Berger SW Long Range Nationals

The Berger SW Long Range nationals was held over 4 days of beautiful weather in Phoenix AZ this past weekend.  Approximatly 160 shooters contested for prizes in matches from 800 yds to 1000 yds.  Bill Lair, Matt Griffin, and Phil Klandrude came down from Mpls. and  all shot well.
Click Here for pictures by Rick Curtis.
More Pictures by Rick Curtis.  Note:  Matt Griffin pic#163   Click Here  
Write up and Results --  Click Here

Minn 2011 Small Bore match Schedule

Click Here for the 2011 Minn Small Bore schedule.

Shooters News -- The Week ahead -- Jan 24, 2011

The Week Ahead -  Shooters News for the MN area  -- Jan 24 th, 2011
 

The Mpls. Rifle Club will host a Saturday winter league match for OTC, MRP & F class shooters, Jan. 29.  Show time is 12:30 pm for first shot at 1:00pm. OTC will shoot a 50 shot NMC all at 300M scaled to represent the standard SR targets.
Because of problems with the electronic targets in the cold weather, the league fee has been changed to $10.00 per match.. Please try to be to the range by 12:30.
Please contact George Minerich if you have any questions at (320) 968-6898 or minerich@clearwire.net  

Out of Town match -

Service rifles from all Eras-- Rio Salado, Mesa AZ, Jan 1
Pictures, videos and Rpt.    Click Here

Is your Spotting Scope Too Good?
Your spotting scope might be costing you points!   It may be too Good!  
How is that possible?  Read article --  Click Here    

Wind reading clinic
From: Scott Olson (Elk river Sportsmans club)
Hello Shooters,

Just got a confirmation from Steve Knutson regarding the wind clinic.  Below is the plan, mark you calendars! Those of you who have not shot in a match before, don't be concerned. This is going to be promoted as sort of a starter match with just a short match on Saturday before the clinic.  Those of you who don't have any interest in competitive shooting but want to learn more about reading the wind and how it effects bullets at longer distances are welcome to attend also.  There will be a separate fee for those who wish to attend

the clinic portion but not participate in the match. 

Steve Knutson is a world class shooter with a lifetime of experience in competitive shooting.  Steve is also a coach for the National US F-class team.  Steve, along with another US F-class coach Rick Hunt, will give insight and tips on how to develop the skills necessary to accurately shoot in the wind.  Heck, they might even give some coaching and tips not related to wind too.  This is a chance to learn from the best coaches this country has to offer!

Elk River Sportman's Club will host a Mid Range Prone/F-class match (approved) for April 16th and 17th, 2011. Shoot a 44 shot match at 300 Saturday morning, then lunch and the classroom portion of the clinic.  Saturday afternoon, following the lunch, we move the clinic to the range at 600 with firing and real world demonstrations when conditions for wind and mirage are best on the range.  Then on Sunday, the 17th, we hold an 88 shot 600 yard match like the old 4-gun 600yds matches of years past.  I'll incorporate the clinic fee, lunch and match fees all into one price. 

 Proposed Match Bulletin (This will be an NRA Approved Match, following all NRA rules) 

 Saturday April 16th:

44 shots at 300 yds.  (2 relays of 2 sighters and 20 shots for record) MRP/F-class

Lunch and classroom clinic. Clinic moves to 600 yard line with firing demonstrations

 Sunday April 17th:

88 shots at 600 yds.  (4 relays of 2 sighters and 20 shots for record) MRP/F-class

Awards Ceremony and Discussion

Drop me a note or call is you have any questions or concerns.  This event may be limited to the first 80 paid competitors based on range capacity.  I will get a bulletin made and sent out in the next week or so. Let your friends who may be interested but I missed in this email know too!

See you in April,---Scott Olson,    President Elk River Sportsman's Club-- pullbanger@aol.com
Thanks Scott

From Bob Peasley

Gents:

I have access to an "adequate supply" of 308  LR and .223 Match ammo.  The supplier and myself wish to promote prone team shooting. Thus we are proposing a Palma or mini Palma team course. Most likely it would be a mini Palma fired at 3, 5 & 600 yards at North Star.

