Shooters News for the MN area -- May 6, 2014

Highpower
Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club to host Service Rifle matches
This coming weekend GRRC will host the 2nd in their summer series of CMP service rifle matches on Saturday, May 10th. These fun and easy matches will appeal to shooters who just want to get out and pull some triggers on what looks to be an actual 'sunny' day. Let's hope the forecast is right for a change ! The day will start out with an 'individual'  30 shot match, which consists of 10 shots prone slow fire, ten shots prone rapid fire and finishes with 10 shots offhand --  all from the 200 yd line.  After a break for lunch the 2nd match on the schedule is a Sniper Team match where two shooters alternate shooting and coaching from the 300 yd line and 600 yd line.  A good time will be had by all who attend, so dig out that older service rifle and give it a try. 
    Click Here for match bulletin

Sunday, May 11th head for Mpls Rifle Club near the small town of Now Then just NW of the Twin Cities.
From Brian Shiffman   shiff004@umn.edu
The May Minneapolis Rifle Club 300 meter match will be held this Sunday, May 11^th.  There will be two relays scheduled; the first starts at 10 AM and the second at noon.  My fuzzy caterpillar claims that it will be a nice, warm day.  I told him or her that if it made a mistake that it will become bird food!  (Contact Brian for entry & squadding )

May 10th &11th.Traveling shooters who prefer prone shooting only can find two good days of Mid Range prone shooting at the LaCrosse Rifle Club   Both days matches will be shot  from the 600 yd line and both days will have any/any, any/iron, Palma, Service, and F-class categories.   Click Here for match bulletin  E-mail entries to  deadeyepagel@yahoo.com

Small Bore

If you just like to shoot a lot and not pull targets, grab that small bore match

rifle and head to Mpls rifle Club Saturday, May 10. Starting at 0900, shooters 

will fire a 60 shot 3 position match, and after a lunch break they can fire a 60 

shot prone match -- all on the 50m A50 target.Click Here for match bulletin

Sunday, May 11 MRC will host a second day of sm bore shooting -- all prone.

This will be a 160 shot conventional outdoor prone match with targets at 50yds, 

100yds, and 50 meters.  Click Here for match bulletin

This match is a good warm up for the Regional Sm bore champ in two weeks

Last Weekend

From Erik Rhode
Hi Jim,

Attached are results from the April 26 4x600 at Eau Claire, and the Palma 

Regional at in Lodi for you to use or ignore at your discretion.  I've been 

meaning to get these to you sooner, but have been extremely busy.  I also sent 

a message to the new HP chairs at GRRC asking for their help in getting 

 results both to you for the newsletter/blog, and onto the MRRA results calendar.  

Hopefully we will have better luck than last year.

The weather at Eau Claire on the 26th of April was cool, but manageable.  Rain

threatened in the morning, but held off and everyone got in a full day of shooting.  

Light and fairly consistent winds led to some high scores being shot throughout the 

day. 

 Randy Gregory and Matt Griffin duked it out for the win, with Randy squeaking past

 Matt by X's with a 796-48 to Matt's 796-44.  I was 2 points back for a distant 3rd place.  

Sunday's OTC match ended up being called due to rain at about 11 am after the 

standing match and 2 relays of sitting.  I don't believe that anyone was too upset by 

this decision, as it was pretty cold and very windy.  When the rain started, the fun 

was pretty much over.  I'm pretty sure my 181 won the standing match, if that gives 

you any idea of the conditions.  Here's a link to Saturday's scores, in case they did 

not copy you on them:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwNBGsygr_lXVEpSaXJNOHFmRGM/edit?pli=1

On to Lodi.  This past weekend was the Palma Regional at Winnequah Gun Club.  

The forecast was threatening rain all week, but when I hit the road on friday 

afternoon, WeatherBug was showing a dry weekend.  It indeed ended up staying 

dry, but the conditions were anything but pleasant.  

Saturday presented us with an honest-to-goodness 25-30 mph gusting, fishtailing 

 headwind that would occasionally even kick up sand to keep everyone on their toes.  

