So I told John I would do an AAR write up for the latest JST match.
Where: Aycock Farm, NC.
Date: June 12th 2010
Time: 9:00am
Myself and 3 others that I shoot with regularly attended this match, we made the drive up from the Atlanta area and it took us aproximately 8 hours to get to Kenly NC where we stayed the night at the Econolodge. We decided that it was best for us to make the drive friday and spend the night so we could be fresh for the match in the morning.
We arrived at the Aycock farm approximately around 8am. We parked the truck and signed in as a group, unfortunately there was a couple of shooters that signed in between us spreading us out in the shooting order. By the time all were signed up there were 28 total shooters.
We were told that we could get our rifles and begin ranging targets from various places in the general area that we would be shooting from. Target sizes were given, but one downside is that not everyone was prepared for the target sizes and had nothing to write with or on. I scrambled and found a piece of paper in my wallet (my temporary drivers licence), and I keep a pen in my pocket so the writing utensil wasnt that big of a scramble. We werent given exact firing locations but were told the relative area we would be firing from to range targets, and to make a range card. We were given approximately 20 mins to make the range card and do what we wanted to as far as ranging. I had a range card from google maps that I had made prior to showing up, but I did range targets just to confirm what I had found out by doing a little research on my own.
The day got started after a quick safety briefing with the pistol portion of the event. We walked down range about 400 yards to where the pistol portion was set up, which was a humanoid paper target, and 8 steel targets. Course of fire on pistols was start holstered, draw and put 3 rounds on the humanoid target, 2 in the chest and one in the head. Then put one round on each of the steel. Steel was at about 15 yards give or take and had 2 10 inch circles, 1 hanging and one on a fixed spring stand, 2 6 inch knock down targets on the ground, a 4, 6 and 8 inch hanging circles as well. The last target was about a 50 percent IPSC steel on a post about 35 yards out. Shooters were told to load and make ready and then shoot the course starting with the humanoid paper, the far steel was a bonus for 3 seconds off your time, you were given two runs and the fastest run counted.
Next up was the cold bore shot, and a bonus shot. Shooters were laid under a canopy one at a time and told where the targets were, they were hidden in the woods and in the shadows at 500 and 600 yards. Shooters were given 2 shots at 500, 3 points for a first round hit at 500 or 2 points for a second round hit. If you hit the 500 yard target you were then allowed to shoot at the 600 yard target. Again, 3 points for a first round hit at 6 and 2 points if you used a second round and hit. If you didnt hit the 500 yard target there were no attempts allowed at 600.
After you got up from your CBS you moved on to a concrete bench to the paper targets, the only ones used in the match. From the concrete benches the paper targets were approximately 175yards out and were a single sheet of paper with 12 NRA bullseyes ( I think they were small bore targets), each shooter was to fire 1 round at any 5 bullseyes that they wanted to.
Next up was the truck, and old flatbed positioned so you could shoot off the bed of the truck over a smoldering fire to engage a set of 6 swinging targets diminishing in size. These lollipops were partially obscured from your sight by the crops planted in the field if you shot out of the prone from the back of the truck. Had a shooter shot from the standing on kneeling they probably would have a better target presentation, but would it have been as steady as shooting from prone probably not. I cant give the target size on these because I am not sure, I never really saw the targets but shot to where I thought that they were.
4th stage was the no line of sight shot. Shooters were given 30 seconds to find the targets and their relationship to each other. There was a 10x17 inch target on a raised stick that was visible out of the firing position and a larger target that was not visible from the firing position that was your target. The hold on this target was 3 mils down, and 2.5 mils left, shooters could either dial their scopes and hold dead on the target that they could see, OR hold it in their scopes and have the crosshairs basically off in space. Target distance was 500 yards. Shooters were given three attempts at this target.
