THR Virtual Match - NOV/DEC 2005

[photo_guy]

For those who may not be familiar with the general rules of the matches please see the rules FAQ .
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=64130

In honor of Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving (“Gobble,Gobble,Gobble”) this months match is inspired by Sgt. York

Sgt. York Match

“Well I ain't never learned Sergeant, folks back home used to say I could shoot a rifle before I was weaned. But they was exaggeratin' some.”

"I reckon this gun shoots a bit to the left."


“Ain't nobody ever cut 5 centers, lessen' it were Danile Boone”





The last match of the year is inspired by the movie “Sergeant York” , a classic war film based on the true story of Alvin C. York during World War I. (If you have not seen this film I encourage you to go out and rent it – it may even be on TV this weekend given the Veteran’s Day holiday.)

During an early portion of the film York’s shooting prowess is demonstrated during a local shooting competition. Each contestant puts in a dollar (a lot of money back then) for each chance to claim a portion (1/5) of the prize – a “Beef Critter”. York, wanting to raise money to buy a choice piece of bottom land , decides to try to win the entire cow by shooting the 5 best targets and puts in his $5. If he does not “cut 5 centers” he does not get the whole prize and will not be able to put it up for another contest and get his needed funds.

The targets used in this contest were a bit different from a standard, modern bullseye. The targets consisted of white paper rectangle with a triangular ‘notch’ cut into the top. These targets were nailed to a scrap of wood, which was then nailed to a tree. Each shooter took a single shot with the goal to place the bullet in the bottom-center of the “v” notch without touching the paper. The centering of each shot was measured by a judge (using calipers in the case of close calls).

To find out how it comes out you’ll need to see the movie! [But I suspect most of you know this film quite well.]


MATCH PROCEDURES:

The target for this match is a simulation of the target used in “Sergeant York”. It is a black rectangle with a triangular notch. Since I can’t use calipers to measure your targets I have added point regions with the maximum (10) points near the base of the notch.

TARGET DOWNLOAD :
http://members.aol.com/way2go4159/THR_YORK_TGT_2.pdf



NUMBER OF SHOTS PER CLASS/ENTRY : FIVE (5)

ALL TARGETS TO BE SHOT FROM REST THIS MONTH! Any support method may be used that allows free movement of the firearm between shots. i.e. no Ransom Rests!

You may enter as many classes as you wish this month.

CLASSES: 10yrds handgun, 25 yrds rifle

PISTOL STOCK - Standard pistols with barrels 6" or less
PISTOL RIMFIRE - .22LR Pistols
PISTOL SCOPED/IMPROVED - Any scoped pistol or with significant improvements from out-of-the-box or pistols with barrels more than 6".
RIFLE STOCK - Standard rifles with iron sights
RIFLE SCOPED - Any scoped rifle
RIFLE RIMFIRE - .22LR Rifle
AIRGUN PISTOL- un-scoped airgun
AIRGUN RIFLE – un-scoped air rifle

And....How could I leave out...
BLACKPOWDER RIFLE and BLACKPOWDER PISTOL CLASSES!


ADVANCED SUPPORTED/BENCHREST CLASSES
RIFLE STOCK SUPPORTED – Standard rifles with iron sights at 50yrds and/or 100yrds
RIFLE SCOPED SUPPORED - Any scoped rifle at 50yrds and/or 100yrds







Scoring:


Score the highest number of points that your shot breaks the line into.
Score ZERO if your shot breaks into the black at any point on the target.

IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE TO “CUT 5 CENTERS” It is suggested that you use one target per shot on this target (print out 5 per class). It will be very difficult to score 5 shots on one target if they all fall close to the small 10 zone.

See the scoring example provided to get a better idea of how this should be done.

SCORING EXAMPLE http://members.aol.com/way2go4159/THR_YORK_TGT_SCORING.pdf

The standard distances will be 10 yards for Pistol and 25 yrds for Rifle. (plus 50 yrds and 100yrds may be attempted.)


Some reminders on match procedures:
*You are expected to shoot the match targets only for score and only the approved number of targets for each class.
*You should not be shooting several match targets and submitting the best score.
*The match relies on the honor system. The match is only as fair as the members make it.

Be sure to post your final scores with:
Your THR ID/NAME____________
CLASS___________
Distance_______________
Score____________
Posting scans of your target is appreciated but not required. A narrative description of your strategy and execution is also appreciated but not required.

THIS MATCH WILL RUN UNTIL 1/2/2006 but don’t wait until the last minute!

 

[Robert J McElwain]

Excellent match selection. This should be fun.

Bob

 

[photo_guy]

I went back and added two classes that are "must haves" for this match: Blackpowder!

 

[ACP230]

Here are some scores from Little Loudmouth and me.
I took some time to shoot the match today after sighting-in my deer rifle this afternoon. It finally warmed up a bit in the U.P. today. After this the deer season deluge, so we may not be able to shoot any more this time.

Little Loudmouth
Rifle Stock, 25 yards.
M1 Garand .30-06 reloads. (left over HP match ammo I made years ago.)
Caldwell "Dead Shot" bag rest.
Score: 32, 6,7,9,10 and one in the black.

