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May 4th, 2009
 Polish up your PPCs boys, the Super Shoot is coming up real soon! The Firearm Industry Super Shoot (FISS), the largest short-range benchrest match in North America, runs for four days, May 20-23, 2009 at the Kelbly range in North Lawrence, Ohio. This is a LV/HV match only. Here’s the shooting schedule: May 20 10.5-lb 100 yards; May 21 13.5-lb 100 yards; May 22 13.5-lb 200 yards; May 23 10.5-lb 200 yards.
Some Slots Still Available
The Super Shoot attracts 320 or more shooters every year. For more information, go to Super Shoot Info Page, or click the links below. The competition is limited to 420 shooters. But it’s not too late to register. The Kelblys tell us “there are still places available if you get your registration in soon.” Note: after May 10, 2009, registration fees are $120.00 per gun. No exceptions.
Location:
7222 Dalton Fox Lake Road
North Lawrence, OH 44666
Phone: (330) 683-4674
Registration Form (.pdf file)
General Information
Map to Range
April 30th, 2009
Here’s a great opportunity to have some fun with your varmint or benchrest rifle. The 2009 Roanoke Egg Shoot will be held Saturday, May 2nd, at the Roanoke (VA) Rifle & Revolver Club. Entry Fee is just $20 per gun, and all types of rifles are welcome. The only restrictions are maximum 30 caliber, maximum 30 lbs. weight, and no rail guns. Custom guns and factory guns will shoot in separate classes, and all classes will shoot from benches. Shooting starts at 9:00 am, but come early for sign-ups.
 Custom rifles will shoot at 425 yards at a dozen 2.4″ clays, with 3 tie-breaker targets. There are unlimited sighter rounds and a 5-minute time limit. Factory guns will shoot at 200 yards at paintball targets with 3 tie-breakers. Again there are unlimited sighters and a 5-minute time limit during record fire. NOTE: Factory guns must be totally stock except trigger job, bedding, and muzzle brake.
The actual Egg Shoot is a separate part of the competition. You pick your best gun regardless of class. After a 5-minute warm-up, each shooter gets two (2) shots at one egg set at 500 yards. You can enter “as many times as your wallet permits — 2 shots for $2.00″. All shooters who hit an egg will go to a shoot-off for the final awards.
The Roanoke Egg Shoot is a great event that draws shooters from throughout Virginia and neighboring states. CLICK HERE to read Mark Schronce’s account of a recent Roanoke Egg Shoot where he and his wife competed head-to-head in a 500-yard shoot-off for top honors. For more information, call (540) 980-1582, or email: varmint [at] psknet.com.
CLICK HERE for INFO PAGE with Rules and Directions to the Roanoke Range.
April 29th, 2009
About 24 miles east of Oceanside, California (near the Camp Pendleton Marine base) is the Pala Reservation. On that Native American land you’ll find an impressive new Casino Resort & Spa, plus an excellent shooting range. The first Sunday of every month, many of Southern California’s top shooters come to Pala to enjoy a challenging Varmint Silhouette Match. Ten targets are set at each of the following distances:
200 meters – Field Mice (also called “pikas”)
300 meters – Crows (with a triangular center cut out, just for a little more challenge)
385 meters – California squirrels
500 meters – Jack Rabbits
600 yards – Prairie Dogs
There’s a North County Shootist Association Varmint Silhouette match this Sunday, May 3rd, and your Editor will be there covering the event. We invite AccurateShooter.com readers to come join the fun. You’ll need a very accurate rifle, and 80-100 rounds of ammo. You can shoot either rested prone (F-Class style), from bipod, or from a wooden bench with front pedestal and rear bag. Any rifle 6.5 caliber or under is allowed, with no weight restrictions. Muzzle brakes are permitted. There’s a one-hour sight-in period starting at 8 am, and the match starts at 9 am sharp. The folks at Pala run a tight ship, cycling multiple relays efficiently, so everybody gets to shoot 50 targets (10 each at five different yardages), and the show is usually completed by 1:00 pm. (Then if you want… head over to the Pala Casino for some gambling fun, or maybe a spa treatment.)