Fast moving clouds were making light conditions very tricky on top of the extremely 

difficult wind situation.  I heard one shooter come off the 1000 yard line say that he 

didn't see the same target twice through the whole string!  Mirage was sometimes 

visible, but was often blown out and very hard to read, so most shooters switched to 

watching the flags.  I found the center flag on the 600 yard line to be somewhat reliable 

and based my corrections off of that.  Even the best shooters were getting caught for

 7's(or worse) and off-paper misses were not uncommon.  Several long-time Winnequah 

members stated that it was the hardest condition that they have seen at their range.  

Shooters left at the end of the day with wind-burned faces and dried-out eyes...

Brian Mrnak managed the only HM score of the day with a 439 for the win.  I was pleasantly

 surprised to find that my 433 was good enough for 2nd place!  The conditions 

managed to get even worse for the bonus 20-shot 1000 yard match, and not one 

shooter out of 29 was able to crack the 190 mark.  There were 3 189's shot, including 

the match winning 189-6x from Frank Evica, out of the Expert class, no less!  I was

happy to escape with a 186-3x, which gained me 3 points on Brian's lead and kept 

me in 2nd place for the 1-day agg.  

On Sunday, conditions proved to be much more favorable(though still not easy), and 

 scores were much higher for the day.  Rick Burbach posted a very respectable 445-20x 

for the top spot on Sunday, with crafty vet Bill Lair shooting a 441-15x for 2nd place.  

In the combined Master/Expert/SS class, Paul Cross won the weekend agg after 2 days 

of solid shooting with a 1036-29x.  A newcomer,  Sharpshooter-ranked Chris Veldkamp 

was just 8 points behind Paul for 2nd place using mostly borrowed equipment.  My bet is 

that we can expect for Chris not to remain a sharpshooter for very long.  

On Sunday afternoon when the dust settled, Brian "The Machine" Mrnak came out on top, 

and brought home the Gold Medal with a score of 1063-29x.  Brian is really at the top of his 
game
right now, and he will be the man to beat at any match he chooses to enter.  Waylon
Burbach showed why he's the #1 ranked junior shooter in the world by clawing his way up 

to 2nd for the Silver with a 1055-31x..  My pitiful performance at the 1000 yard line on Sunday
dropped me down to 3rd, but considering the conditions, I was happy to sneak away with the
 Bronze after shooting a 1051-33x.  

Over on the F-class side, Pat Scully made North Star Rifle Club proud in his first visit to

 Lodi by winning the F-Palma on Saturday AND the bonus 20-shot 1k match, giving him 
a comfortable lead going into day 2.  Sunday was a little tougher on him, but he hung on 
for the Gold medal and match win over 2nd place Bob Sebold with a 1048-23.  Pat also 
managed to earn the new nickname of "Square Head" from the Wisconsin guys - I think 
that one's gonna stick!

See score board photos from Lodi below.

Later,

Erik

Thanks Erik for sending in the Match report!!!

Thats All Folks !
Hawkeye

Shooters News for the MN area - May 1, 2014

Big Weekend coming up for Minn Area shooters.

  There are Rifle Matches galore this weekend, so grab up some of that ammo you have spent all winter loading and get out there and shoot--No excuses this weekend, there is something for everybody
  There are Prone matches for serious mid-range shooters, "Fun" matches for the service rifle shooter, and to top it all off there is an EIC (excellence in competition)  'Leg' match for the aspiring Service Rifle shooter to try and earn some of those elusive "Leg points" needed to earn the coveted "Distinguished Rifleman's"  badge.
  For the 'occasional' or beginning shooter that wants a "fun" match to go to, head on over to Oakdale Gun Club on Saturday morning May 3, and take part in the 2nd of their summer series of CMP Military rifle matches.  Easy and fun, these CMP matches are a good way to practice your skills. You will shoot some sighters and then 10 shots from the prone position, then a 10 shot string of  'rapid fire', also prone, and finally 10 shots from the standing position to finish out your turn on the firing line.
     Click Here for match program and entry info

