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June 30th, 2014
Story based on After Action Report (AAR) by Jonathan Berry
The 2014 NorCal TBRC is in the books and what another fabulous match put on by Vu Pham and the crew at the NorCal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC). When you attend this match you truly appreciate the effort, planning, and execution carried out by the nation’s largest practical precision rifle club. The Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge runs smoothly from beginning to end, even though the match offers plenty of challenge and variety. Vu Pham, match director, reports: “This year’s TBRC had four major evolutions, that encompassed 22 various stages of fire. Our competitors ended up firing more than 13,000 rounds over the match weekend.”
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AUDIO FILE: Vu Pham Talks about the NorCal Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge. |
CLICK HERE for 2014 NCPPRC Tactical Bolt Rifle Challenge Photo Gallery.
CLICK HERE for Full Match Report with Video Clips.
The match is broken up into three different segments: short range (25-200 yards); steel range (150-550 yards); and long range (800-1000 yards). The short range consisted of shots from 25-200 yards. It involved hostage targets, movers, little bitty dots, and my favorite stage, “The MGM Spinner”. This course of fire pitted competitor vs. competitor in a race to see who could spin the target, for 50 points, with a bonus of 20 points if you spun it first. On the 100-yard mover stage, Rockstar Regina Milkovich impressed the crowd by landing all six (6) shots on her moving target. Nice work, Regina!
The steel range runs from 150-550 yards with targets at 220, 330, 440, and 550 yards. Unusual shooting stations, time challenges, and other factors made these stages a real test of skill (and the ability to “adapt and overcome”). There was another head-to-head course of fire where you had to put six shots on a dueling tree with 6” flappers at 440 yards.
Yes, eye protection is mandatory at the TBRC. That’s a good safety rule.
 Long-Range Challenge
The TBRC’s long range segment involved targets at 800, 900, and 1,000 yards. Five, 3-shot groups were fired at each yardage with one minute to fire the three shots. You really had to pay attention to the mirage, wind, and your gut instinct. Many times those three indicators lead you to three different conclusions!
Several amazing 3-shot groups were shot from the 1,000-yard line by TBRC competitors. These small groups demonstrate the accuracy of today’s bolt-action tactical rifles. Jeremy Bentham (photo right), who placed second in the match, had a sub-one-inch group from the 1,000-yard line, all in the 9-Ring no less. Nice shootin’ Jeremy!
Amazing $70,000 Prize Table at 2014 NorCal TBRC
The $70K prize table that Vu and team put together for this match was incredible. Each and every sponsor deserves recognition for contributing to the match. It never ceases to amaze me to see so many great prizes on the tables at a match like this. Thank you all for supporting the sport. We, as shooters, appreciate it and try hard to support those who support us.
Look inviting? Then maybe you should plan to join the NorCal clan at one of their regular matches. Vu Pham notes that unaffiliated new shooters are welcome at NCPPRC event: “You do not have to be a member of NCPPRC or FSC to shoot with us. For those of you that would like to shoot with us, please visit our website at www.ncpprc.com. Info about when, where, and how our matches are run are posted in the various forums for matches and practice sessions.”
The NCPPRC Crew Delivered Some Serious Bar-B-Q for Challenge Competitors.
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About NorCal Practical Precision Rifle Club (NCPPRC)
NCPPRC was founded in 2006 by Vu Pham and Shawn Shaw in response to the growing demands of precision rifle shooters in Northern California. As of 2011, NCPPRC has a membership roster of 100 precision rifle shooters from all walks of life.
Our mission is to provide events where serious practical/tactical precision rifle shooters can test their skills in a safe and controlled environment. We provide competent mentoring for new shooters. NCPPRC offers clinics, monthly practice sessions, and an Internet forum. Our organization offers monthly competitions, monthly practice sessions, and an annual two-day event that attracts civilians, law enforcement, and military shooters from across the nation.
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June 29th, 2014
Rifle events concluded June 28th at the USA Shooting National Championships for Rifle/Pistol. These National Championships were Part Two of an intensive qualification process for the World Championship. USA junior team members were chosen through a selection process that included two qualifiers and a final at the National Junior Olympic Shooting Championships (NJOSC) and another two qualifiers and two finals at the National Championships held at Fort Benning, Georgia this week.