At Pala varmint shoots, max caliber is 6.5mm, to limit target damage. Typically you see a BR-style rifle, with a heavy, 26-30″ barrel, often using a muzzle brake. You need a very accurate chambering, so you’ll see 6BRs, Dashers, 6-284s, 6.5-47s, and a few 6mm Remingtons. (Note, the 6.5s are limited to 109gr max bullet weight to prevent target damage.) When this Editor last shot at Pala, Forum Member John Adams was kind enough to let me shoot his wicked little 22 Dasher. It proved very accurate, and very flat-shooting. I was impressed.
CLICK HERE for Match Info and Range Details
CLICK HERE to read a feature story on the Pala Varmint Silhouette Program
April 28th, 2009
Taking first-place overall, Robert Hoppe was the big winner at the NBRSA 600-yard Nationals (Sloughhouse 600). Robert was shooting a 6mm Dasher (6BR Improved) with (reportedly) 103gr Spencer bullets. Robert had previously set a 600-yard small group record with his Dasher and 105 A-Max bullets. In the Interview below (from the 2008 Sloughhouse 600), Robert Hoppe gives tips on loading for the 6 Dasher:
Second Place overall went to Billy Copelin (also shooting Dashers in both Light Gun and Heavy Gun), and Third Place went to past 600-yard Champion Don Nielson (also shooting a Dasher in LG and HG). Don also won 12-Target Score. East-coaster Eric Stanton took 4th shooting a borrowed 6BR while Tommy Johnson rounded out the top five.
Overall Winner Robert Hoppe (holding plaque), with Match Director Craig St. Claire (far left).
CLICK HERE to download Complete NBRSA 600-Yard Nat’ls Match Results (MS Word file).
Though conditions were very difficult (shifty variable winds with horrendous mirage), Forum member Roger Amos set a new 3-target, Light Gun score record of 145-4X. Last Year’s NBRSA 600-yard Champ Jerry Tierney told us: “Conditions were really tough. Big changes in velocity and direction. You might get a good group but chances are it would not be centered. Mirage was bad. Many guys had trouble staying on paper when the conditions were the worst.” Despite the conditions, Tierney recorded the best Light Gun 6-Target Group Agg, an impressive 2.589″.
Lynn Dragoman provided this report, on Benchrest Central: “The shooting was very tough. We had plenty of switchy winds and so much mirage my 12-42 Nightforce never got off of 12 power. Lou Murdica lent Eric Stanton a 6BR [belonging to Connie, Lou’s wife] with ammo Lou loaded up. Eric won a box of plaques and shot the smallest LG group of the match [1.407″, (48-0X). Barry Bluhm, shooting a 6-6.5×47 had the Heavy Gun 10-shot small group, 2.513″, (92-1X)]. Turnout was 50 shooters despite the depression we are seeing in the economy and a good time was had by all in attendance. It doesn’t get much better than three days shooting on the bench next to Lou Murdica, Don Nielson, and Eric Stanton. The new March 36-55X is a very nice scope. A big thank you goes out to our new Match Director Craig St. Claire. He ran it like a true pro. The scoring was done by Gary Childs and Jim O’Connell and the results were done before anybody had finished eating lunch.”
Many leading manufacturers supported the NBRSA Nationals/Sloughhouse 600 as sponsors. Bill Shehane of D&B Supply donated a very nice Tracker stock. Mac Tilton of MT Guns donated a $250.00 discount certificate for new Barnard action. Mac specified that this should go to one of the “non-podium” shooters, and Rick Duncan was the lucky fellow receiving the certificate. Other participating sponsors included: Bartlein Barrels, Cabela’s, Dewey Products, Forster Products, Russ Haydon, Krieger Barrels, Lee Reloading, MidwayUSA, Shilen Rifles, and Redding Reloading.
Photos by Barry Bluhm. Results provided by Jim O’Connell.
April 19th, 2009
 Yesterday, April 18th, Joel Pendergraft of Durham, NC put 10 shots into 3.048″ to set a new IBS 1000-yard Heavy Gun World record. Competing at Hawks Ridge, NC, Joel set the record with his big, 300 Ackley Improved HG fitted with an unusual water-cooled 12-twist, 4-groove Krieger barrel. Joel shot BIB 187gr flat-based bullets in Norma brass, pushed by a “generous amount” of Alliant Reloder 25 and Federal 210M primers.