Last and final stage of the day was called dot dot. Targets at 90, 175, 240, and 425 approximately. Shooters were back in the same spot that the first stage was shot from, roughly 90 yards out there was a 6inch steel target, at the next distance was a 4 inch spinner, followed by an 8 inch circle, and lastly a 10 inch circle. Shooter was allowed to dial for any range that he wanted to PRIOR to engaging the first target, once the first target was engaged shooter was not allowed to touch his knobs and dial for distance simple hold overs were to be used to engage the remaining targets.
Ok, now that I have explained the day Ill give my thoughts and feelings on the overall experience.
I was out of my element somewhat at this match, I am used to shooting in two man teams and being given corrections from my partner to get me on target. The match had spotters but they were simply calling hit or miss, and were simply more of a scorekeeper than a spotter. I am not the greatest at calling the wind and would have liked the help of a spotter to make the wind calls for me and give me a correction when I was off due to wind, my elevation on targets were correct, my windage, not so much. I learned that next time I need to take my time and get a better view of targets if I am not completely sure of where they are. I think that if I had stood up and looked thru my scope at the spinners off the back of the truck I would have seen where the target area was better and would have known how far down the "stem" to aim to his the target.
Overall organization for the match was kinda hectic and I think it could have been better. I am not sure exactly how I would have improved the organization but I think that there is room for improvement there. I understand that this is Johns 3rd match and I am sure with time the organization will come around.
I enjoyed my experience there and had a fun time, I do wish I would have shot more than just 25 rounds of rifle. I would have liked to have shot more than that, closer to 45 or 50 would be perfectly fine for me. I think that with time limits on each stage the flow could have been better, often times I found myself saying to the other guys I was with "Wow I havent heard a shot in a while". I also think that a two man team match would be more enjoyable for me and my hit count would improve.
Would I be back? I dont know, it was fun like I said but for only shooting 25 rounds each rifle and pistol, I could drive to my home range here in Ga for that and not have the 15 hours of ride time involved.
By the way, John, Glen, Rob, and others, THANK YOU for having me out, and thank you for the job that you all did.
Where: Aycock Farm, NC.
Date: June 12th 2010
Time: 9:00am
Myself and 3 others that I shoot with regularly attended this match, we made the drive up from the Atlanta area and it took us aproximately 8 hours to get to Kenly NC where we stayed the night at the Econolodge. We decided that it was best for us to make the drive friday and spend the night so we could be fresh for the match in the morning.
We arrived at the Aycock farm approximately around 8am. We parked the truck and signed in as a group, unfortunately there was a couple of shooters that signed in between us spreading us out in the shooting order. By the time all were signed up there were 28 total shooters.
We were told that we could get our rifles and begin ranging targets from various places in the general area that we would be shooting from. Target sizes were given, but one downside is that not everyone was prepared for the target sizes and had nothing to write with or on. I scrambled and found a piece of paper in my wallet (my temporary drivers licence), and I keep a pen in my pocket so the writing utensil wasnt that big of a scramble. We werent given exact firing locations but were told the relative area we would be firing from to range targets, and to make a range card. We were given approximately 20 mins to make the range card and do what we wanted to as far as ranging. I had a range card from google maps that I had made prior to showing up, but I did range targets just to confirm what I had found out by doing a little research on my own.
The day got started after a quick safety briefing with the pistol portion of the event. We walked down range about 400 yards to where the pistol portion was set up, which was a humanoid paper target, and 8 steel targets. Course of fire on pistols was start holstered, draw and put 3 rounds on the humanoid target, 2 in the chest and one in the head. Then put one round on each of the steel. Steel was at about 15 yards give or take and had 2 10 inch circles, 1 hanging and one on a fixed spring stand, 2 6 inch knock down targets on the ground, a 4, 6 and 8 inch hanging circles as well. The last target was about a 50 percent IPSC steel on a post about 35 yards out. Shooters were told to load and make ready and then shoot the course starting with the humanoid paper, the far steel was a bonus for 3 seconds off your time, you were given two runs and the fastest run counted.
