Yay, another beautiful weekend for a Rimfire match, no rain great temperatures and average wind conditions. I'll ramble on a bit sharing tidbits about this months match. If you read the results with ammo and equipment used you'll see that nearly all the top finishers used Top Shelf ammo mostly from Lapua. You'll also note that the top place finishers this month used Old Single Shot Target Rifles with less than Top Shelf scopes. Sitting behind a spotting scope watching 10s or even 100s of thousands of rounds go downrange hitting small steel plates you learn a lot about what the difference is in the various grades of ammo. Good ammo is good ammo in nearly whatever gun you shoot it in with some exceptions but those guns are junk no matter what is shot thru them.
I spotted for Bob Brown on Saturday and it was a pleasure to watch him work his way thru the various racks, He shot his old Rem 40X with Lapua SLR ammo and you could tell where the impact was going to be before he shot. He only missed the 1" target at 197 yards by a fraction of an inch. As I explained the bonus stage to him which was two racks of three gongs each at 190.5 yards, left rack was 6", 5" and 4" and the right rack was 3", 2" and 1". The larger rack was valued 1, 2 and points, the right rack was valued 2, 3 and 4 points. You had the option to choose based on what you felt you could hit. I said Bob, you have this match won if you shoot the larger left rack, Bob being the competitor he is said let's do the right higher value rack which is much harder. Well, the wind messed with him and he scored zero which in the end moved him down to 9th place but could have easily been a 1st or tied for 1st place. He shot incredibly well and showed the young guns it doesn't take big dollar guns/scopes to be at the top. Well done Bob, by the way Bob is well into his 80s. Chris only missed the 1" at 197 yards also but shot the left rack, I believe his first shot would have nicked or missed the 1st right hand higher value target so he gambled well. You have to gamble on a few stages with incredibly small higher value targets such as the 1/4" wide bowling pin at 100 yards. Getting tough out there lately.
We had a few new shooters that have never tried longrange rimfire before and they did quite well. Haley Roberts, Wyatt Farmer, Jerry Proffitt and Denna drove 2 hours to come see what this game is about and did quite well. Many competitors offered help on equipment and ammo selection, we set our chrono up for Jerry to give him an idea on how ammo is such a big factor in this game. He shot Aguilla Target and realized even if it says Target don't trust the label. Many shooters shot their personal best but the main topic of conversation is ammo and it's cost/availability. Is it worth spending $22 to $25 a box of 50 to shoot matches? Using the Chrono some shooters using what they felt should be Top Shelf stuff was terrible. It's mainly been ELey Black Box Match that has been the biggest gamble on what you'll get. If you get a good lot it's great but I bet 75% or more is a crap shoot on how it'll shoot. I have't found any of the Top Shelf Lapua to have these wild lot swings. It shows if you're competitive and want to place well and hit lots of targets you gotta spend the cash. Hope this race don't kill the game, that's why I have 3 classes based on ammo cost, that's the main deciding factor most all the time. I give a free entry for each class winner each month. Don't let the high costs spoil your fun of shooting, just accept the fact if you get perfect shots off you're gonna have wild rounds but the wild rounds are very subtle based on ammo quality/cost.
It's been fun watching the rivalry between some groups or shooting buddies and one that's been interesting to watch is Bob Merillat and Darrell Smith. Bob got Darrell into this game and today was the day student (Darrell) showed Bob he's been taught well. Darrell used really good ammo and shot really well, good job Darrell. Tim Humphrey continues to use B class ammo just for the challenge to try to beat the Top Shelf ammo guys, he's got a good batch but it always costs him 3 to 5 lost targets each match. Kudos to him though, he's having fun and doing very well with that SK Biathlon. When you realize there are only 88 targets to hit with a few higher value smaller bonus shots everyone is hitting a lot of targets.
Hope to see everyone the second weekend or September. October will be the World Famous Timed Match, ya got a chance to win the $100 bounty on the Kings Head if you beat the top score.
On to the results. All ties decided by reverse count. Class winners are Chris Kirkpatrick in A, Tim Humphrey in B and Jerry Proffit in C class. Check the clip board for your free entry ticket.