This 3.048″ 10-shot group was a remarkable accomplishment, breaking one of the longest standing 1000-yard World Records. Bill Shehane commented: “This tops the NBRSA, IBS, and Original Williamsport Clubs’ all-time 10-shot Heavy Gun group records. Took a long time to do it and I for one know Joel did not back into it — he has worked harder than most the last 10 years to break this record. And just like John Voneida of the Original Williamsport Club who held this most prestigous record for so long, Joel is a super nice guy and a great competitor.”
Pendergraft’s fellow 1K competitors were quick to praise his accomplishment. Dave Tooley observed: “I still remember the day I suggested flat-based bullets to Joel and the laugh I got. Well he was laughing today. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Glad I was there to see it.” Posting on Benchrest Central, “4Mesh” wrote: “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy! That gun showed some serious promise last year at the World Open and anything that cranks off targets like the one you shot there, has what it takes.” Jim Hardy added: “The new record is great but no better than the fine man who shot it. Everyone who knows Joel will say the same thing — he is one of the finest men you will ever meet. He lives the life, and walks the walk and has paid his dues in the 1000-yard BR game to get the record.”
Pendergraft was modest after his notable achievement: “Some of the words spoken are too kind. What makes this so very special is to be able to celebrate the accomplishment with all of my shooting friends[.] A good friend once said that records are shot when preparation and opportunity meet. I feel blessed to have personally had the opportunity. The preparation we can individually work on and acheive but the opportunity only comes to a few. Those of you that compete in longe range competition will know what I mean.”
April 19th, 2009
Competition at the second leg of the 2009 ISSF World Cup Series commenced in Beijing, China on April 18 and will conclude April 23. Sixteen U.S. rifle and pistol shooters will be competing in Beijing, which will be familiar ground for 2008 Olympians Jamie Beyerle (Lebanon, PA), Brian Beaman (Selby, SD), Keith Sanderson (San Antonio, TX) and 2008 bronze medalist Jason Turner (Rochester, NY). These four Olympians competed in the same venue at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing last August.
The U.S. is looking to add to their 2009 World Cup medal tally in Beijing, as Sanderson is coming off a silver medal win in Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol in Changwon, Korea earlier this week. Sanderson was an Olympic finalist and record holder at the 2008 Games in Beijing. For updated news and results during the Beijing ISSF Rifle/Pistol World Cup, please visit the ISSF website. Daily results (with photos of winning shooters) are found on the ISSF Latest News Page.
April 16th, 2009
Well-known competitive shooter Eric Kennard has come up with a great new product: “Snap Cap”-type dummy practice cases — for the cartridges that match shooters really use. Eric explains: “I was surprised when I started the long range game that Snap Caps were not available in the most used target rifle calibers. How does one dry-fire a target action without risking a fracture of the firing pin? I have seen this happen several times now. Usually in the middle of a match!”
Eric decided to do something about the problem of fractured firing pins. Eric has created a new line of aluminum-bodied Snap Caps for target rifle chamberings. These are made from red-anodized solid aluminum and have a spring-loaded brass plunger to absorb the firing pin shock. Now you can dry-fire to your heart’s content.
Eric sells the Target Rifle Snap Caps for $12.95 per pair, plus shipping. Currently, the aluminum Target Rifle Snap Caps are available for six (6) chamberings: .223 Rem, 6mmBR, 6XC, 6-6.5 x 47 Lapua, 6.5 x 47 Lapua, and .308 Win. (More calibers are coming soon.) If you have a tight-necked chamber, Kennard is able to turn down the necks of the dummy cases if you give him the dimensions (extra costs may apply). If you’re curious, the 6mmBR Snap Caps come with a .266 neck while the .223 has a .250 neck. To order Eric’s aluminum Snap Cap practice cartridges, send email to ericskennard [at] msn.com.
