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Results May 2019 Topstraps Longrange Rimfire Challenge

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Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 3, 2009
1,442
380
69
East side of Ohio
Mothers Day weekend but we had a really nice turnout for the May 2019 Longrange Rimfire Match. Shooting out to 200 yards might even be called Midrange Rimfire Match now since the latest fad is beyond 200 yards and still shooting quite small targets and shooting really respectable scores. I'm limited to only 197 yards but just shoot smaller targets to keep the challenge fun for everyone.

Had 33 entries with a couple competitors shooting twice with different guns. Not nearly as many local shooters now but getting more traveling 2 hours or more to come participate and I really want to thank all that came to hear distant steel ring from a good hit.

I give each target a one point value except the scoped competitors can gamble on a couple racks on smaller higher value targets to let them gain a few points over the peep sight shooters. I've had lots of chats with other competitors about letting the peep sight shooters compete directly with the scoped shooters instead of separate classes. The scoped shooters can see their own hits/misses, see the subtle changes in wind or conditions quickly and the peep shooters have to rely on a spotter or a wind flag. The scoped shooters do have smaller/narrower targets farther out and the peep sight shooters have the same 4moa target at each distance but they appear the same size in their sights at each distance which looks like a small pin prick.

Most all agree they feel it's nearly equal with advantages/disadvantages each might have. The one thing I see that the peep sight shooters might have is if a round has a bit less velocity we might have a chance at a low hit which might still hit the target and the smaller target for a scoped shooter might drop in just under it. Try looking at a 4moa target thru peeps and shooting at it nearly 100 times before making a judgement. We also had to shoot at the same 4" clay pigeon target at 195 yards the scoped shooters shot at for the final stage. Talk about a small pin prick to try and see and make a sight correction based on the spotters call. I managed to hit 4 of the clay pigeons with peeps, just still astounds me that we can hit things that small without a scope.

Anyway, that's the way I did it. Opinions are welcome, I feel it keeps the scoped guys on their toes and the peep guys a way to challenge the scoped shooters for bragging rights. I just wish I'd shot more peeps when I was younger and could see the targets better. I've thought about a 3moa target but there is a limit to how small you can go and still see them in the various lighting conditions. The peep groups easily equal the scoped guns groups at all the distances which is way smaller than the 4moa plate size. Might do a couple racks with smaller scoring rings to hit with a larger outer ring so we can see it. Only center plate hits would count, kinda like my two shoot thru racks.

Now on to the match details. Had mostly overcast days with a bit of slight rain but did not hamper any of the shooters. Still amazing watching how well everyone has gotten on the smaller targets at the farther distances, easily as challenging as shooting 1000 yards with a centerfire and makes you pay really close attention to what's going on between the shooter and the target and how to tweak each shot.

I experimented shooting the Winchester 52-D left handed left eyed with $2.06/50 Geco Rifle using a Henry Remple bipod and a protector bag and proved to myself that having a really good setup for the gun way overrides bad shooting input from the shooter. My shoulder never touched the stock and cheek sometimes did and other times didn't but it didn't affect the way it shot. A heavy gun in a good setup is many times easier to shoot accurately than a lighter gun with cheap supports. My Son Chris also shot $2.06/50 Geco Rifle in the peep sighted Ural and nearly cleaned the course but hit the orange hanger the clay pigeon was sitting it and didn't count as hits but accuracy is many times over what the cost of it indicates. I'll pick it anytime for those two guns for any match I participate in at any distance.

Competitor placement was thru reverse count when there was a tie. Winner will get a free entry next month. Chris and I didn't count our scores since this is our home range. After figuring score placement I ran a random number generator to select two numbers blocking out 1 and 2 and Ted Kernik and Butch McCort were the winners of a $25.00 award which has to be picked up within 15 minutes or it goes back into my pocket. (JK) Get it when you see me. I want to thank everyone who came to shoot and hope you enjoyed it. I love watching everyone shoot, hate when they get a miss but that's part of the learning curve and also the frustration of shooting Longrange Rimfire.

Top score possible for scoped shooters was 94 and 90 for peep sight shooters.

1. 87 Dennis Kirkpatrick Win 52-D Peep Sights Geco Rifle (2.06/50)
2. 86 Chris Kirkpatrick Ural-2 Peep Sights Geco Rifle (2.06/50)
3. 85 Carl Duvall Savage Bushnell Wolf MT (old)
4. 85 Tek Kernik H&R Mod 12 Peep Sights SK std.
5. 83 Randy Wise Anschutz Exemplar Pistol NF Federal
6. 83 Cuda Gatten H&R Mod 12 Peep Sights Geco Rifle (2.06/50)
7. 81 Mike Moore (2) Savage Bushnell Wolf MT (old)
8. 81 Mike Moore (1) Anschutz Bushnell Wolf MT (old)
9. 80 Matt Shatto CZ 455 SWFA SK std.
10. 80 Jerry Shaw H&R Mod 12 SWFA Eley
11. 80 Bob Merilatt Anschutz March SK match
12. 79 Rube Perkins Kidd 10/22 NF RWS
13. 79 Dan Piatt Anschutz MPR SWFA SK std.
14. 79 Tim Humphrey Tika Vortex PS II SK
15. 76 Dave Calipare V-Gun NF SK biathalon (I don't call them their real VU-d@@ name just to raz them)
16. 76 Kenny Boyert CZ 455 NF SK plus
17. 75 Judd Brooks Izhmash SWFA Geco Rifle
18. 75 Bill Nesbitt V-Gun Vortex SK biathalon (I don't call them their real VU-d@@ name just to raz them)
19. 75 Bob Brown Win 52 pre A Lyman scope Federal
The scope Bob used was vintage and had the weirdest adjusting system I've ever seen, rings you turned to adjust elevation/windage. Pretty cool and he shot well with it.
20. 75 Bob Elwood Rem 40X Lucid SK std.
21. 75 Dave Calipare Win 52-E Peep Sights Wolf MT (old)
22. 75 Stan Wodzisz CZ 455 Vortex PST SK plus
23. 72 Dan Piatt Springfield 1922 Peep Sights SK std.
24. 71 Jim Lochary Anschutz MPR Bushnell Wolf (old)
25. 68 Butch McCort Rem 40X SWFA CCI std.
26. 68 Cuda Gatten H&R Mod 12 SWFA Geco Rifle (2.06/50) (Cuda shot the same gun with peeps, took them off and put on the scope, was an experiment to see how well both would hold zero, worked pretty good)
27. 68 Judd Brooks CZ 455 Vortex PST CCI std.
28. 68 Niles Davis Ruger Precision Athalon Aguila Super
29. 66 Eric Lochary 10/22 SWFA CCI std.
30. 64 Tom Rayner Izhmash SWFA Geco Rifle
31. 61 Niles Davis Ruger 10/22 Athalon Blazer
32. 48 Bryce Rayner 10/22 (Bryce was a junior shooter, first time here and I thought he did really well. Look out for him in the future, he's also shooting at his PAPS range and the 1000 yard CF matches. Keep at it.
33. DNF Felicia Hunt Savage SWFA SK (She was doing very well but her eyes started bothering her and couldn't focus on the reticle. She's done well in the past at these matches.

Hope everyone had fun, I'll post about the next match but so far it might be on the second weekend or June. I want to shoot other matches this summer and also go to car shows and cruises so it may shift around due to that.

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