Gopher Rifle and Revolver Club will also be hosting rifle matches both Saturday, May 3, and Sunday May 4th.  Saturday will see shooters on the line contesting the venerable Bob Hall Memorial OTC match.  Open to both 'match' and 'service' rifles, this will be an "Over the Course" type match--(50 of 80 shot?) and will be the warm-up for the all important Service Rifle Leg match taking place on Sunday May, 4th.  For service rifle shooters the 'Leg Match' is the holy grail of shooting. Come and participate and you will find out why.   Click Here for match program -- first shots down range at 0900 hrs.
   Belly shooters will be heading down to the beautiful NorthStar Gun Club just North of  RedWing, Mn, along the banks of the Cannon river. Two days of Mid Range matches await the faithful. Saturday shooters will fire 20 shot matches from the 300, 500 and the 600 yd lines, with Iron sights, and one 600 yd match with 'Any' sights.  On Sunday, all 4 twenty shot matches will be fired from the 600 yd line. Two with 'Irons' and two with 'any" sights. All matches on both days can be fired with scopes in the F-class.
   Click Here for Match program   Contact Bob Peasley (507)744-5200 for latest information

That's All Folks
Hawkeye

Shooters News for the MN Area - Apr 22, 2014

Rifle matches Eau Claire - Apr 26-27

It's time for a road trip to Wisconsin.  Traditionally the first major Rifle Matches of the season have been held at the Eau Claire National Rifle Club.  This year is no exception.  Saturday Apr 26 ECNRC will kick off the season by hosting a Mid Range Prone shooting match that will be shot from their 600 yd line. Each of the four 20 shot matches to be fired will allow 2 sighter shots, so bring at least 88 rds (and a few extra).  The first two matches are to be fired with "Any Rifle, Any Sights)" (NRA rules), and the last two matches are "Any Rifle, Iron sights" for sling shooters.  F class shooters will fire all 4 matches under the Belly Benchrest rules.
Click Here for Match and Entry info
On Sunday, Apr 27 the actions switches to Over the Course matches, where shooters will shoot a Standing match from the 200 yd line, a Sitting and Prone Rapid fire match also from the short yd lines, and finish out the day with a 20 shot prone match again from the 600 yd line.
Mail Entries to: Jim Melville 4532 160th, St Chippewa Falls, WI. 54729
For Match Info: Phone 715-450-6463     E-Mail ecnrcmatch@gmail.com
(prefer E-Mail contact for match info)

Service Rifle shooters take note -- The first, all important, EIC "Leg Match", will take place at GRRC on Sunday May 4th. If you want to earn points toward the Life Time award of a Distinguished Rifleman's badge, you need to shoot in Leg matches.  Those that aspire to this lofty goal can practice their skills Saturday May 3 at GRRC in the Bob Hall Memorial OTC warm-up match.
  Click Here for Match entry and info

Shooters News for the Minn Area -- April 12, 2014

It's Time !
Yup, it's time to think spring and the 2014 Highpower shooting season. 
It's time to dig out one of those neglected older service rifles sitting in the back of your gun safe and get out to the range for a little trigger pulling. 

Next Saturday  --April 19-- GRRC will host one of those CMP Military Rifle Matches
that are great for the beginning shooter and anyone that just likes to have some fun and a little practice shooting a easy Rifle match.  CMP course A will be used:

CMP course A at 200yds:

Prone Slow Fire 5 sighters, 10 record shots in a time limit of 15 minutes.

Standing to prone Rapid Fire, 10 shots in a time limit of 80

seconds.

Standing Slow Fire, 10 shots, single loaded in a time limit of 10 minutes.

 This match will be over about noon and be followed by a "sniper match"
 For match entry Info -- Click Here

Upcoming Mid Range prone and F-Class mattch at Red Wing (NorthStar Rifle Club)

From Capt. Bob

Greetings HP shooters:

Attached is your program for a 2 day (May 4,5)  MRP and F CLASS NRA approved shootin' contest at North Star.  Our first weekend of May match has been frozen, rained or snowed out the last 3 years so we think it's time to have a dandy weekend for a change.  In the event of another bad weather weekend I'll have a notice out by 9PM the Thursday prior.  But for now plan on shooting a belly match. I'll be there by about 1400 Fri. to open the gate for campers.

