Informal matches with my late brother

[PapaG]

Today would have been my younger brother's 69th birthday and as I reflected I remembered our annual rifle matches. We would have two matches with each of several rifles. We both grew up shooting, hunting and reloading.
We'd go to my club when here, or to his when we were in his place in Missouri. Start with .22s, move to varmint calibers, then "deer" rifles, and finally rifles bigger than .40. We'd finish up with handguns in .357 and .44 mag.
Courses of fire were simple, all bench rest or sandbagged, all at 100 yards. Five shots for group, five for score. So, when we were done there were 24 targets. We would then go back to whoever's house we were at and get out the following: calipers, sharpie, pencil, stacks of quarters and a few dark beers. Talk about fun. Scoring took about as long as the shooting. At the end, the quarters usually piled a little higher on his side and we were both laughed out.
When he died, back in '09, I was executor of his will, I was going through his file cabinet looking for pertinent papers and found a file. In the file were about a dozen targets from years before with notes: "got his butt on this one!" "beat him by a quarter inch", and others. I wish I had kept mine.
The only time I could consistently beat him was when we went to the trap range, but that is another story for another time. Miss that kid.

 

[ICE1210]

I understand, My kid brother and I shot and hunted together a lot. I was better with a pistol he was better with a rifle. We spent many hours on the range and in the field some of my best memories are from those times. I shared a hobby, a Fraternity, a college, taste for good Scotch and a profession with him. He was shot and killed May 16 2017 by a couple of sacks of crap who just HAD to kill a LEO that night. Hang on to the good times, that’s what matters.

 

[jmorris]

My Brother passed away in 2002, we had a lot of good times shooting and just about everything else too. I even made a timer for the plate rack we built before any knowledge of shot timers.

I still remember reloading with him, me being the bullet feeder and him the case feed and operator. He only smashed my finger twice before I suggested we swap positions and he settled down and we go into a rhythm. 800 rounds and hour seemed like a blistering rate. Now I have machines that can load 1000 in less than an hour at the push of a button but I’d give it all away to be able to hang out with my Brother again.

 

[Spats McGee]

Sounds like the two of you had a great long-running competition. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Armored farmer]

Papa,
Its wonderful that you two were able to spend good time together.
Sorry for your loss.

 

[<*(((><]

@PapaG it sounds like you made the most of your time with your brother for that you should be thankful. It wasn’t a life of regret that you wish to change missed opportunities to hang out and be a big brother to him. Doesn’t make it any easier but all those memories give you the ability to say we did our part for a time well spent together. Thanks for sharing and reminding us youngers to stop and not take for granted the loved ones around us.

 

[Ks5shooter]

Lost my cousin 18,May 1967 Vietnam. I was one years old. Though I never met him, I hear stories of him being an avid shooter and Marine marksman. As the only member of my family to be a firearm and shooting enthusiast and gun owner ,I would have loved to have head to the range with him.
John J. Nemchic jr KIA 18 May 1967