I can't believe both .....

[Danny Creasy]

Dwight and I forgot to take a camera for the first 50/50 Sporter Match.

Thirteen shooters came and participated and fired a total of 650 rounds downrange.

The rifle rack was full of CZs, Ruger 10-22s, a Mossberg 44, a Ruger 77/22, and a Winchester 190. This would have made a great picture.

Young Zachary shot his CZ Scout in the Prairie Doggin class (he was the only youngster that came).

The wind kinda made things challenging. It didn't just blow the bullets off a little. It also blew the offhand shooters around a little ;D.

It was fun to have this many shooters at a match for a change and even with all these men, we started at 9:00 and finished at 12:00. It really cooks along.

Some of the guys want to have a .22 pistol version cranked up as soon as possible.

The best score (lowest number of targets left standing) was 15 (out of 50). I am sure these scores will get better as the shooters get more acquainted with the match.

[Danny Creasy]

Interesting note:

Correct me if I am wrong on this. But, I don't think a single silhouette was knocked off by another falling silhouette or lead splatter.

I think the new target layout with the larger targets at the bottom contributed to this greatly.

[Dwight Pilkilton]

I would like to add that I really enjoyed this event as did my grandson Zach. He told me that if he had to shoot like the "Big Boys (should we diet ;D?) that he would have felt out of place so the alternative method solves the problem. It was great to see so many in support of this new event even if 1 person tried to cheat by taking too much ammo to the line

I also think we have a great new "hybrid" match here that will serve us well, Thanks Danny

Dwight

[sonnyspawn&gunshop]

I enjoyed the match even though I didn't particularly shoot all that well. I have borrowed a good nikon scope off my 7 mag and popped it on my 10/22 and Willie has convinced me to shoot some of that federal auto match ammo. I zeroed it in yesterday at 50 yards dead on and it was printing 1" groups with the stuff when I didn't goober up on the trigger. (which is at least half the time ) I did some offhand shooting at 50 and am getting a little more comfortable with it. I think I'll do a little better next month.

I enjoyed the fact that so many people showed up and had fun plinking together as well as the fact that anybody with any decent off the rack .22 and some decent ammo can show up and be competative. I think this type of shooting builds more realistic skills and shows what the shooters can do more than just the equipment. I was kind of bummed no slings...but you don't always have time to "sling up" when hunting either and it again favors making the match more accessible to cassual shooters who just want to show up and plink without feeling the need to have a bunch of gear to play.

Also thought the prarie doggin class was a good idea...that kid was ringin them plates from that rest!! Willie has asked to be in that class as well next time....I told him he didn't meet the age requirement I hope to see more women and kids get involved...really fun little match that I think a lot of people will enjoy once the show up for one.

I have already picked out a good target pistol and ammo from larrys collection for the pistol match. Colt Match Target...very accurate! I think I might just show up with my ruger single six for the first match in the interest of pure fun though. I hope we can schedule the match for Sunday afternoons (maybe we could hold it over on the rimfire side to leave the regular pistol range open?) I don't know what guidlines we'd have but I'd suggest something inline with the rifle match where people with common pistols can show up and be competative....I don't know if that would be best served with a MSRP limit a barrel length limit weight limit optics limit or some combination of rules governing one or more of those. perhaps just a "no bull barrels" and length restriction? I don't know but it shouldn't be hard to figure something out.

A handycap point system might just let everyone use what they have and be more simple then again. Anything to help create a level playing field for the average guy could work. I leave that to those that have the expirience at organizing these things.
Lemme know when we plink next! Already practicing at 25 yards with the pistolas! (actually 15 yesterday...working up to it!

Jon Boy,
www.sonnyspawnandgunshop.com

[Danny Creasy]

Thanks for the nice reply Jon.

I would also favor the pistol match being shot separately on a Sunday afternoon.

When I was putting away the Rapid Fire Rimfire records for storage the other day, I came across the first score sheets from 1988. So, we shot that match for almost two decades.

I ran alot of pistol shooters through that match for most of those 200 plus matches and I learned a few things.

Of course, handgun shooting is geometrically more difficult than rifle shooting given that the range and targets are the same. A good trigger pull is nice to have on a .22 rifle but it is almost a necessity for a .22 handgun in these types of matches (even at 25 yards or 15 yards).

In spite of the fact that scoring well in the .22 handgun match is even more dependent on higher quality equipment, I still think that we should keep it simple.

No classes, no handicaps, etc. and I would really like to pass on setting up a kids class for the pistol match (safety issue - if you have ever had a nine year old wobble a big .22 pistol around at a match, then you will no what I mean). Each one of the things just adds more time to the match and makes it more complicated and less fun. Most folks only want to spend so much time and energy at a weekend match and keeping it simple will keep it fun and short.

If the rookie shooter shows up with his Ruger Std Model 4 inch and he can't beat Dwight or Danny with their Smith 41s, then surely he should get a kick out of giving Jon with his Ruger Single Six a run for his money. And if he really likes the game, he will probably have a Smith 41, Ruger Mk II Target, High Std, etc before long.

However, you can bank on both rifle and pistol matches having scoped and open sight classes in the future. This is just a no brainer. I want to encourage people to bring out their old plinkers in the case of rifles and their geewhizbang scoped .22 pistols in the case of the pistol match.

By the way, Jon is a class act. He swept the brass off the concrete between every shooter on Saturday. Every guy had a nice clean playing field to start with each time.

[Dwight Pilkilton]

I also like the idea of a Sunday afternoon shoot for handguns. It is almost too much trying to do both the same day. To me is like doing a half baked job at both instead of concentrating on 1 or the other. Why don't we try to come up with something in the near future and see how it flies. I also think we should put the prairie dogging benches in front of the concrete pad where we shoot, I know this shaves off a yard but we can keep an eye on the shooters better and should we decide to do three shooters at once it would be easier if this really takes off.

Dwight

[Danny Creasy]

Dwight,

The only thing is that the Prairie Dogger would be in front of the firing line - down range from the other offhand shooter . If there were two Prairie Doggers, then they would be OK. If not, then he would have to shoot by his lonesome.

Better yet, in the case of Zach, he has a CZ Scout - probably the best youngster's rifle made in the world. It is designed to be fired normally by a child. Get him shooting standing like everybody else ASAP.

Katie was walking by just now and read this. She started laughing. "Daddy, you always made me and Ellen drag full size rifles up there and stand up and shoot". ;D In my defense, it was usually my Nylon 66. Maybe the stock was long, but it only weighs 4.5 lbs. It is the only .22 rifle that I know of that has felt recoil.

[Dwight Pilkilton]

That is what I was thinking Danny if we had two or more at one time set the benches in front of the pad. Tell Katie anyone that can lead a Band on the field can stand up and shoot like a Man ;D

Dwight