believe that shooters who are not Highmasters, should never be told to favor in prone slow fire. Generally, they don't have the skill to do that properly and it just shows that the coach is not sure about his wind call and wants to put the onus of that shot result on the back of the shooter.  Master and below shooters should always shoot every shot straight away, while using Iron sights.  The shooter worries only about elevation, while the coach handles the wind call. Can you imagine a Palma coach telling his shooter to "favor".  
   Once again it's good to point out that the best prone slowfire shooters are also Sm Bore shooters, or have a Sm bore shooting background.  If you want to learn to read the wind-- shoot Sm Bore.
Jim E

Shooters News for the MN area - Oct 25, 2011

Shooters News for the Minn Area  -  Oct 25, 2011

The Week Ahead.  

Believe it or not, there is a rifle match this week.  The Air Rifle league has started its season with matches on Wednesday evenings at Bills Gun Shop in Robinsdale.    

  From Mike Marzitelli:

"We will be beginning the air rifle season at Bill's in Robbinsdale on Wednesday evenings beginning October 5th. We will be shooting every Wednesday from then to the end of March. The Olympic course will be fired at 10 meters on regulation targets. 60 shots for record per match. First relay will begin shooting at 4:00 and Second relay at 5:30. Range fees are $6. A contribution once during the

season is requested as well. Contact me for further information.

Mike Marzitelli at mmarzitelli@hotmail.com or call 651-489-9164."

    Click Here for Match program

300 meter

The only other match coming up for centerfire rifles will be Sunday, Nov, 13th at the Mpls. Rifle Club.  This will be a 300 m International style match using those nifty electronic targets. 

   Results - Oct 9th 300m match

from Brian Shiffman:

"For the third month in a row we were blessed with excellent conditions for a match.  Light breezes and very comfortable temperatures made for a good opportunity for scoring well. 

There were two new match shooters for F-Class who both did quite well.  Deb Hughes is an IPSC shooter competing in rifle for the first time (if I recall correctly) and came in one point behind Johan Boden for 4^th place.  She did was using a rifle from Garold Jones (who also spotted for Deb).

All in all it was a very good shoot with all targets working properly. 

The full results can be seen at http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=10

 

  MRC 300 m match -- The early years

Here is something interesting for you to do: while viewing results of a particular match if you click on a name the year average for that shooter in the particular class of that match will be shown.  For example, while viewing the October results if you click on my name the software will show that I have shot 8 matches in F-Class (since that is the class I shot in October) and show the average for each of the three series and the average of all series.  The averages will include all matches shot for the year in that class.

 Click on tom Loberg and the system will show that he has shot 8 matches in F-Class with an average total score of 589.9; Johan Boden has shot 6 matches in F-Class for an average of 590.0.  That just about sums it up for the way the competition has gone between these two.

The next match is Sunday, November 13.  I cannot guarantee that the weather will be a cooperative as we have had for the past 3 months but it will be comfortable inside the shoot house.

 See you at the range.

Brian     shiff004@umn.edu

Winter Highpower league

George Minerich (MRRA Pres) will once again be running a Winter Highpower League starting on Dec 3rd and continuing approximately every other Saturday through March 2012.

 From George Minerich:  --  Minneapolis Rifle Club Winter High Power League

The Minneapolis Rifle Club (MRC) will be hosting a winter High Power club league starting in December. Shooting will take place in the MRC heated facility on electronic targets. You must shoot match bullets or full metal jacket bullets (no A-Max or expanding bullets).The league will shoot every other Saturday December 2011 thru March 2012. Shooting will start at promptly 11:00 AM. We will shoot 50 shots for record with sighters between strings. The National Match Course will be shot. Prone and F-Class shooters are welcome and will shoot 50 shots for record slow fire. Time will be accommodated forprone & F-Class shooters. The Season fee (9 Saturdays) $75.00. The daily fee is $10.00.To get the discount you must pay the first Saturday.For more information contact George Minerich: (320) 968-6898 or george.minerich@q.com 

   Click Here  for match program

Report on the GRRC Full bore match.
 From Kurt Borlaug: 
   " October 9th saw the area's first ever Fullbore Prone rifle match. The weather was spectacular for the 14 sling, and 4 F-Class competitors. Firing started at a rather leisurely time of 10am and the match ran well under the able management of Mark Rohmann. Mark is a new GRRC member and has stepped up to help when asked. Mark studied the Fullbore rulebook thoroughly and all questions were anticipated and answered confidently.

