April 300 m match rescheduled

From Brian Shiffman:

  "The April 300 Meter match at MRC range originally scheduled for April 8 has been moved to the following weekend, April 15 due to the fact that April 8 is also Easter Sunday and not a good day to have a match.

    The calendar of events at the MGFC and MRRA web sites are being changed to reflect the new date.

All else remains the same and I will be calling for preregistration sometime the the first week of April so keep an eye out for email at that time."

Brian D. Shiffman     shiff004@umn.edu

MN 300 m State Championship

   The Minn 300 meter St. Championship is almost upon us. On Mar 31, Mpls. Rifle Club will be hosting the 300m Prone championships on their sophisticated  range that features international Elecrtonic targets-- no pit pulling.  Click Here for Match Program

 Then next day on Sunday, Apr 1 there will be 3 position matches to decide the 300m 3 Pos. St Champion.  Click Here for Match Program

Western WildCats Matches - 2012.

Click to see slide show

Western WildCats Matches -- Day 4

The 2012 gathering of the WildCats did not just fade quietly in to the night.  The  Storm finally came on Day 4 of the Western WildCats matches.  
   Heading out at 0600 Sunday for the range, the wife said: "You'll be home before I'm back from church".  She could have been right, as it was pouring rain, cold and windy when Rob Nabower and I headed north on the 101 to Ben Avery.   The Front from the long anticipated storm was just moving through, and putting an end to the first 3 days competition's perfect weather. We did see some clearing to the west and by the time we arrived at the range it was just cold, overcast and windy.  The Match would go on.

Jim Gaines shoots during the brief hail storm.

  In the Dewar match, I was cold and did not get comfortable, and even though it was an Any Sight match I dropped 3 on ea target and was already 6 down at the end.  The top half of the Ex class all fired 398, or 399 not letting the cold bother them. 
    The 100 yd match went about the same. All weekend I have lost most of my pts at the 100 yds line.  On the second 100 yd target I had just finished after shooting fairly fast, and it started hailing (pea size) for a couple minutes.  It was about 48 deg, with the wind now blowing about 13 mph an rising.  Still the really good shooters were shooting clean scores with high X counts. 
   During the Meter match (50m) the wind was high but steady and I noticed that my hold was better -- the scope's target dot was easily staying in the X ring, and after losing 2 pts to a gusts on the first bull, I was able to keep the rest well centered with 28 Xs.  
  The last match was the 50 yd match, and again, the wind was blowing 15mph or more with some gusts above that, but it was steady, not wavering around and if you shot with the flags blowing to the NE it was the same for every shot.  I was breaking the shots when the dot was just off the X line at 8 o'clock and they started landing in the center.  I also noticed that my hold was again very steady-- very steady.  For whatever reason, I was having the best hold I have had ever had.  The target dot was almost not moving --- I mean it was dead still.  I could actually hold the dot on the X ring without straying into the black.  Don't believe me?-- ck the result:  

Best hold ever -- 200 18x

  So, the last two matches of the day went well and that almost made up for the chilly weather.  My 50yd score was 400-34x and I still got beat in the EX class by Ken Nelson, who came in 2nd for the day in that class behind my neighbor John Giles whose 1596 was a great (Ex)score for the somewhat difficult conditions.  
  Ken Nelson's steady high scores over the 4 day tournament totaled 6375 pts, -- only dropping 25 pts in 640 shots.  Ken gets the EX win,  followed in a tight group by Barney Higgins, Allen Elliot, and John Giles. 
  Among the HMs, while there were many 1598's and 1599's for the day  Christopher Abalo (Army) was the only one to beat the conditions all day, and fire a clean 1600 (amazing).  Chris dropped only 2pts in the 640 record shots and is the 2012 Western WildCat Champion.  Congratulations to Christopher Abalo!  

Lones Wigger presides over the prize table

This was a fantastic tournament.Without a doubt, the Western WildCats matches are the best matches I participate in - period!  I can't wait till next year to do it again. Now, if I can just apply what I've learned here to next week's, St. Champ. 3200.  
Hawkeye

Final Results 2012 WildCats matches --  Click Here 
Pictures (slide show) to be posted -- asap

Western WildCat Matches -- Day 3

The 2012 WildCats say hello to one and all. (click to expand)

Where was the wind they promised?
    It was supposed to blow like crazy today. The forecast was for 20 mph wind starting in the SE and then veering around to the NW by afternoon. We all put all the clips we had on our target frames, but the big wind never blew in.  It was windy enough so you had to hang on to the targets when putting them up, but I don't think it got more than 8-10mph in the morning and maybe 12-14 in the afternoon.  Even though it was somewhat windy, it seemed the wind was really not much of a factor for the 2nd Iron Sight match of the 4 days of the WildCats.  The wind was steady, it blew from 5 o'clock and there were few reversals. 
   It was also slightly overcast for the 1st match -- the Dewar.  This meant I could see the target better and more easily get a decent sight picture. Bright sun on the targets is not good for my old eyes.  Sure enough I could see pretty good and my hold seemed way better than yesterday. Got a 200 on the 1st 50yd target and then lost 2 to a let off on the 100 yd target. Well this is going well.  I almost cleaned the Dewar ! 