ACP230
Rifle Stock, 25 yards.
M1 Garand with reloads, as above.
Caldwell rest
Score: 16, three in black and two eights.

ACP230
Rifle stock, 25 yards
1917 Enfield with reloads, as above. Although a stock gun the 1917 was cut down in barrel and stock. I guess it was done in the late '50s or the 1960s. Still has the original rear sight, but a new front sight was added.
Caldwell rest
Score: 25, 9,8,8 and two low in the black.
This is the rifle Cpl. York (later Sgt. York) was issued.
He disliked it and evidently made a "midnight requisition" of a cook, or orderly's, 1903 Springfield.
(I shot both of these rifles, sort of by mistake, but posted the 1917 too because of the historical connection.)

ACP230
Rifle scoped, 25 yards.
Ruger 77 Lightweight .250 Savage. (My deer rifle.)
Score: 28, 10, 9, 9, two to the left in the black.

Caldwell rest
ACP230
Pistol Scoped/Improved
Smith M657 .41 Magnum eight and three eighths inch barrel.
230 grain LSWC reloads
Arms braced on a 50 gallon garbage barrel.
(No bench at 10 yards on our range.)
Score: 14, 7,7 and three in the black. (The two eights that edged out were annoying.)

I shot too low a lot. I'd have done better to hold higher and take eights and sevens. Also had trouble seeing my front sights due to old eyes. Tried to get too fancy with the scoped rifle.

Little Loudmouth, my son, beat me again but he isn't being too annoying about it.

 

[photo_guy]

Also had trouble seeing my front sights due to old eyes.

What? You didn't wet your front sight before each shot to 'cut down the haze'?


Glad to see you guys got right out and gave this one a try. I like the 1917 Enfield connection. That's the spirit!

 

[ACP230]

I jest plumb forgot!

 

[bagul]

whats a ransom rest

whats the diference between ransom rest and adjustable front rest with rabbit ear rear bags (the usual in benchrest shooting set-up)? just like to know--i'm shooting a custom rifle with a bipod and using adjustable rear bags, is that ok? nice match with a nice history. Very appropriate to end the years match.

 

[photo_guy]

whats the diference between ransom rest and adjustable front rest with rabbit ear rear bags (the usual in benchrest shooting set-up)? just like to know--i'm shooting a custom rifle with a bipod and using adjustable rear bags, is that ok? nice match with a nice history. Very appropriate to end the years match.

A Ransom rest only applies to handguns. It is a clamping device that pretty much removes all the skill involved in shooting and is often used to test ammo and firearm precision without that pesky human element to mess things up.

Here is a good picture of one.

Hope that helps.

So, yes, you are good-to-go with your rifle set-up for this match.

 

[Ankeny]

I went out yesterday to verify the zero and correct some dope for cold weather shooting. I wasn't even sure if my 22-250 would stabilize the bullets at 25 yards. From the looks of the holes, it's obvious the bullets were impacting from the bottom up as would be expected.

THR ID/NAME: Ankeny
CLASS: Scoped Rifle
Distance: 25 yards
Score: 50 (or is it 40?)

I put an overlay on hole number 4 and it looks like it might touch the black. The rules talk about breaking into the black. It's a tough call.

The rifle is a Kimber 84M Varmint Rifle with some light customization shooting Hornady 55 grain V-Max bullets over Varget powder. The scope is a 6.5-20 Leupold Long Range. I turned the power down until I could get the target clear with the side focus. Shooting was from the bench. A real man would shoot a larger caliber and/or move back to at least 50 yards, lol.

 

[spacemanspiff]

nice shooting ankey!

i made an attempt with my colt 6721, trijicon tripower optic.
i set the target out at 100 yards since thats what i had the tripower zeroed for. but while i can get good hits on COM of a silhouette target at 100, trying to get the apex of my chevron reticle to line up with the apex of the targets 'v' wasnt easy. i thought my zero had shifted so i spent an hour fiddling with it before bringing the target in to 25 yards and discovering the zero was fine when i started!

so then i spent another half hour re-zeroing it for 25 yards, and by the time i was done with that, i was ready to go home (it was cold!)

i didnt save my target, but i had one in the ten, two in the black, one in the 9, and one on the line between 9 and 10.


my benched accuracy has gone down since i put on the surefire vert foregrip. i think i'll take that off for range work and put it on when its home. i can get less than 1moa with that tripower. definitely going to keep these targets in the range bag though, should make for some fun informal competition with buddies at the range.

 

[photo_guy]

Nice job Ankeny. Based on what I can see in your scan I think your shot#4 is just in. Now that you've shown you can do it at 25 yards it is time to go for the 50 & 100 yard "advanced" classes.

 

[dxkj21]

Ah, I went to the range today but I did not see this stickied so I figured it wasnt up yet, woops..


Will have to get it the next time I go (might be upwards of a day

 

[bagul]

A Ransom rest only applies to handguns. It is a clamping device that pretty much removes all the skill involved in shooting and is often used to test ammo and firearm precision without that pesky human element to mess things up.