  The format was pair-firing, with 15 record shots per competitor at 300, 600, 800 and 1,000 yards, for a possible score of 600 points. Adding to the pair-firing, shooters are required to break their shots within 45 seconds of the target coming out of the pit. This means you cannot wait out wind conditions. This forces shooters to quickly judge wind conditions and make BOLD corrections at times.

  Brian Mrnak from Ashland Wi. started off only dropping one point at 300 yards.  Klanderud, Peasley, Borlaug and Junior Eric Hazelton hung tight all at 148 points.

  Mrnak had the only clean of the day at any yardline with a 150-7x. Peasley was close behind with a 148-6x. After 600, Mrnak had the lead at 299-16x, with Peasley close behind at 296-12x. Hazelton and Klanderud tied for third at 295-12. Did I mention Hazelton is a junior.....?

  At 800 yards, the GRRC famous fishtailing conditions began to frustrate the competitors. Mrnak, unfazed, again was on top with a spectacular 149-12 x. Klanderud and Borlaug tied at 147-5x, with Phil's higher value on the last shot putting him in second for the stage. The format at the long-range portion was evidently challenging all comers, as a lot of shooters fair pretty well at the 800 line when they can wait out conditions.

  The 1,000 yardline was the biggest points dropper for all shooters. As the day wore on and the conditions continued to challenge, Mrnak finished again on top at 142-3x. Peasley and Borlaug tied at 139-3x, with Peasley Creedmoring Borlaug on the last shot.

 At the end of the day Brian Mrnak walked away the winner with 590-31x.

Three shooters had scores of 578 with close x-counts. Borlaug and Klanderud tied at 18-x, Peasley at 17-x. Borlaug's higher score at 1k put him in second place overall and first in the master class. Eric Hazelton came away first in Expert class and fifth overall with 575-20x.

  The positive response of this match has spurred the club to add this format again in 2012. There has been calls to revive the National Long-Range Course also. Thanks to all competitors for trying something new, and a BIG THANKS to Mark Rohmann for giving up a day of shooting to run the line."

Thanks Kurt for that match report.  I'm sure that this "Two to a mound shooting" might become a very popular match format.

Junior Shooters  
Would someone please keep us informed on Junior shooting activities over this winter season?

Note:
 Long time competitor Gordy Kordowsky has some once fired LC Match .308 brass for sale.
  Contact Gordy at gskordosky@aol.com

That's all folks

Hawkeye

Shooters News for the Minn Area - Oct 5, 2011

The Week Ahead

Highpower                 

This weekend it is Full Speed ahead to Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club  (map) for the last Highpower match of the season in this area.  This will be a "Full Bore" type match to be shot at 300 , 600, 800, and 1000 yds.  Shooters will be firing 15 record shots with 2 sighters at each distance for a total of 60 shots for record.  So, get out that "NRA Match Rifle, Palma Rifle or Service Rifle, or International Standard or Free Rifle. .223 Rem/5.56 Nato or .308 Win/7.62 Nato cartridges ...  Metallic sights only...." for one more match this season. The weather is going to be great, so come out and launch a few down range. Click Here for "Full Bore" match bulletin.
    I just talked to Match Director, Kurt Borlaug. He has received a large amt. of interest in this match.
    From Kurt: "The GRRC Fullbore match  schedule is as follows; 8:30 regs open, 9:30 close, pits seal at 9:45 and firing will begin at 10am."
    I think the chance to shoot "two to a mound" Full Bore style, will make this match a popular choice for the weekend. 

300-Meter Match

The monthly 300 meter match series will continue Sunday, Oct 9th at Mpls Rifle Club. Shooters will fire on 300 meter electronic target, and may shoot either 60 or 120 shots or record.  They may fire 3 position or all prone and may also choose to shoot F-class (scopes and rests) or even scope all day as in the Senior Scope class. With so many ways to participate, there is no good reason to stay home.  Think about it! -- you can stay home all winter. 


