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September 29th, 2008
The United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) hosts its 2008 Multi-Gun Nationals Oct. 3-5 at the Clark Range, in Princeton, Louisiana. This USPSA event requires shooters to engage multiple targets, on the clock, with pistol, rifle, and shotgun. The USPSA Nationals will draw ace action shooters from around the country. Shown below is Chris Tilley, competing at the 2007 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals. The video shows how smoothly Chris transitions from gun to gun and how well he engages targets while on the move. If you’ve ever tried that, you know how difficult it is to aim (and hit) while running sideways. That’s why Chris, the 2006 USPSA National Open-Class Champion, is one of America’s “top guns”.
 Though there are multiple classes for rifles, pistols, and shotguns (based on equipment), most competitors will be using semi-automatic firearms. The rifles will typically be AR15-style carbines with red dot sights. Most shooters use .223-caliber carbines but there is also a “Heavy Metal” division for .308 or larger caliber rifles. Open-class pistols will be 1911-based race guns with red dot or holographic sights, compensators, and high-capacity magazines carrying 20 rounds or more.
Speed, accuracy, and firepower all count in this game. Stages require anywhere from 6 to 30+ shots. The scoring system measures points scored per second, then weights the score to compensate for the number of shots fired. If they miss a target, or shoot inaccurately, points are deducted, lowering that all-important points-per-second score. Scoring is based on hits and time, plus the “Power Factor” is calculated into the equations. It can get pretty complicated, so USPSA Multi-Gun matches are scored with computer software called EZWinScore. To learn more about Multi-Gun competition, visit USPSA.org or you can download the Multi-Gun Rulebook.
STAGES: CLICK HERE for Stage Diagrams showing target sequence/placement.
September 28th, 2008
The 2008 Spirit of America (SOA) Match was a huge success. With International Team Competition on the menu this year, the SOA drew scores of top Palma shooters from around the world. Over 160 competitors came to the Whittington Range in Raton, New Mexico to compete for honors in both Full-bore Target Rifle and F-Class matches. Spc. Tyrel Cooper of the USAMU won the Target Rifle Overall Aggregate. Ty Cooper has “been on a roll lately, and has been shooting great”, according to Veteran Team member Jerry Tierney. On the F-Class side, Larry Bartholome shot consistently to top a very competitive field. Congrats to both Ty and Larry!
Team competition was a major highlight of the SOA. In the America Match* for national teams, The U.S.A. Team finished first, beating Australia (second place) and England (third place). Individual USA Team member scores are posted below. We’re pleased to see forum member Bryan Litz shooting well, and we salute Sherri Hurd. Not only was Sherri the top female shooter in the America Match, but her 597-36X score was the third best in the entire field, after England’s David Luckman (599-35X) and Team USA teammate Tyrel Cooper (597-40x).
The U.S.A. Veterans’ Team performed extremely well, actually posting the second highest team total overall. That’s right — the American veterans out-scored the National teams of Australia and the UK. “Not bad for a bunch of old guys, wouldn’t you say”, Tierney observed. For complete Match Results, visit the Bald Eagles Club website, BaldEaglesRC.org.
For the English perspective on the match, visit the Team England Website. It offers match results, tech info about the sport, and a Photo Gallery with dozens of images.
*The America Match is a major international Palma competition first hosted in 2002. Matches are held every two years. Each team is composed of eight shooters, two sub-coaches, a main coach, an adjutant, a captain and two reserves. It is a multi-distance event. Course of fire is: 2 sighters and 15 shots for record at 300, 600, 900 and 1000 yards (or 300, 600 yards and 800 and 900 meters as appropriate to the venue).
September 26th, 2008
 Benchrest accuracy from a Barnard? You Betcha! In a recent 600-yard benchrest match in Ojai, California, the powder-blue 6.5×47 Barnard shown below delivered an impressive 1.5″ five-shot group to set small group for the match. The gun has shot well under 1/4-MOA at shorter ranges during testing. Owned by SoCal shooter Bill H., the gun was smithed by Mac Tilton of MT Guns in Santa Barbara, CA. Mac says, “even with that long barrel, the gun balances well on the bags in the Mastin stock.” Owner Bill is delighted with the gun’s performance, telling us “this rig really demonstrates how accurate the 6.5×47 cartridge can be.” Bill was shooting Lapua 6.5×47 brass with Lapua 123gr Scenar bullets, Reloder 15 powder, and CCI BR4 primers.
Key Components from Down-Under
The rifle features a Barnard model “P” three-lug action, Barnard target trigger, Mastin F-Class laminated stock (with painted finish), and a 32″ heavy-contour True-Flite barrel. Both action and barrel are products of New Zealand, while the Mastin stock was crafted in Australia. For a better look at this handsome rifle, CLICK THIS LINK for a supersized photo.
