Wow I am tired!!! and a few realizations...

[SKYWLKR]

After shooting an 88 round match Saturday, a 58 round match and another 20 shot 300 yard match today, I am kinda beat...

I was not shooting worth a crap (like really bad) for all of yesterday and most of today, I was really disgusted, especially coming up to the regional's. I just could not get my eyes to focus on the damn front site, till slow prone...

Realization #1

Bob, had a carbide lamp and was smoking his and another guys sights, I knew mine needed it (it was a soft black but not a black hole, jet black, black) but did not realize how bad it was. I smoked it and got into prone magically the front site would just popped out and I could focus on it!!!

I went from shooting mid to high 80% scores yesterday XTC and today up to slow prone (even in rapid prone and sitting) to a much better score. A 193-9 and 300 yard Prone target that was respectable with 7 X's and 8 10's...

...Well, Except for the last round ,that I put in crooked , slammed it into the breech face, thus twisting the bullet, then proceeded to try and hammer it in again and it got the gun stuck out of battery...!

So 19 rounds for score it is!!!

I didn't not know about the 300 yard prone match today, but I just happened to have 22 extra 80 grain rounds to shoot the match.

Realization #2

Bring more ammo than you could possibly need and then bring more...

Realization #3

Max effort Loads that work well in the morning and cool afternoon, will pop primers in the and late day in a hot chamber. I popped 6 primers, with a standard 80 grain load, in the late day.They shot well yesterday in the shade yesterday and today in the after lunch. RL-15 is a bit more temp sensitive that I was expecting.


Realization #4

Making it to HM is going to take alot of little tiny things that add up... Most of which I have not even come across yet...

 

[dzelenka]

Realization #1

Bob, had a carbide lamp and was smoking his and another guys sights, I knew mine needed it (it was a soft black but not a black hole, jet black, black) but did not realize how bad it was. I smoked it and got into prone magically the front site would just popped out and I could focus on it!!!

It is surprising how the little things make a big difference.

Realization #2

Bring more ammo than you could possibly need and then bring more...

Very good rule. I typically bring 100 rounds of short line ammo and not less than 25 rounds of 600 yd ammo for an 80 round match.

Realization #3

Max effort Loads that work well in the morning and cool afternoon, will pop primers in the and late day in a hot chamber. I popped 6 primers, with a standard 80 grain load, in the late day.They shot well yesterday in the shade yesterday and today in the after lunch. RL-15 is a bit more temp sensitive that I was expecting.

What primers were you using? I have shot up to 24.8 gr RL15 with an 80 Sierra even during the summer. LC brass hasn't been any trouble. What does your Winchester weigh? Do not ever leave your ammo in the sun or your car. Cover it with a white towel or leave it in your stool.

Realization #4

Making it to HM is going to take alot of little tiny things that add up... Most of which I have not even come across yet...

Making it to HM with a service rifle requires you to not make any mistakes in all of the various stages. Usually, when you work on one aspect until it works, another goes away. Not an easy task. I am a HM in long range and mid-range prone (you need to have a 98.5% average for 240 shots (4 matches). I am still a Master in across the course highpower. Right now my last 2 matches averaged 97% which is what it takes. Holding that for 2 more matches no matter what the conditions is tough. The best I have ever managed for 240 shots (actually 260) was 96.77%. Close but no cigar. The way it works is by a running average. My average at the end of the last 3 matches was 96.42%, 96.65% and 96.38%. Like I said, close but no cigar.

Good luck.

 

[owen502]

I can feel the tension today as well and having to climb through the ballast tanks on this offshore oil rig today is not helping. It was a fun filled weekend with the across the course match at Palo Alto and also the match at Gonzales. These were my first two matches that count. I did fair/poor at Palo Alto, but had much improvement on Sunday in Gonzales with the top score in the marksman division. Dan Zelenka had finished top overall in both matches.

First off I would like to thank Dan and the LSA for allowing me to use any equipment I needed including a rifle. If any of you even think you would be interested in trying out your hand at service rifle competition, just jump in and do it. Next month at Gonzales would be the best time. I am sure the weather will still be as nice as it was this weekend. There are plenty of guys who will show you the ropes and they will definitely be on hand to answer any questions you have. We had many BS guys out there already. I would like to see more of you out there.

Lessons:
I wish I had started out my first day at Gonzales. Palo Alto I seemed to be a little rushed getting prepared. Maybe it was just me not knowing where to put my stuff, how to arrange it, etc... One equipment piece I did not have (also knew I should have) was a timer. It's hard to judge time when you are thinking about so many other things. Especially when keeping your own score shot to shot. At Gonzales, you can take down your score when the targets are taken down. So you only have to worry about shooting.

I will be getting my rifle in this week and can not wait to practice my prone positioning. As soon as I figure out a more relaxed posture for this, you masters better watch out. Not having a good position in prone hurt me in both matches.

For those of you thinking about coming out, do it. The matches are 15 bucks. I just started 4 months ago and have already gotten all my equipment used from high power shooting forums. I got a coat, scope/stand, and a rifle. All at great (steal) prices. I also got a few items new like a shooting glove as those can get pretty grimey from the sweat. Like I said before, before I had gotten my own stuff, the LSA has equipment you can try out. There is no reason not to.

 

[rjenkins]

Dan did not win Sunday.

 

[owen502]

Dan did not win Sunday.

Nice first post. I must have been mistaken.

 

[dzelenka]

Dan did not win Sunday.

Dan was 2nd by a point and a pile of X to RJenkins which often happens. Mr. Jenkins is one of those fabled High Master Distinguished Riflemen that we all strive to be. At least JDHunt3 didn't beat us both like he did last month.

 

[SKYWLKR]

Nice first post. I must have been mistaken.

Some posts may not come off as intended and some do.

rjenkins is a SUPER nice guy and a scary good 600 yard shooter Not to mention XTC, so IMHO don't read into the post more than a simple correction.


Dan, I am using CCI #41's, I need to measure the weight in grains on the Win brass but the powder level is lower than LC's as I confirmed yesterday when I got back home.

 

[Zeek]

Dan did not win Sunday.

And he jumps out of the shadows with a scathing first post.

Sweeet!

Glad you could make it.

Derek

 

[dzelenka]

CCI 41 are magnum primers. That may be the source of your issue. I have never had any sort of problem popping primers using 7 1/2s or BR4s. Also, I have been shooting that load in a Krieger barrel which is almost certainly tighter than the Wilson on your rifle (they are notoriously tight). I find it a bit strange. Keep me up to date and I will keep my thinking cap on.

 

[dzelenka]

You guys just need to understand - Bob is a man of few words, and he tells it like it is.

I, on the other hand, would have been dancing around saying "I whipped your ass! I whipped your ass! Nah! Nah! Nah! Nah! Nah!"

 

[dzelenka]

Realization #1

Bob, had a carbide lamp and was smoking his and another guys sights, I knew mine needed it (it was a soft black but not a black hole, jet black, black) but did not realize how bad it was. I smoked it and got into prone magically the front site would just popped out and I could focus on it!!!

Bob had better not been smoking his sights. He was shooting an aperture sight with a lens in it. I don't think smoking it would have helped him much at all (but if I had thought about it, I should have smoked his sights for him) He was probably just helping on of the other shooters.

 

[owen502]

Some posts may not come off as intended and some do.

rjenkins is a SUPER nice guy and a scary good 600 yard shooter Not to mention XTC, so IMHO don't read into the post more than a simple correction.

I meant that to be complimentary. If I make a mistake, post it up.