Notes:

Young shooters

Do you have a youngster that you are looking for a Junior shooting program that will get them started off on the right track.  There are many opportunities locally for that young person to be a part of excellent junior programs. Juniors are shooting and competiting, in Air Rifle, Small Bore, and Highpower shooting, and many local junior shooters are making a name for themselves at the collegiate and National level.  You just have to get them going.  Click Here for info  

Cheap Brass?
From Jim Soderstrom:

"Cabelas has all Lapua brass on sale at a good discount.  The .308 brass(non-Palma) is $55.99/100.  Best I've seen in a long while.  Brunos is $65.00 - $68.00/100 depending on quantity.

Jim S."
      Tks, Jim for the heads up!

Sad Day
After many, many years of operation, the 3M rifle and pistol club is shutting down.  Many thanks to Sharon and John Ruffing for (probably) 20 years of running that club.  We are diminished.

Two Weeks Out
Nov 13 - 300 meter match at MRC
Dec 11 - 300 meter match at MRC
 
That's all Folks
Hawkeye

Shooter's News for the Mn Area - Sept 28, 2011

The Week ahead
Traditionalists will be heading south to Bucksnort, Mo.this coming weekend for the last Mid Range match on the calendar.  Too far to travel for a match? Then a weekend of reloading will be in order for the "really" last match of the year to be held on Oct 9th at GRRC. I'm sure that there is one more beautiful fall day on the schedule,  so plan on this match as the season's last chance to pull some triggers.   Click Here for ''Full Bore" match program.

Last Weekend  

 It was the last Service Rifle Leg match of the year, and the weather was perfect -- light wind, sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

The GRRC range was in great shape and the match was well run. 

From: Mark Havilk
 There were 29 shooters, 26 non-distinguished. Bob Harper won with a 472-?x followed by Kurt Borlaug with a ?.    Matt Cwach took the second leg and bronze medal with a 469-?x. Al Schneider, Dean Gillette and myself all shot a 464. Dean beat me by 2 x's and I think Al beat dean by 3 x's.
 

Mark's excellent slide show of this Leg Match -- Click Here  
 
    click "full screen" and turn up the volume!

Notes: 
MRRA Board Meeting rescheduled to October 9 - Gopher Rifle & Revolver Club, Harris MN. (after the match)
Agenda

Two weeks out
Oct 9th  Full Bore match at GRRC -  Click here for Program

That's all Folks
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

Shooters News for the Minn area - Sept. 21, 2011

First---
from Capt Bob: 
Hello Minn. HP shooters:

Today, Sept. 20 is Dr. Ken Erickson's 87th birthday.  Ken was NRA national champion in about 1962 and a serious Minn  HP shooter until his late 70's.  He then became one of the first F class shooters in Minn. and in fact the F class trophy is named for Ken. He is also one of the founders of the North Star club in Red Wing.  Please join me in sending Ken a HAPPY BIRTHDAY greeting. Let's load up his in box for all day reading!

Ken Erickson  --     topgun53@yahoo.com

HOLDHARD"  Bob

The Week Ahead
The days are getting shorter and it sure feels like fall has arrived.  Unfortunately, that means the rifle match season is drawing to a close in the upper mid west. This coming weekend there are still two good choices for the discriminating shooter looking for just one more match before putting the equipment away for the season. 
  Service Rifle shooters will be heading up to GRRC on Sunday, Sept, 25th (map)  for the last local Leg Match of the year.  This "Excellence in Competition" match will award some "all important" Leg points to the top scorers and is the only path toward the life time achievement award of a Distinguished Rifleman's badge.  Other than winning the National Championship, earning a Distinguished Rifleman's Badge is usually the crowning achievement for most competitive shooters.  Service rifle shooters motto:  "If it isn't a Leg Match, its just practice"
     Click Here for program and Schedule for this leg match.  Leg Match weather report.--  Click Here   Note: This weather rpt. seems to update every 5 sec. 

If you are not "gunning" for Leg Points" (why wouldn't you be?), this will be a good fun 50 shot match to close out the season with.  So, dig out the service rifle and head up to GRRC and watch the big dogs sweat it out, while you just shoot for fun.
     