September 25th, 2008
 The 2008 Western CMP Games will take place at the Ben Avery Shooting Center north of Phoenix, Arizona on 11-19 October. The Western CMP Games Matches will take place on 11-14 October. The Creedmoor Cup Matches take place on 15-19 October. Together, these back-to-back competitions comprise one of the major West Coast events of the year for Highpower and position shooters, and there’s still time to REGISTER.
MATCH INFO PAGE | BEN AVERY Facilities MAP
These combined matches offer activities for virtually every highpower rifle shooter–from clinics for beginning shooters to less formal Garand, Springfield and Military Rifle Matches to CMP Excellence-in-Competition Matches to NRA Registered Service and Match Rifle Highpower events. The official program is posted at www.ODCMP.com/Competitions/WesternGames.htm. You can sign-up on-line for any of the Western CMP Games or Creedmoor Cup matches at this REGISTRATION PAGE. Just fill in your contact info and select the matches you want to shoot. All data is sent via the web so you don’t even need a postage stamp.
September 22nd, 2008
The World Military Shooting Championship recently concluded in Boden, Sweden. American shooters did well, capturing the “Best Nation” title with the top aggregate points total. Rajmond Debevec of Slovenia was the top overall male rifle marksman, while Norway’s Gyda E. Olssen finished as top female rifle shooter. A Captain in the Norwegian military and an Olympic competitor, Olssen is surely one of the prettiest soldiers ever to shoot in CISM competition.
Captain Olssen — photo courtesy Norges Skytterforbund
CLICK HERE to download complete Match Results from Boden, Sweden
Team USA Wins Three Medals and Best Nation Title
American shooters from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, (and one USNR member), won three medals and the coveted title of Best Nation at the CISM World Military Shooting Championship. “We were down by as many as 40 points,” said USAMU Commander Lt. Col. Frank Muggeo, USA CISM Team chief of mission. Ultimately we pulled it out by 10 points and have won the title of Best Nation. We have not won this event in eight years. Our soldiers were shooting in events that are only shot at CISM and they are not events that we practice throughout the year. This just goes to show how important the fundamentals of marksmanship are.”
US Women Win Gold at 50m
The first CISM Gold Medal was awarded to USA’s Women’s Rifle Team in the Women’s 50-Meter Sport Rifle Prone Team Match. Winning gold were: Sgt. Kelly A. Dove, Spc. Nicole M. Cooper of the USAMU, and Army Reservist Lt. Col. Rhonda L. Bright, formerly of the USAMU. In this match, the women fired 60 shots in 1.5 hours at a target with a bullseye smaller than a dime. Germany took the Silver Medal and Norway the Bronze.
China Wins Most Medals
The World Military Shooting Championship involves both pistol and rifle disciplines. By dominating the pistol matches, China finished with the highest medal count. China took home eleven medals from the championships, six of them gold, two silver and three bronze. Norway came second in the medal count with eight medals, followed by Belarus with five.
Norway’s Men and Women Both Win Gold in Team Rifle Events
The Team Rifle competition yielded double Gold Medals for Norway. In the 300m three-position military rapid fire rifle team match, Norway’s men smashed the world record to win gold. The new record is 1,724 points — 31 points better than the previous record. In the women’s 3×20 team rifle match, Norway’s lady shooters grabbed the gold, finishing two points ahead of runner-up Sweden. The Norwegian gold-medal winning team consisted of Kristina Vestveit, Gyda E. Olssen and Hanne Skarpodde. “We really hadn’t expected this, we did have our sights on a medal, but we never thought we’d shoot better than Germany’s team,” said an overjoyed Stale Larsen, team leader for the Norwegian women’s team.
Norway’s Army Capt. Gyda E. Olssen, hugs Norway team leader Stale Larsen
Photographer: Mats Engfors, PIC WMSC 2008.
September 21st, 2008
Earlier this summer, Marine Corps instructors tutored 146 junior shooters at the Annual Camp Perry USMC Junior High Power Clinic. Retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant Ken Roxburgh and his cadre of Marine and Team Bushmaster shooting instructors held forth in proper Marine fashion. As the clinic began, Gunny Roxburg barked: “You will not disrespect your instructors or your classmates by closing your eyes during this clinic.”
The clinic ran Friday, 25 July, through Sunday, 27 July, and focused on the key elements of range safety and etiquette, shooting position, aiming, sling skills, trigger control, zeroing, effects of weather and proper use of the data book. Roxburgh emphasized the science of shooting, spending considerable time explaining the physiology of sight and the physical requirements of successful marksmanship. At one point Roxburg chided: “If a shooter is having difficulty acquiring proper eye relief, perhaps he spent a little too much time with his good friend Jose Cuervo the night before.” Days two and three were spent shooting on the range firing at 200, 300 and 600 yards.