Photos from Championship events can be viewed and downloaded for free here.
Not only were USA titles on the line, but for Junior shooters, the chance to represent the USA at the ISSF World Championship in Granada, Spain was also up for grabs.
Garrett Spurgeon claimed yet another National Title today by winning the Junior Men’s Air Rifle event. At this National Championships, Spurgeon also won the Junior Men’s 3P Rifle title. The gold medalist for Junior Women’s Three-Position Rifle, was Lauren Phillips.
In the Open division, Ryan Anderson claimed top honors in Men’s Air Rifle, narrowly edging out defending National Champion Connor Davis. The Women’s Open Division Three-Position title went to Amy Sowash. Winning silver was 2012 Olympian Amanda Furrer and winning bronze was Sarah Beard. Beard also won the prone rifle National Championship title. Beard has now won five National titles throughout her career (four in the Open division, one in Junior).
Paralympic Competition at Fort Benning
Along with the regular competition for able-bodied shooters, these Championships included Paralympic Air Rifle Prone, Free And Sport Pistol events for injured/disabled athletes. Some of these competitors shot from wheelchairs, while others shot from a bench with support for the rifles.
Click Photo for Large Version
Complete results from the National Championships can be found here.
June 27th, 2014
 After seven months of hard work and concentration, over 300 sporter and precision air rifle juniors are competing this week at the 2014 CMP National Three Position Air Rifle Championship. The event runs June 23 through 28 at the new Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center in Camp Perry, Ohio.
Junior marksmen participating in the CMP National Championship will also be competing in the USA Shooting National 3P Junior Olympics. Sporter competitors will fire on Tuesday, June 24, while precision competitors will follow on Friday, June 27. The National Junior Olympics will also be held in the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center.
Big money is at stake for the teams. First place teams in the sporter and precision competitions will receive $10,000 towards their team’s MidwayUSA endowment, while second and third place teams will earn $7,500 and $5,000, respectively. MidwayUSA contributed over $460,000 towards the competition.
The event is free and open to the public. The world-class Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center boasts 80 firing points with state-of-the-art electronic targets. Spectators are able to observe each competitor’s shot via large, 90-inch overhead monitors. CLICK HERE for more info on the CMP National Three Position Air Rifle Championship.
June 24th, 2014
Bryan Litz shot his first F-TR match recently, and he came up a winner — a big winner. Competing at the Midwest Palma event, Bryan topped the F-TR field, winning by 15 points. In fact Bryan ended up finishing within 10 points of F-Open winner Alex Lipworth. In the 20-shot, 1000-yard matches, Bryan averaged an impressive 195-7X, with a stunning 196-11X score in one match. (Consider that the 1000-yard X-Ring is just five inches in diameter!) Not bad for Bryan’s first attempt at the F-TR game.
We all know Bryan has serious long-range shooting skills. But he also had a secret weapon — a wickedly accurate, wood/carbon-stocked, low-profile F-TR rifle built by John Pierce. With this Pierce rifle, Bryan had to abandon the hard-holding style he uses in sling-shooting competition. Instead he adopted a “less is more”, almost-free-recoil method — and it worked. Is this the future of F-TR? Read on and learn what Bryan has to say about F-TR shooting, “belly benchrest” style.
Sling Shooter Tries F-TR
by Bryan Litz
I’ve been coaching the Michigan F-TR team for a while and finally decided to participate in the competition. F-TR is more rifle-centric than Palma, meaning the precision demands are greater due to the smaller scoring rings. After seeing Eric Stecker’s results with his Pierce rifle at the 2014 Berger Southwest Nationals, I asked my good friend and Michigan team-mate John Pierce to “build me one like Eric’s”. This is the same basic set up as John’s own F-TR rifle as well. It’s a Pierce F-TR action with a 30″ long, 1:9″ twist Bartlein Barrel chambered for the Berger 215gr Hybrids. The barreled action is bedded into a light-weight, BR-style stock built by Bob Scoville. A Phoenix bipod underneath and a Nightforce 15-55X Competition scope complete the package.