Click Here for Match Bulletin

HOLDHARD,

Bob

Shooters News for the Minn Area -- Sept 18, 2013

From: George Minerich,  MRRA President
"Hi All:
In an effort to increase International Small Bore shooting I have come up with a revised match format for the last match small bore of the summer season.  Saturday, September 28, 2013 we will shoot a 3 X 20 3-Position match starting at 9AM.  After lunch we will feature a 600 Prone match starting at 1PM.  All targets will be shot at 50 meters on the a-50 target.  Entry fees are modest and you are welcome to shoot either one or both of the matches.  The match program is attached.
                                              Click Here for Match Program
Please note: NRA prone shooters are welcome to shoot the prone match using your existing equipment.  Seniors may use any sight for these events

This is a trial run and will be shot under NRA Authorization.  If this works out well, there we  be a couple of these matches offered in the 2014 shooting season under USA Shooting authorization using ISSF Rules.
Regards,   George Minerich

   PS:  There will not be 1600 Prone Match on Sunday, September 29, 2013.  The Boss requires that I take her on a vacation up the Northshore."


Mid Range Regional Championship at Northstar -- This weekend!

    From: Capt Bob

"Hello players:

The NRA medals for the upcoming regional arrived today.  I also got 2 more entries today bringing us up to over 30 by my count.  We have about 10-12 F class and the rest sling.  The weather looks mighty nice both days but maybe cool evenings & early morning.  North Star has about 4 picnic tables but if you have a lawn chair to use for eating & relaxing you better bring it. President May is planning on a pulled pork BBQ with salad, chips, beans? & water.  Feel free to bring your favorite adult beverage or soft drink.  For those of you in Rio Linda "beverage" is something to drink..

If you have not yet sent an entry please do so ASAP as I would like to have 90% of the squadding done Fri. night.  I will be arriving at the range by noon Fri. & the gate will be open.  I don't have cell phone or email there so email your entry by 0900 Fri.

Seeya at North Star.   

 Bob"             Click Here for Match program

  

 Over the Course and Leg Match

  From: Kurt Borlaug 

 "Attention HP shooters!! Kurt Borlaug is once again stumped by his computer and can't open, write or send documents via e-mail. He wants you all to know that October 5 and 6 will be a beehive of Highpower events at GRRC.
  Saturday the 5th will be the Bob Hall make up. 80 shots, BUT!!!! as this is an unapproved match you will be allowed to stand prior to rapids. Why is that of interest? Because we'll have an EIC Leg match on Sunday! 9am start both days, squadding by 8:30 and pits seal at 8:45.
Fees are $15 for Saturday and $20 for Sunday.
  Thanks, Kurt"       Click Here for Match program 

 

Shooters News for the Minn Area -  Sept. 10, 2013 

 The Week Ahead

  Mpls. Rifle Club is once again the focus of the shooting community this weekend. Mark Rohmann and his Highpower crew has another great weekend of shooting lined up for Over The Course shooters starting off with a 100 shot OTC match on Saturday Sept 14.  The first two matches of the day will be the Standing match ( 20 shots offhand) and the Sitting Rapid Fire match (two strings of 10 shots, each fired in 60 sec).  These matches are fired from the MRC's shade covered 200 yd line. Shooters then move back to the 300 yd line for the Prone Rapid fire match, and then two 20 shot Prone Slow fire matches.  That's right, you get to double up on prone slow fire and we all need more practice at that. 
 Then after the match, the MRC guys will host another of their great Barbeque throwdowns for all the shooters.
    Click Here for Saturday match bulletin -- Let them know you are coming

  Stand on your hind legs and shoot like a Man. 
The Minnesota State Offhand Championship will be fired Sunday, Sept 15th, at MRC. Competitors will fire 5 matches of 20 shots Standing to determine who will be the 2013 State Offhand Champion. With it's covered and somewhat sheltered 200 yd line, MRC is the perfect place to shoot Standing matches.  Click Here for match Bulletin

 

Last Weekend
9/11 Memorial mid range Championships at NWGC  
From Eric Rhode

Hi Jim,
....Wick asked me to email you a pic of the 
results board from this weekend. Was another good weekend to shoot at 
Northwestern. Hot & steamy on Saturday and cold and windy on Sunday. The wind 
wasn't worth much as per usual at NWGC, and some good scores were put up.  As you 
can see from the board, Stacy showed us all why he's "the man" when it comes to 
prone shooting. 
Later, Erik                  Click Pic to enlarge

 

Top Shooters: 