Roxburgh’s style of instruction combines education, discipline, humor, and mutual respect –- all key elements needed to communicate with young adults. Roxburg notes: “What we really try to teach is safe weapons handling as it relates to fundamental marksmanship and match participation. We have to have a great measure of self-discipline and the ability to follow appropriate orders and regulations given by the people that run these matches.” Roxburgh has been a lead instructor in the USMC HP Junior Clinic many different years. A member of the USMC rifle and pistol teams, Roxburg retired from active duty in 2005 after 30 years of service to the Corps — most notably as a sniper instructor.
You can learn more about the USMC Junior Clinic at Camp Perry, and read comments from students, in the The First Shot, the CMP’s Online Newletter.
Photos copyright ODCMP.com, used with permission.
September 16th, 2008
High-School senior Paul Wagner set two potential IBS 600-yard Light Gun records this past weekend at the Piedmont Gun Club in Rutherfordton, NC. Paul started off with a .711″ 5-shot group for his first target in LG class. He ended up with a spectacular 1.6288″ 4-target Aggregate. In order, his four targets were: 0.711″, 1.848″, 2.191″, and 1.765″. We are told that both the 0.711″ group and the Agg are potential IBS records for the new 600-yard target. In the process of setting the records, Paul won LG class (group), beating some pretty good trigger pullers, including 2008 Nationals Winner Samuel Hall. Paul also out-shot his own dad, Rodney Wagner (aka “Eggman” on our Shooters Forum). Rodney reports: “My son Paul is pretty humble about his trigger-pulling abilities. As a Dad, I’m probably more excited than he is!”
Rodney Wagner tells us: “Paul started going to IBS 600-yard matches last year and actually shot his first match the end of 2006 season using a custom Savage model 12 with a SharpShooter Supply 20BR barrel. This year, when I built Paul a rifle he could call his own, he really started winning. Some even thought he had a chance of winning the IBS 600 Nationals at Oak Ridge this year. Several old timers have commented on his good ‘table manners’. I think his secret is he just doesn’t get excited, and takes everything in stride. He has been known to nap between relays with his IPod and earplugs in a folding chair. Paul shoots free recoil using a Protektor bag with medium high ears and a Bald Eagle front rest on a plate.”
Record-Setting Rifle Specs
The rifle features a Stiller drop-port Diamondback action, Jewell trigger, and a 28″, 8-twist Krieger barrel (heavy varmint contour). It was chambered as a “no-turn” 6 BRX by Mike Davis using his 6 BRX reamer. The stock is a Shehane Obeche Tracker II bedded and finished by Mike Isenhour who added his own weight system. On top is a Nightforce 12-42x BR scope mounted with Burris Signature ZEE rings. The load is just basic 6 BRX: 33.6 grains Varget, 105gr Berger VLD, CCI 450 primers, Lapua brass on the 7th firing. Rodney Wagner reports: “I sometimes sort bullets by bearing length but have not done that in a while as I have been getting really good bullets right out of the box from Berger.”
September 13th, 2008
 The NBRSA 100-yard and 200-yard Nationals will be held Oct. 6-11 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona. Match organizer Gary Ocock states that there are plenty of entry spots left for the match and registrations are still welcome. Four classes will be contested at the NBRSA Nationals: Light Varmint (LV), Heavy Varmint (HV), Sporter, and Unlimited (Rail guns). 4-Gun Fee is $220, 3-gun Fee is $160. Pre-Registration is required. NBRSA requires a $40 late registration fee after September 6, 2008. Match Directors anticipate three (3) relays. Shooters requesting the same bench rotation, sharing equipment must request this in writing. Camping at the range is $10/day. Click the links below to view/download registration forms in MS Word and Acrobat (.pdf) format.
| NBRSA Nat’ls Registration Form (Word Doc)
| NBRSA Nat’ls Registration Form (.pdf)
Write checks payable to AZ Benchrest. Mail checks and registration forms to Arizona Benchrest Shooters, 15231 West Gelding Drive, Surprise, AZ 85379. If you plan to attend but won’t be able to mail in your registration in time, email Gary Ocock at onehole149 [at] aol.com. For NBRSA membership information and application form, visit NBRSA.org.
September 12th, 2008
The 43rd Annual World Military Shooting Championships will be held in Boden, Sweden from September 14-21. Over 550 shooters from 45 countries are slated to attend. From the U.S.A., 14 armed services shooters will compete in Sweden, including three-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Jason Parker, and four-time Olympian Army Reserve Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Callahan.