Score Class Name Gun Scope Ammo
1. 95 A Chris Kirkpatrick Rem 40X Arken Lapua SLR
2. 92 A Carey Emory Vudoo NF Lapua SLR
3. 92 A Phil Baird Rim-X Athlon Eley Match
4. 91 A Bill Winland Vudoo NF Lapua LR
5. 91 A Randy Wise Savage Striker Pistol Arken Lapua SLR
6. 91 A Dave Zander Bergara Kahles Lapua SLR
7. 90 A Darrell Smith Tikka T1X Arken Lapua LR
8. 89 A Jeff Valentine Vudoo DNT Lapua SLR
9. 89 A Bob Brown Rem 40X Athlon Lapua SLR
10. 88 A Kurt Yoder Sako Quad SWFA 20X Eley Match
11. 86 A Bob Merillat Anschutz 1907 March Lapua LR
12. 85 B Tim Humphrey Vudoo (V-Gun) NF SK Bia.
13. 85 A Bill Nesbitt CZ 457 NF Eley Match
14. 85 A Brien Murray Vudoo NF Lapua SLR
15. 84 A Ronald Bognato Rem 540XR Discovery Eley Match
16. 83 B Travis Art CZ 457 Vortex SE SK LR
17. 83 A Mark Roberts CZ 457 Zeiss Lapua SLR
18. 83 A Chuck Wagner H&R 12 Arken RWS SM
19. 83 A Matt Shatto Tikka SWFA Eley Match
20. 82 B Marty Kerr CZ 457 Arken SK
21. 82 B Haley Roberts CZ 457 Matchpro ED SK LR
22. 82 B Kenneth Triplett CZ 457 Vortex Venom SK LR
23. 81 B Charles Faires CZ 457 Arken Eley SABR
24. 80 A Dustin Kettlewell Burris XTR Eley SABR
25. 80 B Dave Callipare Vudoo (V-gun) NF SK Bia.
26. 79 B Wyatt Farmer Bergara Arken SK
27. 79 A Walter Jasulevion Bergara Athlon Lapua Ten-X
28. 79 B Rob Jackson Anschutz Exemplar Pistol Arken SK LR
29. 78 B Todd Rhoads Bergara Arken SK
30. 78 A Jim Lochary CZ 457 March Center-X
31. 77 A Scott Reed Vudoo Vortex Razor ELey 10-X
32. 76 A Dan Steyaert Savage MK II Vortex Lapua LR
33. 74 C Jerry Proffitt Tikka Vortex Diamond Back Aguilla
34. 73 C Cuda Gatten Savage MK II Arken Federal
35. 69 A Jerry Galbreith CZ 457 NF Eley Match
36. 63 C Dennis Hillberry Ruger RPR Arken CCI Std.
Topstrap
I spotted for Bob Brown on Saturday and it was a pleasure to watch him work his way thru the various racks, He shot his old Rem 40X with Lapua SLR ammo and you could tell where the impact was going to be before he shot. He only missed the 1" target at 197 yards by a fraction of an inch. As I explained the bonus stage to him which was two racks of three gongs each at 190.5 yards, left rack was 6", 5" and 4" and the right rack was 3", 2" and 1". The larger rack was valued 1, 2 and points, the right rack was valued 2, 3 and 4 points. You had the option to choose based on what you felt you could hit. I said Bob, you have this match won if you shoot the larger left rack, Bob being the competitor he is said let's do the right higher value rack which is much harder. Well, the wind messed with him and he scored zero which in the end moved him down to 9th place but could have easily been a 1st or tied for 1st place. He shot incredibly well and showed the young guns it doesn't take big dollar guns/scopes to be at the top. Well done Bob, by the way Bob is well into his 80s. Chris only missed the 1" at 197 yards also but shot the left rack, I believe his first shot would have nicked or missed the 1st right hand higher value target so he gambled well. You have to gamble on a few stages with incredibly small higher value targets such as the 1/4" wide bowling pin at 100 yards. Getting tough out there lately.