Click Image to Zoom
Loading the .308 Winchester with Berger 215gr Hybrids
I received the rifle just one week before the Midwest Palma match. During that week prior to the match, I put over 700 rounds on the rifle. I did some load development but was mostly learning to shoot a new rifle in a new discipline. I settled on 215gr Berger Hybrids seated 0.015″ off the riflings over a stout charge of Varget in Lapua Palma (small primer) brass with CCI BR4 primers. The only brass prep was mandreling the necks of the new brass for consistent neck tension. Bullets were slightly pointed, but nothing was segregated by weight, base-to-ogive, or anything. All the ammo I shot in Lodi was loaded in brand-new Lapua brass.
Check Out Bryan’s Set-up with the Rifle (Click Photo to Zoom)
Learning the F-TR Game — Adapting to a New Shooting Style
Coming over from sling shooting, I knew there would be unique challenges to F-TR which I wanted to learn prior to (not during) a major tournament. I learned a new shooting position which doesn’t involve drawing the right knee up. For F-TR I get more straight behind the gun rather than at an angle. I found that the rifle shoots best with very light cheek, shoulder and grip pressure, approaching free recoil. This is how Eric Stecker shot his similar rifle into second place in the SW Nationals. I learned the rifle’s sensitivity to different bipod and rear bag supports, and found the best buttplate position to allow the rifle to track and stay on target after recoil. This set-up shot best with a mostly free-recoil approach, that means “hovering” over the comb, rather than resting your head on the stock. This took some “getting used to” in terms of neck and back muscle tone. These are the kind of details I think it’s important to focus on when entering a new dicipline.
“I love the way this Pierce F-TR rifle flings brass, and wins tournaments. None of my sling guns ever had an ejector. With this rig, it’s become one of my favorite things to eject the brass and just let it fly!”
I think many shooters consider themselves ‘ready for a match’ the first time the rifle shows them a couple 1/3 or 1/4 MOA 5-shot groups from a bench at 100 yards. While making the rifle shoot precisely is certainly a prerequisite for successful match shooting, it’s certainly not the whole story. So as soon as I got the load and rifle shooting 1/2 MOA from the bench, I proceeded to shoot many 10- and 20-shot strings from the ground at 300 and 1000 yards. I shot more than 500 rounds this way, studying the rifles character, and learning to shoot it. It’s amazing how much the precision (grouping) is affected by subtle variables in the set-up, especially when shooting heavy bullets. I truly believe that many F-TR rifles are hindered in their precision potential by something in the way they are set up and shot.
Advice on Shooting the Heavy Bullets in a .308 Win
I believe F-TR set-ups are way more forgiving with light- to medium-weight bullets (155 to 185 grains). By this I mean that it’s easier to shoot good groups with a variety of bipods, rear bags, etc. But as you get into the 200 – 215 grain bullet weights, the precision of the rifle (i.e. group size) becomes very sensitive to set-up and shot execution. I was able to find a good set-up which let the rifle shoot very well on a variety of surfaces (hard gravel, soft grass, sand, etc.). In Lodi, the rifle shot well all week.
Having done so much preparation and training with the rifle the week prior to the match, I felt very prepared and confident. The results were actually better than expected. There were no problems at all with equipment, and I just shot the rifle the way it liked to be shot. In the end, I won the F-TR Division. I can say there were many shooters interested in the Pierce rifle!
Impressive Performance
Bryan observes that this rifle held 1/2 MOA of vertical at 1000 yards for 17 out of 20 shots. That’s impressive accuracy. Bryan was in first place each day of the match, including the 3×1000 on Friday where he averaged over 195-7X. Remarkably, Bryan finished just 10 points behind the F-Open winner, with the next closest F-TR competitor 15 points behind Bryan. In fact, with his .308 Win, Bryan out-scored 75% of the F-Open shooters. CLICK for match results.