 The Military Shooting Championship are conducted under the auspices of the Conseil International du Sport Militaire (CISM). Male and female shooters will compete in separate divisions, shooting both pistols and rifles. Events will include: 25-meter .22-caliber pistol, 25-meter .32-caliber centerfire pistol, 50-meter Sport Rifle (both prone and 3-position), and 300-meter Standard Rifle (both prone and 3-Position). In addition, there will also be 300-Meter Rapid Fire Military Rifle Matches. The 300m competition is still dominated by the 6mmBR Norma cartridge, though some teams will be shooting 6XC ammo from Norma.
The competitions are to be held at Rödberget Shooting Centre, about four kilometres southwest of Boden town centre. Two new shooting ranges have been built and two ranges have been overhauled. The new facilities were set up in 2007, when Boden hosted the Nordic Military Shooting Championships.
One of the three women on the Swedish 50-meter team is Christina Bengtsson, an officer at the Armed Forces Technical School in Halmstad. Christina, who won gold in the World Military Shooting Championships in Switzerland in 2005, observed that Boden offers first-rate facilities. Christina comments: “[Boden has] excellent shooting ranges. I can safely say this is one of the very best facilities in Sweden, and I hope it will be put to good use in civilian competitions.” For more information about the CISM World Military Championship, visit the Swedish Armed Forces web site: www.mil.se/wmsc08. Starting Sept. 15, that site will offer weblinks with updated event news and match results.
September 11th, 2008
 Every long-range precision shooter can benefit from an accurate, full-featured portable wind and weather monitor. Right now the relatively new Kestrel 4500 is the best hand-held weather station on the market. Introduced at the 2007 SHOT Show, The Kestrel 4500 Pocket Weather Tracker is a complete weather instrument, offering instant and accurate measurement of wind speed, wind direction (including crosswind and headwind/tailwind), temperature, humidity, density altitude, barometric pressure and numerous other derived functions. The Kestrel 4500 has a built-in digital compass, a feature not found on other Kestrels. This allows you to track and log wind direction as well as wind speed. Wind direction is displayed in degrees and cardinal compass points.
 Weekend shooters and military snipers alike have been calling for a Kestrel Meter with crosswind calculation for years — and the Kestrel 4500 now offers that capability. By means of its built-in digital compass, the Kestrel 4500 provides Wind Direction and velocity, Crosswind direction and velocity, and Headwind/Trailwind direction and velocity. In addition to these wind functions, the Kestrel 4500 will also display: Max Wind Gust, Average Wind Speed, Temperature, Wind Chill, Relative Humidity, Heat Stress Index, Dewpoint Temp, Wet Bulb Temp, Barometric Pressure, Altitude, and Density Altitude. These features are illustrated in a handy flash-based “Virtual Tour” that shows all the Kestrel 4500’s product features.
CLICK HERE for Kestrel 4500 Virtual Tour with Feature Demos.
The bright yellow Kestrel 4500 is available for $289.00 from Kestrelmeters.com. An olive drab version with Night Vision-friendly backlighting is offered for $309.00 from the same vendor.
Full Review of Kestrel 4500 by SniperWorkx.com
A very detailed field-test of the Kestrel 4500 was conducted by Sal Palma for SniperWorx.com. In his write-up, Sal Palma explains why a precision shooter needs a tool such as the Kestrel 4500: “Altitude, temperature, barometric pressure, and relative humidity are critical pieces of data. As is wind speed and direction. What used to be a good 300-yard zero may now be a full minute or more off. At a range of 300 yards, a one minute error makes a 3″ difference in the point of impact. The [Kestrel 4500] has some major and significant new features not found in any of their other models. To start with, the 4500 offers a built in electronic compass, the compass can be configured to indicate true bearings as well as magnetic. In addition to the basic wind functions the [Kestrel 4500] also provides crosswind, headwind and tailwind data.”
CLICK HERE to download SniperWorkx.com KESTREL 4500 Review in .pdf format.
Kestrel Sponsors U.S. Teams in Spirit of America Match
Nielsen-Kellerman, maker of Kestrel Weather trackers, is sponsoring the U.S. Long Range Rifle Teams in the Spirit of America Match (SOA) running this week at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM. The SOA features one of shooting’s most prestigious international matches, the America Trophy Match. This September, the Match will be held for the first time since 2005. The national teams from Great Britain and Australia will compete against the U.S. National Team shooting at distances from 300 to 1,000 yards. The U.S. Long Range Rifle Teams consist of the National Team (who include former members of the Palma® team), the Veterans’ team, and the USA Young Eagles Under 21 / Under 25 team.
“The effects of wind and weather play a huge role in our sport. Not only does the wind affect the flight of the bullet, but differences in altitude, pressure, and temperature can also change the bullet’s impact,” said Dennis Flaharty, Team Captain of the National / Palma® Team. “Tools like the Kestrel Pocket Weather Tracker can often mean the difference between being a winning team, or being at the weather’s mercy.”
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