There would most likely be a M1A division if there are enough guys who want to make an M1A team. There would be a 308 bolt gun division and a 223 division. If there are enough there could be a 223 space gun and 223 service rifle division. This will not be your run of the mill shoot any rifle, all star team event.  The intention is to get more guys & gals shooting team prone. 

 How do we do that?

Does FREE AMMO trip your trigger?

So here's the deal.  Each team will be issued 60 rounds per shooter of LC 852LR

or LC .223 match 77. Yep, you will all shoot issue ammo. This will be enough for 10 sighters + 15 at 300 yds + 2 & 15 @ 5 & 600.

As I said the intent is to tweak the interest in Palma shooting but we feel that a "real" Palma course might still be to intimidating for some and the 223 might be "inadequate" for 8, 9 & 1000. With that in mind here are a couple questions for you.

1. Would your serious belly shooters be interested in loaning your 308 or 223 rifle to 1 or 2 of your team mates to be fired under your coaching?  This would be only for a classified shooter who did not have a match type 223 or 308. We want to encourage new belly shooters but NOT right off the turnip truck with ZERO match experience.

2. There will be NO ALL STAR teams. Would you be willing to participate and shoot on a make up team?

I do not have a date in mind as of yet and there are not many available.   I may try to make it the same weekend as the Garand's only MRP funn match which I leaning toward July 2-3.  Both would be $5.00 or $6.00 entry fees and not approved by NRA with a possible cook out on Sat.

There are many other details to work out but before I go to a lot of trouble I'll need to hear from you.

I do not think there is enough ammo to include F class guys in this and most of them are not shooting 308 & 223 anyway.

Feel free to promote this among your fellow club members or anyone who might be willing to give it a try.  HOLDHARD,

Capt. Bob 

Service Rifle Team
From: Kurt Borlaug 
Well boys, the days are getting longer and just a short time to the long drive to Perry. Just wanted to let everyone know that if you are planning to attend Perry and are a likely Infantry match shooter  I have a favor to ask.
  We will be loading the same recipe as last year except we'll be using Hornady 75gr HPBT bullets. Powder is 23.7gr Varget. Those of you who wish to be considered for the IT team please set aside some components and pick up some of the Hornady bullets. If you could have some ready ammo, I am asking that we do some drilling after OTC matches around the state. Likely scenario is that we shoot at 600 or 500 for 20-30 rounds with a mag change. Actual powder choice is up to you for your practice ammo, but the final recipe will be Varget. Reloader 15 is considered nearly identical so that is an option if you already have it. I will supply targets and repair faces for the clubs we practice at.
  We will have another team practice in July and final team selection will be made at that time. I am loading the team ammo in the next week. There will be enough for zeroing and a full run-through during the team practice. 
  Prices on primers have dropped significantly since last year and are looking in good supply. Powder has dropped a bit too. I've seen the Hormady bullets on sale at Natchez and Powder Valley. 200 rounds of your own for IT practice is a reasonable number.
Thanks much and Happy New Year,
 Kurt

More from Kurt
  Gentlemen, I saw a brief hint of sunshine yesterday which means that spring is just around the corner..........sure it is. In any case the subject of how to run our GRRC HP practice schedule has arisen and I wanted to get input on a new format.
Session 1) 30 minutes slow-fire at 200 yards. Stress yourself for a longer period of time than 20 minutes, or use some of the time for sighters in sitting.
Session 2) Rapids at 200 and 300. Relay changes required to eliminate re-pasting of centers. Sighters and two strings at each line
Session3) 600 slow-fire plus Infantry for those interested/required for Perry.
Repeat each session each week. I believe that the focus, especially on offhand will be more beneficial than last years scrambling about from 200-300. Start times will be PROMPTLY at 5:30. We will divide into two groups and will rotate so that light is not monopolized.
Infantry; we will run 50 second exposures and Mn. Team shooters will make mag changes (at least one) during the strings. Time and volunteers allowing, we will run two strings each night. One at 600 and the next at 500. Plan on 40 rounds per session for those IT shooters, above the 600 slow-fire ammo. Short line ammo will probably require about 500 for the season's practice, and 140 for the 600 slow-fire practices.
  Also, with the logging plan going this month and next we should have a bevy of hardware available for the willow reduction. I was told by someone who knows that a Bobcat could set it's bucket down and scrape that stuff right off......I have to believe him as I've seen this guy work with one. I think he could fillet a walleye with a knife attached to his. In any case if there i anyone who could maybe scout out the area with a snowmobile and pack down some trails that would be great. We'll be looking at the later part of January and into February for the logging. We will lay waste to the east and west ends of the north end of KD range. There are several trees that need to come down near Island shed too. I want the bank of scrub between the 200 and 300, east side down also. I will have the plan available during the next GMM mtg.
Thanks, Kurt

