First XTC match ever...any pointers?

[Quintin Likely]

I've shot a few local 300 yard reduced course matches and finally got picked on enough to where I plan on going to my first full course high power match at Ft. Benning on the 18th. In between here and there, I plan on working on my offhand (I'm averaging like 130-140ish on a good day ), but any other pointers y'all can give me for a full course noob? I think I've got pretty good 200 and 300 yard zeroes, and I've heard anywhere from 11-13 minutes more for 600 (I'm shooting an AR service rifle, BTW). Sound about right? On the 300 reduced slow fire target, I got stomped into the ground this weekend, whether it's at 200 or 300, I've always had problems with slow prone. I just don't want to screw anything up and ruin someone else's day, whether it's on the firing line, scoring, or running the pits. Any tips would be 'preciated.

 

[30Cal]

Check your number board often. Other than that, it's not really much different than shooting the reduced coarse. Bring a lunch and have a great time!

Ty

 

[MutinousDoug]

The tough thing for a new guy at 600 is trusting your shots so you know whether your last shot was off because of you or the wind. If you trust your ability to shoot the target; then get on your windage knob if your last shot was off. A competant shooter reads the wind and makes his changes BEFORE each shot. It doesn't take much wind to blow a 10 into the 7 ring.
Have fun!

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

You will have more fun than you can imagine.
You will find the time in the pits plus the time scoring very interesting. What I like about xtc matches are the friendships you will build over the course of your highpower shooting. The first few times in the pits may be a little confusing if you have not done it but just pay attention and try to be as fast as you can without making any mistakes.
Tell the person when you sign up you have not shoot a xtc match before and they should squad you with someone who will give you some good advice. If not do not worry about it.

I think your come ups are about right and they should get you on the paper. A good trick for the new guy to keep you up on the wind from 300 to 600 is this. Look at what you should of had for a wind call at 300 yards for that condition. Then when you go back to 600 yards look at the condition now. If it is about the same just add 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 times to you call. adjust from that if the condition has gotten worse or better. For example if you had 1/2 minute right on at 300 just add 3/4 to it for 1 1/4 at 600 and fire your first shot. Untill you get used to the wind you can always go back to a known setting like that.
Take good notes! and try to get someone to teach you prone as it is the easiest to teach and to learn.

Good luck and let us know how it went and if you have any other questions just ask.
Jon

 

[P-32]

First off, don't worry about the others, we have all been in the same place, trust me.

You have to mount the rifle the same way each time and use the same sight picture. Focus your scope about at the 300 yard line so you can read the wind.

600 is fun to shoot! I have learned those who say they killed that deer with at 600 yards offhand gets a warm smile from me. I no longer trust what they say. David Tubbs is another story if he said he did it.

 

[Trebor]

Check out www.nationalmatch.us Lot's of great tips there.

 

[Quintin Likely]

If only y'all could see the big ol' grin across my face right now.

I shot a personal best score today, better on the full course than I ever have on the reduced course. Figure that one out. Overall was 602-?, but at least I didn't lay down and die in every position. Offhand was about average for me, 140-something. Rapids went okay, better than I thought they would even at 300.

The big surprise was at 600. Wow, that target is a loooooooong ways away. The match director hooked me up with an 80 SMK load to help even the odds somewhat. I put 10 minutes on top of my 300 yard zero and landed a 10 and a 9 for sighters, and that's an awesome thing to send that little pill over a quarter of a mile away, see the target come down and come back up a 10. The rest of the string was a work in progress, I've still got a lot of work to do with position and NPA, but I shot a 126-1X.

The hardest part which I didn't expect was the pits. There's no berm at Ft. Benning behind the targets, so more than a few times there were calls over the radio to "Mark 13!" A guy next to me helped me out though, and the pits went okay. Listening for the crack of the bullet helped - if it's in stereo, it's your target. Every now and then I could feel the frame rock when the bullet hit too, but the pits were a lot harder than I thought they were. I fortunately wasn't the only one though, when the guy pulling my target for 300 rapid marked 15 shots on the scoreboard after my string with only ten holes in the target.

Full course is where it's at. And I *will* be back.


<edited - over a 1/4 mile, not half>

 

[Jon Coppenbarger]

Yes Iam glad you went. It is a gas and shooting a XTC match can be very habit forming. You will get better and better as the time goes on. It will make you want to learn more and more.
You shot at a place where you get some very good shooters and it gives you a ideal of what you can get out of this sport if you put the time into it.

Good job and go back. Take one of their clinics they have back there and learn that off hand and your scores will really jump.

Good luck and go back.