Bryan gave credit to his smiths and his team-mates: “I’d like to thank John Pierce for building a great F-TR rifle and thank my dad, Bill Litz, for loading the best ammo on the planet. Finally, I’d like to thank the Michigan F-TR team for helping me learn how to shoot F-TR.”
Bryan writes: “Here I am with ‘The Man’, John Pierce, and the epic F-TR rifle he built for me. This thing shoots ‘No S***’ 1/2 MOA Vertical at 1000 yards.”
June 23rd, 2014
One of the fun aspects of a summer visit to the National Matches at Camp Perry is a visit to Commercial Row. Here you’ll find shooting hardware and accessories from a variety of vendors — from big outfits to small, “boutique” suppliers. There are usually some very good deals to be had. In fact, many vendors offer special “Camp Perry Pricing” that can’t be beat anywhere else (or at any other time of year).
CLICK HERE for List of Commercial Row Vendors (PDF)
Over 60 companies will have a presence on Commercial Row this year, including respected suppliers such as Armalite, Champion Shooters Supply, Compass Lake Engineering, Fulton Armory, Geissele Automatics, Remington Arms, and Rock River Arms.
If you visit Camp Perry this summer, be sure to walk down Commercial Row, situated opposite CMP Headquarters on Lawrence Road. Whether you’re a competitor in need of a replacement part or just a shopper looking for a good deal, you’ll find something of interest on Commercial Row.
Photo from NJPistol.com. This site has a very helpful Camp Perry FAQ Page.
June 22nd, 2014
Sometimes everything comes together — a great barrel, the right load, good bullets, and, of course, a gifted trigger-puller. Check out this target from Forum member Mike Ezell. That’s five (5) shots at 100 yards from Mike’s 30 Major benchrest rifle. When this was shot a while back, Mike reported: “I fired a few groups in the great weather. No surprises — it did VERY well! My little wildcat, the 30 Major, has always been a shooter. That target was not a fluke — I shot a few groups today and Agg’d a high One.” Mike is a Kentucky gunsmith who builds his own rifles.
30 Major is Based on 6.5 Grendel
What’s a “30 Major” you ask? This is Mike’s own wildcat, a 6.5 Grendel necked up to .30 caliber. Mike writes: “The 30 Major is essentially a .070″-long 30 PPC. With the great 6.5 Grendel brass available from Lapua, all you need to do is neck-up and turn the necks to prep the brass.” Mike says it is very much like a 30 BR, but you just start with 6.5 Grendel brass instead of 6mmBR brass.
The cartridge has one major benefit — it utilizes a PPC-diameter bolt face. That makes it easy to convert your group-shooting 6 PPC to shoot score with .30-cal bullets. Mike explains: “If you have a PPC, to shoot score, all you have to do is chamber up a [.30 caliber] barrel and screw it on your PPC.”
From 7.62×39 to 30 Major — Full Circle
Arms expert Neil Gibson has an interesting perspective on the lineage of the 30 Major. He reminds us that this wildcat has returned to its roots: “Start off with the 7.62×39 Russian [cartridge]. The Russians then modify it, necking it down to .223 for deer hunting. The U.S. bench rest guys then modify that, necking it up to 6 mm and blowing the case out making the 6mm PPC. Someone takes that case, necks it out to 6.5 mm, making the 6.5 PPC. Alexander Arms takes that and makes the 6.5 Grendel. Then finally Mike Ezell takes the Grendel and necks it up to 30 caliber, making the 30 Major. From 30 caliber, back to 30 caliber. OK, the original uses .31 caliber bullets, but the bore is still .300. Talk about almost coming round full circle!”
Great Accuracy Restored after Solving Mystery Problem
To get his 30 Major rig shooting this well, Mike had to solve a mysterious problem that cropped up last year. Mike explains: “Two years running, I have finished in the top 15 in IBS points shooting [the 30 Major], but last year’s benchrest season was tough.” Mike was having some accuracy issues that defied explanation. But he figured it out: “The front action screw was bottoming out against the barrel extension – just barely. A simple fix brought the gun back to life. It’s a Stiller Viper Drop Port. The action is screwed and glued into the stock, so I was a bit surprised … especially after having checked for [that issue] while looking for the problem. I’m just glad to have found the trouble so I can begin to re-instill some confidence in the gun and myself, after last year.”