Eric Hazelton - Jr Champ 1567-56X 

Omer Hamer - Grand Sr 1556-59X 

Steve Knutson MN State Champ - 1594 - 93X 

Stacy Tamulianus Match Winner-NonRes 1598-100X 

Dale Wickstrom Sr 1548-57X

From Jim Fernandez:

 State midrange (sling) Championship held in Northwestern gun club, Duluth
Mn. Weather was good, Mosquitos were down, 25 shooters attended including
3 junior shooters, Thanks to  Chris Hazelton for bringing them and helping
them. State champion Steve Knutson, Match winner Stacy Tamuilins, Grand
Senior  Champlon Ormer hammer, Senior Champion Dale Wickstrom, Junior
Champion Erick Hazetton.
Thanks For Coming -- Jim Fernandez   

Good shooting conditions at NWGC and top talent again showed on the score board. After 160 shots for record, Stacey T. had fired 100 Xs, and dropped only two points. Thats right Stacey fired six of the 8 matches Clean including the last 5 matches in a row, and dropped only one pt in ea of the other two matches. Congratulations also to Steve Knutson, State Champion, just a couple pts back with another great performance and a 1594-93x score. Congrats also to Wick, Eric, Omer for their outstanding shooting at these prestigious matches.
    I see that the list of champions here is full of Sm Bore prone shooters -- take note.  


More news from the F-Class world Championships -- Raton, MN  
 From Brenda LaValley: 

Note: Gary LaValley was the winner at a big 1000 yd F-class match in Wyoming this past month. I'm not familiar with the match but it must a big one -- just check out the Trophy that Gary won!!!!!! 

 

   Gary LaValley -- 1000yd F-cass winner

 

From Mark Havlik:    (Read this*!)

Jim,
The link below is an article in the CMP newsletter about Tim Boyle and Mark 
Schoess. I'm surprised this hasn't made the local rounds yet. I would have sent 
it sooner but I've been a bit distracted.

  (Mark's wife has cancer and both are in our thoughts)
http://www.odcmp.org/0813/default.asp?page=DONOR  
Mark  H. 

Thanks Mark H. for sending that in.  It is a great story. 

Mark Schoess is indeed a great hero to all of the Minnesota shooting community.  

*Note: This newsletter and the Minnesota rifle shooting blog are going on Hiatus for the foreseeable future. All available match bulletins can be found on the MRRA web site Click Here  

Two Weeks Out
Sept 21, 22  --  Mid Range Prone and F-class Regional at NorthStar range near Redwing, MN.
                        Click Here for match bulletin
Sept 28       --  Sm Bore Metric Prone and 3P at MRC  -- Click here for match Bullletin  
Sept 28       --   CMP Games match at MRC - no match bulletin available
Sept 28       --   Mid Range Prone at Eau Claire Rifle Club - Click Here for match bulletin
Sept 29       --   OTC matches at Eau Claire Rifle Club  -   Click Here for match bulletin
Oct 5, 6       --   Rescheduled "Bob Hall" OTC (sat), EIC Leg match on Sunday 
                       No match bulletin availiable  

That's all Folks
Hawkeye

Shooters News for the Minn Area - Sept 3, 2013

The Week Ahead

Highpower 
This is it --  the matches you have been waiting for are happening this weekend at Northwestern Gun Club, near Duluth. It will be two days of Mid Range Sling State Championship prone matches.  Usually known as the 9/11 Memorial matches.  These matches draw many shooters to the north woods just for the chance to shoot at such a nice rifle range. Each year shooters come from states around to compete in both 300 and 500 yd matches at this great range on the shores of Hunter Lake.  Saturday, Sept. 7th will feature Iron sight and Scope matches from the 300 yd. line. On Sunday, Sept 8th, shooters will move back to the 500 yd line for another day of both Iron sight and Any sight matches.  So gather up 160 rds plus a bunch of sighters and come on up for a weekend of trigger pulling.  
    Click here for Match bulletin           

 

  500 yd shooting at NWGC

 

300 Meter International
Mpls. Rifle Club invites you to their monthly 300 m International match -- Sept 8th. MRC is in NW Anoka county, and has super neat electronic targets.  Check it out. 