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Snap Cap Chamberings
.308 Win
6XC
6-6.5 x 47 Lapua
(not shown)
6.5 x 47 Lapua
6mmBR
.223 Rem
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More Calibers Coming Soon
Eric reports these dummy cartridge work great for High Power practice: “One of my evaluators has found them perfect for dry firing in rapid fire with a reload. Yes I know, it is an across the course High Power thing!” Eric plans to add more chamberings: “I have decided to add a couple of calibers due to all the interest. I am adding 6.5-284, .260 Rem, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua. They should be available soon.”
April 13th, 2009
The 2009 NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals (Sloughhouse 600) will be held April 24, 25, and 26, at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center. This 3-day match is hosted by the Folsom Shooting Club, at the Sacramento Valley Shooting Center in Sloughhouse, CA, a few minutes East of Sacramento. This event grows more popular every year as more and more top shooters are drawn to the relatively new 600-yard benchrest discipline.
Last year, Jerry Tierney (shown in VIDEO below) dominated the field, shooting a 6mmBR Improved in an Elesio R5 Tubegun. CLICK HERE to read an in-depth report on last year’s 600-yard Nationals, with lots of photos.
Match information plus range maps are available at www.sacvalley.org in the “Upcoming Events” section, or click the links below:
NBRSA 600 Nationals Match INFO
Download NBRSA 600 Nationals REGISTRATION FORM (.pdf file)
Match fees are currently $75.00 per class (light gun and heavy gun). If you have further questions, or need forms mailed to you, contact match Director Ed Eckhoff: (530) 661-6018; e-mail: eckran@yahoo.com.
RECOMMENDED: Read Feature Story on 2008 NBRSA Nationals
April 12th, 2009
 The 2008 Eastern CMP Games and Creedmoor Cup Matches will be held from May 2nd through May 10th at Camp Butner in Stem, NC. Three days of Garand, Springfield and Vintage Military Rifle Matches take place on 2, 4 & 5 May. The CMP Games Matches also include an “As-Issued” M1 Garand EIC Match on May 3rd, a Rimfire Sporter Match and As-Issued Military Pistol Match on 3 May 3rd, and an M1 Carbine Match on 4 May. Following that, the Creedmoor Cup Matches begin on Wednesday, May 6th, with an advanced clinic. The Creedmoor Cup Matches include a Practice Match, a NMC team match, the 80-shot Creedmoor Cup Match and an EIC service rifle-NMC match rifle event.
Both events feature special hospitality events and prize awards. All interested shooters, whether new shooters or experienced competitors, recreation-oriented shooters or national championship contenders, are invited to participate in these unique, national-level competitions. For more info, contact Laurie Mandell, (419) 635-2141 x1107.
CLICK HERE for CMP Games/Creedmoor Cup INFO Page.
April 11th, 2009
 From June 5-7, the Original Pennsylvania 1000 Yard Club will host a multi-day, long-range benchrest school at its Williamsport range. For $200, up to 36 students will enjoy 1 night and 2 days of intensive training under the tutelage of some of the nations’ top 1000-yard shooters. On Friday night (June 5th), students will meet their mentors, including school director Frank Grappone, and will work on informal “homework” assignments.
Saturday morning (June 6th), the class moves to the range for a full day of hands-on technical training. Topics will include precision reloading, load development, gun handling, use of chronograph, analysis of shooting results, gun cleaning, and target analysis. The Williamsport Club will provide the rifles, plus all reloading components–powder, primers, and bullets. Saturday’s training sessions are followed by a steak dinner, included in the $200 seminar price.
On Sunday (June 7th), after an early training session covering bench set-up and match strategies, students will participate in a 1000-yard match, spending time both behind the trigger and in the pits. Instructors will explain how to read conditions, and will demonstrate target measuring and analysis after the relays. The program will wrap up before 4:00 pm on Sunday.
The 1000-yard Benchrest School is limited to 36 students. Gunsmiths Bruce Baer and Mark King, and many Williamsport Hall of Fame shooters will provide instruction. There should be no more than three students per advisor. Over the course of the weekend, trainees will receive 14-16 hours of quality “hands-on” instruction, plus actual match shooting time. This program is designed for novice to intermediate shooters. For more info, email School Director Frank Grappone, frankgrappone [at] sbcglobal.net.
Act soon, if you want to attend — the sign-up deadline is June 1st. Available slots are mostly filled already. If you’re interested, don’t delay — the classes fill up quickly.
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