June 22nd, 2014
Report based on story by Kyle Jillson for NRA Blog
 The 2014 Remington and NRA National Rifle & Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio are just a couple weeks away. You can still register for one or more of the matches. Just click the orange “Register” button (below) to register online.
Many of the finest civilian and military marksmen in the United States will square off for weeks of rifle and handgun competition while vying for the NRA’s historic and prestigious trophies. From pistol, to smallbore rifle, high power rifle, and long-range high power rifle, the National Matches have something for just about everybody.
Head on over to the Camp Perry sign-up page and get started on this year’s application.
Smallbore Matches Will Be in Indiana This Year
If you’re a smallbore shooter, these next two years will be a little different. In 2014 and 2015, the NRA National Smallbore Position Championships and the NRA National Smallbore Prone Championships will be held at Chief Wa-Ke-De Range in Bristol, Indiana. This change of venue for the Smallbore Championship Events was made to accommodate the 2015 World Palma Rifle Championships at Camp Perry. (The change was made in 2014 because the World Palma teams will be practicing at Camp Perry this summer, a year before the big event.) The Chief Wa-Ke-De Range is an excellent location that has hosted the NRA National Metric Championships for the past few years.
The NRA National Rifle & Pistol Championships are the pinnacle of target shooting in the USA. If you’re itching to try out some new equipment or are looking for an excuse to buy some more accessories, the National Matches are the perfect excuse. Use the links below to register for the National Matches, or to view the 2014 program brochures (in PDF format) for the High Power, Fullbore, and Pistol disciplines.
Click Here to Sign Up for Camp Perry
2014 National Matches Calendar (Draft)
2014 High Power Program
2014 Fullbore Program
2014 Pistol Program
June 20th, 2014
Our friend Sebastian (“Seb”) Lambang recently released some photos that illustrate the “inner workings” of his advanced SEB NEO Front Rest. If you’ve ever wondered how a joystick front rest works, and how the parts go together, study the photos below. In addition, for those who use a NEO rest in competition, Benchrest Champion Mike Ratigan offers some PRO USER Tips that will help you get the best results from your NEO.
Unique Features of the SEB NEO Front Rest:
- Lots of Travel — 43 MOA Vertical and 48 MOA Horizontal via joystick alone. The NEO offers more joystick travel than any other coaxial rest.
- Variable Joystick Movement — The NEO is the only rest that can be configured for reverse action mode. That means you can optionally set it to lower the rifle with an up movement of the joystick if you prefer. (Standard setting raises rifle with up joystick movement.)
- Rack & Pinion Risers — The NEO has dual support columns with Rack & Pinion system, offering a very broad vertical adjustment range.
- Optional Counter-Weights — The NEO comes standard with a spring-loaded top mechanism to help hold up the rifle. Optional counter-weights allow you to reduce spring “pre-load”. Many people feel the counter-weights also allow a smoother, less jerky movement.
- Reversible Base — The NEO’s base can be set-up with either the long leg in the rear or the long leg in the front. Putting the long leg in front gives more room under the rifle.
- NEO Packs Flat — The SEB NEO is easily dismantled for transport, and can pack nearly flat. This is a big advantage when traveling.
CLICK HERE for Complete SEB NEO Coaxial Rest Instructions (PDF File)
SEB NEO PRO TIPS from Mike Ratigan:
Counter-weight Function and Calibration: “With the Seb NEO, equipped with the optional static counter-weight, the shooter can calibrate the counter weight to the rifle weight. The counter-weight is used to hold up the rifle. Clamping pressure of the sliding plates is NOT used to hold up the rifle like other coaxial rests on the market today. Other coaxial rests apply enough clamping force to the rest top mechanism sliding plates to resist the downward movement of the top when the rifle weight sets on the rest. This one feature of the Seb NEO almost completely eliminates bullets falling out of the bottom of your groups because the rest moved (or falls) down when you fired the rifle. This function is very important.”