We had a few new shooters that have never tried longrange rimfire before and they did quite well. Haley Roberts, Wyatt Farmer, Jerry Proffitt and Denna drove 2 hours to come see what this game is about and did quite well. Many competitors offered help on equipment and ammo selection, we set our chrono up for Jerry to give him an idea on how ammo is such a big factor in this game. He shot Aguilla Target and realized even if it says Target don't trust the label. Many shooters shot their personal best but the main topic of conversation is ammo and it's cost/availability. Is it worth spending $22 to $25 a box of 50 to shoot matches? Using the Chrono some shooters using what they felt should be Top Shelf stuff was terrible. It's mainly been ELey Black Box Match that has been the biggest gamble on what you'll get. If you get a good lot it's great but I bet 75% or more is a crap shoot on how it'll shoot. I have't found any of the Top Shelf Lapua to have these wild lot swings. It shows if you're competitive and want to place well and hit lots of targets you gotta spend the cash. Hope this race don't kill the game, that's why I have 3 classes based on ammo cost, that's the main deciding factor most all the time. I give a free entry for each class winner each month. Don't let the high costs spoil your fun of shooting, just accept the fact if you get perfect shots off you're gonna have wild rounds but the wild rounds are very subtle based on ammo quality/cost.
It's been fun watching the rivalry between some groups or shooting buddies and one that's been interesting to watch is Bob Merillat and Darrell Smith. Bob got Darrell into this game and today was the day student (Darrell) showed Bob he's been taught well. Darrell used really good ammo and shot really well, good job Darrell. Tim Humphrey continues to use B class ammo just for the challenge to try to beat the Top Shelf ammo guys, he's got a good batch but it always costs him 3 to 5 lost targets each match. Kudos to him though, he's having fun and doing very well with that SK Biathlon. When you realize there are only 88 targets to hit with a few higher value smaller bonus shots everyone is hitting a lot of targets.
Hope to see everyone the second weekend or September. October will be the World Famous Timed Match, ya got a chance to win the $100 bounty on the Kings Head if you beat the top score.
On to the results. All ties decided by reverse count. Class winners are Chris Kirkpatrick in A, Tim Humphrey in B and Jerry Proffit in C class. Check the clip board for your free entry ticket.
Score Class Name Gun Scope Ammo
1. 95 A Chris Kirkpatrick Rem 40X Arken Lapua SLR
2. 92 A Carey Emory Vudoo NF Lapua SLR
3. 92 A Phil Baird Rim-X Athlon Eley Match
4. 91 A Bill Winland Vudoo NF Lapua LR
5. 91 A Randy Wise Savage Striker Pistol Arken Lapua SLR
6. 91 A Dave Zander Bergara Kahles Lapua SLR
7. 90 A Darrell Smith Tikka T1X Arken Lapua LR
8. 89 A Jeff Valentine Vudoo DNT Lapua SLR
9. 89 A Bob Brown Rem 40X Athlon Lapua SLR
10. 88 A Kurt Yoder Sako Quad SWFA 20X Eley Match
11. 86 A Bob Merillat Anschutz 1907 March Lapua LR
12. 85 B Tim Humphrey Vudoo (V-Gun) NF SK Bia.
13. 85 A Bill Nesbitt CZ 457 NF Eley Match
14. 85 A Brien Murray Vudoo NF Lapua SLR
15. 84 A Ronald Bognato Rem 540XR Discovery Eley Match
16. 83 B Travis Art CZ 457 Vortex SE SK LR
17. 83 A Mark Roberts CZ 457 Zeiss Lapua SLR
18. 83 A Chuck Wagner H&R 12 Arken RWS SM
19. 83 A Matt Shatto Tikka SWFA Eley Match
20. 82 B Marty Kerr CZ 457 Arken SK
21. 82 B Haley Roberts CZ 457 Matchpro ED SK LR
22. 82 B Kenneth Triplett CZ 457 Vortex Venom SK LR
23. 81 B Charles Faires CZ 457 Arken Eley SABR
24. 80 A Dustin Kettlewell Burris XTR Eley SABR
25. 80 B Dave Callipare Vudoo (V-gun) NF SK Bia.
26. 79 B Wyatt Farmer Bergara Arken SK
27. 79 A Walter Jasulevion Bergara Athlon Lapua Ten-X
28. 79 B Rob Jackson Anschutz Exemplar Pistol Arken SK LR
29. 78 B Todd Rhoads Bergara Arken SK
30. 78 A Jim Lochary CZ 457 March Center-X
31. 77 A Scott Reed Vudoo Vortex Razor ELey 10-X
32. 76 A Dan Steyaert Savage MK II Vortex Lapua LR
33. 74 C Jerry Proffitt Tikka Vortex Diamond Back Aguilla
34. 73 C Cuda Gatten Savage MK II Arken Federal
35. 69 A Jerry Galbreith CZ 457 NF Eley Match
36. 63 C Dennis Hillberry Ruger RPR Arken CCI Std.
Topstrap