[]

Thank for the info. Ive seen one before but forgot its name (old age ). I have a similar set-up for rifles (rifle rail or rail gun). Only use it to test either the ammo or rifle. Definitely out Im sure. think im goin to try the target at 50m so im waiting for the perfectly windless day ( im shooting rimfire!). doping the wind always eludes me.

 

[dxkj21]

Your THR ID/NAME Dxkj
CLASS Pistol STock Centerfire
Distance 10 yards
Score 14

2 square in the 7, one in the 8 hit black, one in the 10 hit black one in the 7 hit black. I was not at a rest for this




Your THR ID/NAME Dxkj
CLASS Pistol Improved (red dot) .22
Distance 10 yards
Score 40, 5 - 8's 3 touching, 1 near the edge, one in between edge and the group.

If I had more guts I would have gone for the 9 and 10, but then I would have had 3 touching for 10 possibly, and then 2 0's hehe

 

[Robert J McElwain]

I'm jealous of those who have shot so far. It's just been too darned cold here on the days that I've been free to get to the range. I may have to just bundle up and tough it out if we don't get a warm up.

Bob

 

[cropcirclewalker]

I coulda chosen a better pistol to shoot here. Seems like a .22 would have an un-natural advantage over my 3" Bulldog in .44.

I don't care. I won't win anyway and it was fun to try some Trail Boss loads clicking along at like 570 fps.

Your THR ID/NAME Cropcirclewalker
CLASS Pistol Stock Charter Arms Bulldog .44 (the real one) 3" barrell
Distance 10 yards

Score 13 (6, 7 and 3 in the black).



I have an M1917 too. Maybe if the rain lets up, I will try that tomorrow.

 

[Across The Pond]

First To Try Blackpowder Pistol?

Well, here's my try - unfortunately there's no place to benchrest at 10yds at my club, so I had to shoot these standing unsupported, two hands.

Across The Pond
Distance 10 Yds
Class Blackpowder Pistol (Uberti 1851 London Navy, 15Gr 777, .380 RB)
Score is Eight, - one in the eight, three solidly in the black and one that was in the 9/10 but is 50% over into the black.

Enjoyed that - quite a challenge!

 

[cropcirclewalker]

I reckon my M1917 shoots a bit to the left.

Since I have no windage adjuster on it I was aiming at the upper right top of the V. It worked for me. The front sight was hard to see in the bottom of the V, so I bring it up to the top middle and slide to the right.

This shootin probably wouldn't beat Alvin, but I reckon I'll take it.



Your THR ID/NAME Cropcirclewalker
CLASS Stock Rifle Supported, Iron Sights, M1917 Enfield
Distance 50 yds.
Score 30 (6,8,8,8,0)

 

[photo_guy]

End of my tenure...next?

All,
I have enjoyed running the High Road virtual matches for the past year and a half. I took over the task when our last match director (Readyontheright)decided he had enough and needed to move on.
I now find that I am running low on creative juices and my work schedule is proving to leave little time to run these matches. I now must hang up my cleats and end my tenure as match director.
I hope that there is someone out there that would like to take up this task. It can be a lot of fun. If you would like to take a shot at it just send me a PM or email. This was my last match. I'd like to hand this off to someone for January. If not the virtaul matches may end for now until someone else decides to pick it up again.

Thanks to all of you who have particapated. I hope you enjoyed it.

 

[spacemanspiff]

how about us members send you our ideas and you choose one? between us all we should have enough creative juices for at least one or two matches.

 

[bdutton]

Your THR ID/NAME bdutton
CLASS Airpistol - Off-hand, Iron Sights, Hammerli 480
Distance 10 yrds
Score 18 (0,9,0,9,0)

My first shot was sooooo close to being a ten but it just clipped the black.

It is very hard to aim when you are trying iron sights with a 6-o-clock hold. Black on black is hard to find the correct hold.

I know this was a rested shooting match but I thought I would try it off hand for the heck of it.

Had to highlight the second shot because the number was cut clean out by the shot:

 

[BigFatKen]

last place

Don't forget the man who wins no beef, but comes in almost, gets to dig the lead out of the tree. I thought his Army rifle shot to the right, but its been some time since I saw it. Was the lead digger 5th or 6th place?

 

[Robert J McElwain]

Your THR ID/NAME R J McElwain
CLASS: Stock pistol SIG 220 .45 ACP, from sand bags
Distance 10 yrds
Score 28 ( 6,7,7,8,0)


Your THR ID/NAME R J McElwain
CLASS: Scoped Pistol, Ruger Mark II, 22 cal.
Distance 10 yrds
Score 36 ( 9,9,9,9,0)

A fun day at the range. We got a heat wave, into the 50s. I took my cousin-in-law, who had never shot a gun, except as an actor in movies and on TV. It was a real difference for him. He'll be talking about it for months/years to come.

Bob

 

[Robert J McElwain]

Check to February Nostalgia match post.

Bob