On Hand Position: “I try to keep the palm of my hand grounded to the bench at all times. To do this at the closer distances, the handle will be laying flat (bend to the side) while shooting on the bottom of the target. To move to the top up (for right-handed shooters) I rotate the handle counter clockwise, which [raises the top] while maintaining my palm grounded to the bench.”
On Front Bag Fill: “Give some coarse sand blasting sand a try with the small stuff screened out. This will help reduce compaction from daily use.”
June 19th, 2014
Phase I Nearing Completion at CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park
By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer
Construction continues at the CMP Talladega Marksmanship Park as Phase I has reached 95% completion. The first phase is expected to be complete in September 2014. Clearing of brush, trees and other natural foliage is 100% complete, with 95% of the 600,000 cubic yards of dirt moved. The only earth that remains to be moved is in the action pistol bay areas. The second phase of the project is expected to be complete in March 2015, with the range’s official opening to the public in April 2015.
Berms have taken shape as 95% of the 600,000 cubic yards of crimson Alabama dirt has been moved.
This concrete slab will be home to the CMP Clubhouse. The building will overlook the 600-yard range.
Phase II of the project is around 10% finished, with pavement down on the main entrance road and the concrete foundation for the main building complete. It may be another month before workers begin to stand steel and pour concrete slabs for the other buildings on the property. Workers are also preparing to place footings on the 600-yard range.
The 600-yard and 300-yard ranges will be equipped with state-of-the-art, all-weather electronic targets.
 Electronic Targets at Talladega
Back at CMP’s south offices, the state-of-the-art electronic targets that will be featured at the new park have been under construction. The wooden frames for the 600-yard range are already complete, while construction on the 300-yard frames will soon be underway.
The electronically-powered target lifters are being crafted in Ohio. Once completed, the frames and the lifters will be attached to rubber-faced targets that will be able to withstand all weather conditions and multiple shots. The targets resemble the electronic targets used at CMP’s air gun ranges, only on a much, much larger scale.
An aerial view shows the trees that will serve as natural dividers between each range.
The main goal of the new park will be to provide a place where beginning and experienced marksmen can practice firearm safety through clinics and courses, as well as participate in CMP Games matches. The park will also be open for year-round open public shooting. Mark Johnson, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, reports: “It’s impressive. It’s going to be a lot more impressive looking with the grass, the woods and the rolling hills. People are going to really like it.”
June 19th, 2014
Report based on Story by Kyle Jillson in NRAblog.
Air Rifle Shooters — Do you dream of winning the NRA Indoor National Championships or competing in the Olympics some day? All that may be a few years off, but you can work on becoming an NRA Distinguished Shooter in Sporter and Precision Air Rifle right now…
Making Distinguished in Air Rifle shooting is a goal that can be accomplished by a skilled, dedicated shooter in a few seasons. The discipline you learn along the way will help your overall accuracy with just about any gun. Two separate medallions and lapel pins can be earned by each individual who successfully completes the requirements for both 3-Position Precision and Sporter. Shooters who earn both awards will also receive a Double Distinguished pin.
Steps to Become Distinguish Air Rifle Shooter
So how do you become distinguished? First, you need to be an NRA member. Placing in the top-scoring 10% in a designated tournament (e.g. Indoor National Championships, National Junior Air Gun Championships) will earn a step toward an NRA Distinguished Air Gun Award. Each competitor who makes the same numerical score as the last score in the high 10% will be awarded a step toward NRA Distinguished Air Gun Award. Inner tens will not be used as part of the numerical score to break ties.
It takes a minimum of four (4) steps to be presented with an NRA Distinguished Air Gun Award and you can only earn up to two steps each year. At least one step must be earned for competition in the NRA National Air Gun Championship and Training Summit. Additionally, the steps for 3-Position Sporter Air Rifle or in 3-Position Precision Air Rifle cannot be earned simultaneously. If you’re trying to eventually get both, 3-Position Sporter Air Rifle must be completed first before you can complete steps in 3-Position Precision Air Rifle.
Get started working towards this award today! Click the following links to review PDF info sheets: Sporter Air Rifle and Precision Air Rifle.
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