   The two 100yd targets didn't go as well, I got a pair of 196s. I could not get my right eye to focus very well -- no sight picture, no points.  We moved the targets in for the Meter match and took the  Group shot posted above. The light was down and my eye cleared up for the first target and I lost one pt there, but a whopping 5 on the next target.
   I welcomed the  50 yd match and the larger 10 ring, and by this time the wind had veered to S and SW and also diminished somewhat.  I shot quickly to take advantage of the lull, and lost  2 to elevation, but cleaned 2nd target. Two High Masters shot 400-40x scores -- Joseph Hein and Eric Uptagrafft with Joseph getting the match win on tie breakers. In the Ex class, Ken Nelson continued his domination with 400 -28x. My total for the day ended up at 1582 -- a good solid Ex score from my point of view. However It  was only good enough for 9th in the Ex class
 .  Ken Nelson dueled it out with my neighbor to the right, Barney Higgins, and Intermediate shooter Luke Harper all day, but neither one could keep up with Ken at the end or beat his 1593 to take the Ex class win. 
   Among the HMs, 4 hardholders shot clean 1600 scores -- Erick Uptagrafft, Rea Kemply, Christopher Abalo, and Mathew Wallace. This was Erick's 2nd 1600 in two days, and today he gets the Match Win.
--Hawkeye

Day 3

Allen Elliot shooting Xs

Western WildCat Matches -- Day Two

It was another grand and glorious day to shoot.  Almost perfect conditions again.  There was no more than 3mph wind from 4  o'clock for the first two matches -- the Dewar and the 100 yd match.  It was a pure holding and trigger break contest today.  400 scores were a dime a dozen.  Unfortunately, my hold was back and forth in the 10 ring and I was losing pts trying to break a clean shot.  Not my day.  I settled down a little by the  Meter match and after dropping 5 on the first card, I was finally able to shoot clean 200s on the last 3 targets of the day.  In the last match -- the easier 50yd match, I got 400-32x clean, and mistakenly thought that should be up there high on the score board.  Oh, no, not in this competition.  I was only 2nd EX and would have only been 14th in the HM class --- and was actually only 24th over-all in that match.   
  Still only two 1600s were shot today, and those by Jamie Gray, and Erick Uptagrafft. There were some gusty reversals out of the west in  the last two matches.   Erick and Jamie both shot an astounding 140 Xs with Jamie getting the win on tie breakers.  Wow-- you shoot a 1600-140x and don't get a win.    Life is not fair.
  I had the pleasure of shooting next to, Jim Gaines, and John Giles all day. Both these gentlemen are over from Calif. for the matches, and regularly  shoot at the LA R&R The way they tell it that range is right in the city-- in a city park and is a pretty nice place. Two positions away on each side were my old friend from Wisc.- Frank Fisher,  and to the right was Canadian friend Ken Nelson. Who, by the way is the only other person I know that likes the sport of Curling.
  After Two days, Ken leads the EX class,  but even firing a 1597 today,  he could not beat fellow expert,  Allen Elliot, who was determined to take the class win today after a difficult day with a rifle yesterday.  Allen is a past Nat. Palma Champ, and Ken won a first place medal in the Berger Long Range matches just last month. This is a tough Expert class.  When are these guys going to move up to at least the Master class. 
 Ok, now it's time to reorganize for Day 3 of the WildCats.  I cant wait. --- Hawkeye

Western WildCat Matches -- Day 1

Almost a full line at the WildCats !
The conditions were almost perfect for Day 1 of the WildCats. It was the chance you dream of for an Iron Sight 1600.-- bright sun, 77deg,, no humidity, 4 mph breeze from 5 o'clock. There would be no excuses today.
  The Army and Air Force shooting teams were here as well as other top shooters from all over.  Nancy Tompkins, Rea and Tarl Kempley were on the line and the Service teams would have plenty of competition.
   My recent success last week with a 1587 irons score did not get backed up today.  I dribbled away points here and there and was happy just not be last Expert.  Ken Nelson, our Canadian winter visitor, shot a solid 1592 and now leads us Experts.
   Justin Tracy fired a clean 1600 to squeak by 7 other High Masters who dropped only 1 pt for 1599 scores.
  Tomorrow is the first Any Sight match, where I usually do pretty well.  I better shoot a good score because a storm is coming by Sunday and I may not have a chance to move up in the class and have a crack at the prize table. 

