After Action Report — Gem State Stand Off Practical Rifle Match

Vu Pham takes a shot at the Snake River Sportsman Range in Oregon. Click image for full-screen version.

Vu Pham recently attended a great practical/tactical match, the Gem State Stand Off. This NRL-sanctioned match drew 113 shooters, including many of the best PRS/NRL competitors in the country. Vu says this was a great event: “The 220-round, 22-stage course of fire was fun, yet challenging. Every stage had a two-minute par time requiring 10 rounds fired at multiple targets. 113 competitors fired about 24,000 rounds without a single target failure.”

“With technological advances in equipment, training, and ballistics, plus increased opportunities for competitors to fine-tune their skills, Practical Precision Rifle competition has become a perfectionist sport. The constant evolution of this discipline never ceases to amaze me. With competitors and manufacturers constantly pushing to gain an edge… there is no shortage of innovation.” — Vu Pham

Gem State Stand Off — After Action Report

Report by Vu Pham, NorCal Practical Precision Rifle Club
I was fortunate enough to snag a last-minute slot for the 2019 Gem State Stand Off hosted by the Precision Rifle Shooters of Idaho Club (PRSID). This is one of 17 National Rifle League events where competitors will battle for points hoping to secure a slot for the 2019 NRL Championship. The Snake River Sportsman Range is a beautiful venue in Vale, Oregon, near the Idaho border.

The digital display carries ballistics info and elevation/windage tables from Vu Pham’s Kestrel. He says the unit really helps his performance.

From the hills looking down-range. Click image for full-screen version.

Hardware Report — Top PRS/NRL Gear for 2019

Modern Precision Rifle Comp Gear — Stocks and Chassis Systems
The traditional rifle stock we know has now moved to more modular and customizable designs. One product that caught my eye is the new XLR Industries Envy JV Heavy Fill Chassis system. After seeing a lot of competitors use them with good results, I think I will be giving one a try soon. Not being able to borrow a piece of gear because the entire squad is running ARCA can be a drag. Picatinny forearm rails have gone the way of the dinosaur with ARCA Swiss becoming the standard for attaching accessories.

Those like myself who may not want to give up their traditional-style stocks do have the option of modifying their existing stock with a universal ARCA rail from Henderson Precision. That company makes a variety of rails that fit a number of stock platforms.

Rifle Support Options — Bags and Tripods
Tripods are also used a lot as front and rear support by the majority of the field as well. Support bags now come in every shape, size, weight, and material imaginable. Even the fundamentals of driving your rifle is being challenged by the evolution of “free recoil”. Instead of counting the number of hits for the day, the top echelon shooters count the number of shots they dropped.

Calibers of Choice — Small is Big — the 6mms Dominate
6mmBR Improved cartridges (6mm Dasher, 6BR Ackley) and mid-sized 6mms (such as 6mm Creedmoor) dominate the field. In addition we are seeing some guys running the 22 BR and 22 BRA, which work surprisingly well. [Editor: Run the ballistics with a .22 Cal 80-grainer and you’ll see why.]

Wind Monitoring and Ballistics
Kestrel Environmental Meters with Applied Ballistics are “must haves”. I have found my Really Right Stuff tripod and Vortex 12×50 Razor binoculars extremely useful for locating targets and going through the target shooting order before it was my turn to shoot. Watching what the wind and competitor’s rounds are doing before you are on the gun is a huge benefit.

Great Match with Great Shooters

Tough Competition with a Field of Ace Practical Marksmen
The field of competitors at this match was stacked. I heard there were 20 competitors in attendance who have won national-level PRS or NRL events. 20 top-echelon competitors mixed in with a solid field of shooters made it a tough for anyone looking to finish at the top.

As a “weekend warrior” competitor, I am only able to attend a few of these national events each year. I always consider who is running the event. That’s key — not all events are created equal.

The Precision Rifle Shooters of Idaho (PRSID) are second-to-none when putting on precision rifle competitions. They run a tight ship, yet are still able to keep it light-hearted and fun. The Range Officers are great and the spotters were superb. Out of the 220 rounds I fired, there was not a single time where I questioned a spotter’s call. One can always tell when the event is run by folks who actually participate in the sport. This is a huge factor in the quality of the event.

I couldn’t have asked for a better squad to spend the weekend with. I got to see some old friends and make some new ones along the way. Luck would have it that I was able to finally shoot a match with Kyle Miller, the owner of XLR Industries. I met Kyle years ago when I first got into precision rifle competitions and have always been impressed with his support of our growing sport. There has not been a single event I have attended over the years without some sort of support from XLR. Good man and great company.

My overall experience and impression of the 2019 Gem State Stand Off is a very positive one. Nate Lauerman and Seth Howard are excellent match directors and experienced precision rifle competitors. Their team of ROs executed things to a high standard and treated the competitors well and fairly. I hope to be back the next time these fine people host an event.

The only change I would suggest is getting rid of any artificial props. This range has so much to offer in its natural setting that such props are not needed. Also, we kind of ran long both days and I believe 20 stages vs. 22 would have been plenty of trigger time.

Venue/Range/Accommodations/Travel
For those that have not attended a precision rifle event hosted at the Snake River Sportsman Range in Vale, Oregon, you’re missing out. The natural terrain mixed in with the regular range facilities, such as bathrooms and a covered area to zero your rifle, is awesome. Competitors were able to check their zeros and gather some data at distance on Friday before game day. Ontario, Oregon is about 25 minutes from the range and has everything you need.

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Tags: Applied Ballistics, ARCA, Idaho, Kestrel, NorCal, NRL, PRS, Tactical, Vu Pham, XLR Industries