Next up was the cold bore shot, and a bonus shot. Shooters were laid under a canopy one at a time and told where the targets were, they were hidden in the woods and in the shadows at 500 and 600 yards. Shooters were given 2 shots at 500, 3 points for a first round hit at 500 or 2 points for a second round hit. If you hit the 500 yard target you were then allowed to shoot at the 600 yard target. Again, 3 points for a first round hit at 6 and 2 points if you used a second round and hit. If you didnt hit the 500 yard target there were no attempts allowed at 600.
After you got up from your CBS you moved on to a concrete bench to the paper targets, the only ones used in the match. From the concrete benches the paper targets were approximately 175yards out and were a single sheet of paper with 12 NRA bullseyes ( I think they were small bore targets), each shooter was to fire 1 round at any 5 bullseyes that they wanted to.
Next up was the truck, and old flatbed positioned so you could shoot off the bed of the truck over a smoldering fire to engage a set of 6 swinging targets diminishing in size. These lollipops were partially obscured from your sight by the crops planted in the field if you shot out of the prone from the back of the truck. Had a shooter shot from the standing on kneeling they probably would have a better target presentation, but would it have been as steady as shooting from prone probably not. I cant give the target size on these because I am not sure, I never really saw the targets but shot to where I thought that they were.
4th stage was the no line of sight shot. Shooters were given 30 seconds to find the targets and their relationship to each other. There was a 10x17 inch target on a raised stick that was visible out of the firing position and a larger target that was not visible from the firing position that was your target. The hold on this target was 3 mils down, and 2.5 mils left, shooters could either dial their scopes and hold dead on the target that they could see, OR hold it in their scopes and have the crosshairs basically off in space. Target distance was 500 yards. Shooters were given three attempts at this target.
Last and final stage of the day was called dot dot. Targets at 90, 175, 240, and 425 approximately. Shooters were back in the same spot that the first stage was shot from, roughly 90 yards out there was a 6inch steel target, at the next distance was a 4 inch spinner, followed by an 8 inch circle, and lastly a 10 inch circle. Shooter was allowed to dial for any range that he wanted to PRIOR to engaging the first target, once the first target was engaged shooter was not allowed to touch his knobs and dial for distance simple hold overs were to be used to engage the remaining targets.
Ok, now that I have explained the day Ill give my thoughts and feelings on the overall experience.
I was out of my element somewhat at this match, I am used to shooting in two man teams and being given corrections from my partner to get me on target. The match had spotters but they were simply calling hit or miss, and were simply more of a scorekeeper than a spotter. I am not the greatest at calling the wind and would have liked the help of a spotter to make the wind calls for me and give me a correction when I was off due to wind, my elevation on targets were correct, my windage, not so much. I learned that next time I need to take my time and get a better view of targets if I am not completely sure of where they are. I think that if I had stood up and looked thru my scope at the spinners off the back of the truck I would have seen where the target area was better and would have known how far down the "stem" to aim to his the target.
Overall organization for the match was kinda hectic and I think it could have been better. I am not sure exactly how I would have improved the organization but I think that there is room for improvement there. I understand that this is Johns 3rd match and I am sure with time the organization will come around.
I enjoyed my experience there and had a fun time, I do wish I would have shot more than just 25 rounds of rifle. I would have liked to have shot more than that, closer to 45 or 50 would be perfectly fine for me. I think that with time limits on each stage the flow could have been better, often times I found myself saying to the other guys I was with "Wow I havent heard a shot in a while". I also think that a two man team match would be more enjoyable for me and my hit count would improve.
Would I be back? I dont know, it was fun like I said but for only shooting 25 rounds each rifle and pistol, I could drive to my home range here in Ga for that and not have the 15 hours of ride time involved.
By the way, John, Glen, Rob, and others, THANK YOU for having me out, and thank you for the job that you all did.