Traveling shooters, might head over to Eau Claire for the last weekend of  shooting at the Eau Claire Rifle Club

  The standard format will be in order.  Saturday is a Mid Range prone 80 shot match to be shot at 600 yds, and on Sunday the shooters will be contesting for the win in an 80 shot Over the Course match.    Click Here for match program and Schedule.  

Last Weekend

Phill Klanderud ignored the cold rain at NorthStar Rifle Club in Red Wing, MN and won the Mn State Service Rile Championship. Phill has been a long time member of the  MN St. Service Rifle team and a top competitor for many years.
  Complete Results of Sat's Service Rifle championship -- Click Here
     The Service Rifle Team Championship was won by the team of Larry Weidell and James Pennington.

                                                                                                Pictures by Mark Havlik 

Sunday's Leg match at NorthStar Rifle Club in Red Wing, Mn might have been wet and chilly, but the action was hot for Scott Brabec who won his Bronze Leg  on the way to his Distinguished Rifleman's badge.  Congratulations to Scott.

Larry Weidell wins the Gold medal, Scott Brabec wins the Silver, and Sgt. Al Shneider wins the Bronze. 
    Complete Leg Match results:   Click here
    Don't miss Mark Havlik's Slide show (with music) of this Leg Match -- Click Here  

300 Meter International     
 From: Brian Shiffman:   

 "This past Sunday, the 11^th turned out to be an ideal day for a match.  There was very little wind, except for a puff now and then, bright and sunny with a mirage to contend with.  I could see two targets nearly superimposed as they drifted in and out of focus while shifting a bit.  Since the wind was so low, the mirage was basically a vertical change of point of impact.  Some just waited a while until the mirage passed (and read the wind which caused it to pass) or did as I did and just pick one target and shoot.  It served me pretty well.

We had four shooters new to our matches who did pretty well, indeed.  Clearly these folks had handled rifles before.  One, unfortunately, was not able to complete the match due to technical issues but I hope he returns to shoot with us.  Ed Toensing came out to the match.  It has been about 18 (or was it 30?)  months or so since he shot with us.  Too many honey do’s and a broken bone kept him away.  For not having shot in so long he did pretty well.

The battle between Johan Boden and Tom Loberg that has been going on for the past few months saw Tom come out on top by 2 points over Johan. 

Robert Smith came with his A game and took top honors with a 596, 3 points better than the two who tied for second followed by two who tied for 4^th.  Complete results can be found at http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=9.

The next match is scheduled for October 9^th."

 Brian D. Shiffman  shiff004@umn.edu 

Small Bore
from Chad Danielson:
   Hey Jim,    The below is the current top ten standings of the Smallbore Prone Aggregate Season points as it stands after the August 27^th and 28^th State Prone 3200 Championship that was shot in Hibbing. The final prone match of the season is a one day 1600 coming up this Sunday September 18^th in Elk River

1         1.  Eric Hazelton (Jr.)        15,202 – 660
2. Jim Biles                       12,663 - 696
3. Emily Quiner (Jr.)          11,073 - 700
4. Steve Knutson               10,944 - 564
5. Chad Danielson             10,882 - 479
6. Nick Learn (Jr.)              10,789 - 413
7. Jim Evenson                  10,669 - 501
8. Stacey Tamulinas           9,449 - 571
9. Lori Huseby (Jr.)             9,360 - 368
10. Julie Huseby                   9,316 – 354

Notes:
From Capt. Bob: 

"I thought you guys might find this interesting --- Click Here  for Accurate Shooter article on "X-Ray Spectrometry of Cartridge BrassX-Ray -- Spectrometers Reveal Metal Content of Major Cartridge Brass Brands"

I've recently had a batch of S&B in 45 ACP that between 15 to 20% of the cases SPLIT on the bullet seating area (lip or front end).  S&B gave me one box of 50 for my inconvenience." 

Bob    
 
Two Weeks out (or longer)
Oct. 9th  -  Full Bore match at GRRC -- Click Here for Program
Oct  9th -   300m match at MRC   (map)
Nov 13th - 300m match at MRC
Dec 11th - 300m match at MRC  

That's all Folks

Hawkeye