NorthStar Rifle Club - High Power Clinic
by Capt Bob Peasley
The North Star Rifle Club winter meeting will most likely be at Gander Mt. Lakeville on Sat. Feb. 5 at 1300. I am planning on another clinic open to all clubs at 0930. 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!

Interesting Blog Visits:   
One of the interesting things about running my blog is to see where people are coming from who visit the Blog. Since the first week in Dec. I have been keeping tract of the origin of some of the more interesting places where people who visit this blog are from.

 Click Here 

to see a list from the last month and a half.

Eugene Fachini Has left the Range

Eugene Fachini of Las Vegas, NV (formerly of Chisholm, MN) passed away on January 6 at the age of 80 years old.  Gene was a Distinguished Rifleman and President's 100 member who started shooting with the Minnesota National Guard Team in 1967.  He won the Individual Match Rifle Championship at the National Guard Championship Rifle Matches in Little Rock, AR in 1971.  In 1972 he was a firing member of the Minnesota National Guard Rifle Team that won the National Championship in Little Rock.  During his shooting years he was also an active member of the All Guard Shooting Team.  He attained the rank of Captain and after retiring from the Army National Guard, he moved to Las Vegas.  For a number of years he was an active vendor at gun shows in Nevada and Arizona.

     We are diminished.

Berger Bullets SouthWest Long Range Nationals

Don't Miss it -- the weather is warm:  Click Here

That's all folks
Hawkeye

Interesting Blog visits

One of the interesting things about running this blog is to see where people are coming from who visit this Blog. Since the first week in Dec. I have been keeping tract of the origin of some of the more interesting places where people who visit this blog are from.
 Click Here 
to see a list from the last month and a half.

Eugene Fachini has Left the Range

Eugene Fachini of Las Vegas, NV (formerly of Chisholm, MN) passed away on January 6 at the age of 80 years old.  Gene was a Distinguished Rifleman and President's 100 member who started shooting with the Minnesota National Guard Team in 1967.  He won the Individual Match Rifle Championship at the National Guard Championship Rifle Matches in Little Rock, AR in 1971.  In 1972 he was a firing member of the Minnesota National Guard Rifle Team that won the National Championship in Little Rock.  During his shooting years he was also an active member of the All Guard Shooting Team.  He attained the rank of Captain and after retiring from the Army National Guard, he moved to Las Vegas.  For a number of years he was an active vendor at gun shows in Nevada and Arizona.
     We are diminished.

Out of Town match - Service rifles from all eras-- Rio Salado, Mesa AZ, Jan 11

It was a beautiful day to shoot a Curio and Relics match at Rio Salado Sportsman's club, in mesa AZ.  27 shooters showed up to take advantage of temps in the 60s, light wind, and plenty of Sunshine to have some fun pulling triggers.  Half of the shooters used obsolete military rifles and contested the day on standard SR-1 targets, while the "hot dogs" used AR-15s and M-14s and shot on reduced targets, to practice for the big Washington's Birthday Match coming up next month.  Between 50 and 80 four man teams are expected to enter this match, which will be the 119th continous year this match has been held.
   Click here for Washington's Birthday Match program and entry 
   Ron Foos shooting Sitting Rapid fire Click Here        (video)
  Mike Floyd shooting Prone Rapid fire at Rio Salado Click Here     (video)
 

The winner of the C &R division was Bill Poole shooting a Swedish Mauser and scoring very fine 473.  The winner of the modern service rifle class was the old fart writing this rpt with a respectable 486-18x shot on those pesky reduced targets.
A fun time was had by all !