From Brian Shiffman:  
The September Minneapolis Rifle Club 300 meter match comes early this month.  Since the 1^st of the month was last Sunday, the match will be held this Sunday, September 8 in keeping with the schedule of the monthly matches held on the 2^nd Sunday of the month.  There will be two relays scheduled; the first goes off at 10 AM and the second at noon.  

  Register yourself at http://edfpages.com/mgfc/match.php.  Read the instructions.  Pay attention as you fill in the boxes and make selections from the drop down lists.  There is room for only 14 shooters per relay.  The box at the top of the list shows the number of shooters for each relay. 
    No expanding or fragmenting bullets.  Only match or full metal jacket bullets; no muzzle brakes but flash hiders are OK.  A-Max bullets are NOT allowed. They are fine for paper but have a jacket that will fragment and shred our targets when it hits.  
  Pick your shooting class: 3-Position, Prone (sling and iron sights), Offhand (iron sights), F-Open or F-TR.  If you use optical sights then you are in one of the two F classes, depending upon caliber and type of support used.  You can shoot F-TR class with a service rifle with a scope and a sling if you choose.  F-TR is limited to .223 (5.56) or .308 caliber and may use a bipod attached to the rifle (but not a front bag or rest).  F-Open is any other caliber or rifle support.  Shooting is governed by ISSF rules except we allow NRA shooting jackets.  As a club match, we have some liberty.

   Fee is $20 for the 60 shot match; Electronic targets, so, NO PIT DUTY and the match runs quickly, 3 strings of 20 rounds in succession.  Once the command is given to start the match, each shooter is on their own to finish within the 1:35 minutes.  
  If you need to cancel or change relays you have to contact me so that I can use the magic pixie dust to delete your entry and make it available for someone else.
   If you make an error on your entry, contact me so I can correct it. 
Brian D. Shiffman  shiff004@umn.edu

Last Weekend 
Prone and OTC matches at Eau Claire - No News

Notes:
Under the banner of "Where are They Now" we get this from Rick Curtis
"Yesterday a young man named James Wendel, who had reached out to Jim Hahn only two weeks ago, came out to try competitive shooting for the first time ever. James brought along and AR-10 and a Remy 700 in .308 to try his hand at the fullbore course and under the watchful eye of past palma team member and new Arizona resident Grant Ubl, appeared to have had the time of his life. I'm fairly certain we will be seeing more of Mr. Wendel as we progress into the cooler months. Also big thanks for helping out with not only the new guy, Grant, but for your dedication to the sling and F shooters in our community since your arrival in July. This has not gone unnoticed sir and we all owe you a debt of gratitude!"

Two Weeks out
Sept 14        --  100 shot Over the Course match at Mpls Rifle Club -- Click Here for Match Bulletin                        *remember this is a match with a FREE barbeque afterwards*
Sept 15        --  Minn State Offhand St. Championship at Mpls Rifle club --  click Here for match bulletin
Sept 21, 22  --  Mid Range Prone and Fclass Regional at NorthStar range.
                        Click Here for match bulletin
From Capt. Bob:    
"Hello belly shooters:
Attached is your program for the MRP Regional at North Star Sept. 21/22.  Here are a few points for your consideration: 

1. We can accommodate 60 shooters on 3 relays or 80 on 4 relays if necessary. 

2. F CLASS is big & growing so we expect more F CLASS shooters.  However, we will limit F CLASS & Sling to 30 or 40 entries until NOON WED. SEPT. 17.  After that time we will fill spots with whatever the demand is.  So if you want to ensure a spot PUH-LEESE read the program and send advance entry.  My instinct tells me we will probably NOT exceed 3 relays but we never know. 
3.  President Mike May is planning on a BBQ after the team match Sat.  We will be requesting a $5.00 donation to help offset food cost.  Therefore I also request you include a statement with your entry that you will stay for BBQ so we know how much stuff to order.  You can pay when you eat. 
4.  It's getting dark early by late Sept. so it's important to start on time.  Your advance entry will help with that!
5.  We would like to see club vs. club teams but if you can't find guys from your club we welcome state association teams. 
6.  I don't have a full list of F class shooters so it would be nice to see you F class guys spread the word. I'll add those names to my North Star DB for future reference. 

Call me 507-744-5200 or email dilligas@lonstel.com if you have questions.eeya in Sept.     Bob"

That's All Folks
Hawkeye