Shooters News for the Mn Area -- March 15, 2012

The Week Ahead 
Traveling shooters are gathering in Phoenix for the Western WildCat prone SB matches, which start today with the team match and the "Made in America" match.  Tomorrow, the real competition begins on Day 1 (Iron sights) of this 4 day match. This looks to be one of the best attended WildCat matches in a decade.  Haven Williams, Match Director. told me last Saturday that he already had 87 paid entrys, and thought he would fill all 100 firing positions by Monday.  Over 20 marksman are entered, and that is a great prediction of things to come. 
  This is the 4th weekend of Championship matches in the "March Madness" Phoenix Sm Bore series, which started with the Tarantula 4800 Metric, then the Road Runner 3200, and last weekend with the Diamond Back 3200 Regional. 
   I'm ready to go, and ready to contest the Ex class against what I know will be a tough tough competition. 
Last year you had to shoot high 1580s to win any match in the EX class, and 1600 to win in the Master class, as the conditions were perfect.
   I was not pleased with my scores in the Tarantula 4800 metric (who was?).  While I could blame a lot of it on the windy conditions, I really did not shoot well-- period.  Same thing in the Road Runner matches -- poor shooting with a lot of vertical spread in the Iron sight match.  I was shooting the new Shilen Rachet Groove barrel that I won at last years WildCat matches, and a new lot of SK rifle match ammo.  I started to think that the combination was bad, and that I might have to go back to last years barrel and ammo for the WildCat match, but in the Scope match of the Road Runner, I scored a 1593/1600 and decided to stick with that barrel/ ammo combination for one more try at the DiamondBack matches. It would be a last test before the Wildcats.
   We started the Diamond Backs Iron sight day with the Dewar match,  then the 100 yd match and my results were poor--bad shooting, hard to get good sight alignment -- old eyes.  Before the Meter match, I changed the .5 diopter out of the Stallings front sight and put in a .3 diopter. I could see a much clearer sight picture, and after adjusting the apertures, I came up with pretty good scores in the last two matches.  I had been able to see the target better with the .3 diopter and my vertical dispersion was minimal. The Sunday match of this tournament was an Any Sight match, but I thought I should shoot Irons again to confirm that using the smaller diopter was the key to good scores with irons. 
  The conditions were perfect with just a little wind from 5 o'clock to keep the flags from hanging limp.  While the others were shooting scopes, I was able to hang in there dropping only 5pts in the Dewar match, and then 4 in the 100 yd match.  A pair of 198s in the Meter match, and a  clean 400 in the 50 yd match put me down only 13 pts for the day, posting a 1587 on the board for my 2nd highest Iron sight score ever.  Peter Church fired a 1599 for the match win, Nancy Tompkins and Virginia McLemore 1 only a pt behind. 
  The Barrel was working, and the ammo was working (as good as $6 ammo can be expected to work). I'll start the WildCars tomorrow with confidence in the equipment, and knowing If I don't screw up, I just might win one of those WildCat sweatshirts, and have a good chance at the other great prizes that Lones Wigger comes up with for the prize tables.  Let the games begin.  With a full line of 100 shooters, it will be a great match.
Note:   Pictures, and Results of the WildCat matches to be posted on the blog each day (if I'm not too worn out)

Note: The next MN Sm Bore Winter league match is March 18th -- Program:  Click Here

300 meter news
From Brian Shiffman:
  Results of MRC March 11th 300 meter match

  "It was great weather for the match, in general, but the light to medium variable winds created havoc for many shooters.  It was difficult to figure out the wind direction and speed most of the day.  Both relays experienced challenging conditions.  The wind was only strong enough to move a shot one ring for the unwary but that was enough. 

   The top two F-Class shooters were Jon Hample who beat out Wade Brown by only one point.  These guys had it figured out.  Third place, 8 points behind second, was Gary LaValley.  The next 10 places were separated by 1 to 3 points. 

   A reminder for those that are interested.  When viewing the results page, if you click on a name a new window will be brought up showing that shooters average score for the position chosen.  If a person shoots more than one position during the year, you will have to click on the different positions of that shooter by locating one of those position shot at some specific month.  It makes it easy to see how your shooting is coming along and to compare your average with those of others.

     The full results of the March match are located at this web page;  http://www.edfpages.com/mgfc/results.php?match=3  

    The next monthly match will be Sunday, April 8, 2012.  I will call for pre-registration before April 1^st so watch your email at that time. 

Brian         shiff004@umn.edu

Note: The 300 m Prone State Championship will be March 31 at MRC  -- Match program Click Here

          The 300 m  3 position state Championship will be April 1st at MRC  --  Match program  Click Here 

High Power  
The last match of the Winter Highpower League will be on Mar 17th  -- Match program   Click here
Spring work is on-going at each rifle club, with the first Highpower matches scheduled on April 21 with the CMP games being held at Gopher, and a Wind Clinic and a Mid Range match to be held at Elk River Sportsman's Club that weekend -- Match program Click Here

Service Rifle team -- No News

That's all Folks!
Hawkeye