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September 30th, 2009
 The 7th Long-Range World Muzzle-Loading Championships were held September 24-27 at Camp Butner, North Carolina. Shooters from seven nations competed at distances between 300 and 1,000 yards. Competitors employed percussion target rifles of 19th-century design (though many were modern reproductions). Typically between .40 and .50 caliber and weighing around fifteen pounds, these rifles represent the apogee of mid-1800s firearm technology.
The World Muzzle-Loading Championships, held since 1972, is the highest level of target shooting with muzzle-loading arms. Guns used range from Japanese matchlock muskets, through the flintlocks of the American Revolution, to the percussion arms of the Civil War era. Individual competitions are held in eight rifle, four pistol, and two shotgun events. Original antique arms and modern replicas compete in separate classes.
CLICK HERE for complete match results. American competitors excelled in the original-arms division of the matches. Firing 150-year-old antiques, Karl Kuehn took gold in the 1,000-yard match and silver in the 900-yard match, carrying him to triumph in the overall long-range aggregate and earning a bronze medal in the Grand Aggregate. Nor was Kuehn the only medalist. Al Roberts won the original division of the 600-yard match, while Mon Yee took bronze at 300 and 500 yards — scores which earned him bronze in the mid-range Agg as well.
The Long-Range Muzzle-Loading World Championship was held under the auspices of the Muzzle-Loading Associations International Committee (MLAIC), the world governing body for black powder competition. The 8th World Long-Range Championship will be held in 2011, at the famed Bisley range in Great Britain. Shown below is a Pedersoli Gibbs target rifle at Bisley during the UK National Championships. Repro rifles like this won 10 gold medals at the 2007 World LR muzzle loading championships in South Africa.
More information on long-range muzzle-loading is available at www.lrml.org and www.usimlt.org (USA Team website).
August 19th, 2009
SPC Sherri Gallagher (of the USAMU) triumphed in the Tompkins Trophy Match, earning the title of 2009 NRA Long Range Champion. Gallagher shot a 1245-62X score, a new National Record, topping former champion John Whidden (1239-61X) by six points. Fellow USAMU shooter SFC Lance Dement finished third, with 1238-67X. Proving that accuracy runs in the family, Sherri’s sister Michelle Gallagher finished in fourth place with a 1238-65X, and Sherri’s step-father Mid Tompkins was the High Grand Senior with a 1230-58X.
L to R: John Whidden, SPC Sherri Gallagher, SFC Lance Dement. Photo courtesy NRABlog.com.
Miller Edges Litz on X-Count in Palma Match
The Palma Individual Trophy Match was hotly contested, going right down to the wire. Larry Miller (448-25X) eventually emerged the winner, edging Bryan Litz (448-23X) by two Xs. Bryan has written articles for this website and he is the author of the important new book, Applied Balllistics for Long Range Shooting.
In Team Competition, John Whidden’s Southeast Rifle Club won the Herrick Trophy Team Match, beating the USAMU Praslick Team by just one point, 791-30X to 790-41X. Sherri Gallagher also shot with the Praslick USAMU team, which was the winner of the Roumanian Trophy Match with a 793-42X Team score.
August 16th, 2009
The folks at the NRABlog have done a superb job covering the NRA National Rifle Championships at Camp Perry, Ohio. Now that the National High Power Championship has been decided (congrats to 2009 Champion Norm Houle!), attention shifts to the long-range events, including the Leech Cup, Mustin Trophy, Porter Trophy, and Andrus Trophy competitions, along with the Roumanian Trophy Team Match.
The NRA Blog has talented photographers on scene who’ve done a great job capturing the matches from a shooter’s perspective on the firing line. Go to the NRA Blog to view some excellent slide shows from the long-range events. This will also click to web galleries where you can view all the photos at your own pace. Below is a collection of some of our favorite photos from the NRABlog’s recent slide shows.
All photos are © 2009 NRABlog.com, All Rights Reserved, used with permission.
May 9th, 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. There are still a few spots available for the class, which is designed for novice to intermediate shooters. The sign-up deadline is June 1st.
On Friday night (June 5th), students will meet their mentors, including school director Frank Grappone. Saturday (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 and all reloading components. 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 wraps up before 4:00 pm on Sunday.
The 1000-yard Benchrest School is limited to 36 students (with less than 3 students per advisor). Intructors include Gunsmiths Bruce Baer and Mark King, our Asst. Editor Jason Baney, and many Williamsport Hall of Fame shooters. For more info, email School Director Frank Grappone, frankgrappone [at] sbcglobal.net.
February 23rd, 2009
This story comes to us courtesy of the NRA Blog, which recently featured the innovative program of the North Coast Shooters Association (NCSA). The NCSA has pioneered a “movable match” that utilizes multiple shooting facilities to expand the opportunities for competitive shooters in the Midwest and Ohio region. The NCSA is a mobile shooting club. Instead of owning its own range, the NCSA has a trailer loaded with everything needed to hold a match including homemade spotter discs, spindles, and pasters. The NCSA holds its competitions wherever they find enough interest, rather than trying to draw people to one location. This unique approach attracts first-time shooters and those adverse to traveling long distances, creating a nice turn-out every time.
NCSA Offers Matches at Military Bases
A little over a year and a half ago, NCSA founder Nick Mullet decided there weren’t enough places to shoot east of the Mississippi River. As a result, the North Coast Shooters Association was formed with the mission of opening additional ranges for civilian shooters. Nick contacted military bases normally closed to civilians and got permission to hold matches. The NCSA secured .50 and .223 caliber matches at Fort Knox, Fort McCoy, Fort Drum, Camp Gruber, Camp Perry, and Thunder Valley.
“From our start in mid 2007, we’ve held five .50 caliber matches and two .223 matches in four different locations throughout three states”, Nick stated. The NCSA has grown to 74 paid members and has high hopes for the future. With increased membership comes more frequent competitions over a larger area. Any and all skill levels are welcome to NCSA matches as long as they follow Nick’s two basic rules: 1) No one has the authority to get hurt; and 2) Have a good time.
For more information, visit the North Coast Shooters Association website and NCSA Forum. The NCSA may be planning a match near you.
July 8th, 2007
Stephen Ivey has engineered an interesting set of gimbaled scope rings allowing up to 150 Minutes of Angle (MOA) of elevation. These rings have precision hinge pins front and rear allowing the entire scope to be tilted by a micrometer-controlled cam in the rear. This allows the scope to tilt upwards (in the rear) with the front ring as the axis while both rings remain parallel to prevent scope binding. The rear ring tilts to match the front while a cam pushes it up. Ivey also makes tilting +150 MOA Picatinny riser rails.
Ivey offers three scope-mounting products. First is the BR 30-50 (above). This has two, polished 30mm 6061-T6 aluminum rings with bases to fit a 1/2″ x 60 degree Stolle (Davidson) rail on top of an action. Total elevation is +50 MOA. The micrometer adjuster is graduated in true 1 MOA intervals, with 5 MOA of elevation change per rotation. This product costs $385.00 and requires at least 5-1/2″ length mounting base. Available in either “bright” or satin finish.
The newest product is the MSRR-150MOA Riser Rail, a pivoting 5.75″-long Picatinny-style rail that accepts Weaver-style clamping scope rings. This Adjusts from Zero to +150 MOA and raises the scope 1.45″ from the top of the action. The extra height provides clearance for large objectives when the unit is tilted for a full +150 MOA elevation. Cross slots are 5mm wide at 10mm (.394″) spacing. The $425 riser rail is made 6061 T6 Aluminum hard-anodized black. Clamps are heat-treated steel. The micrometer thimble is marked for 1 MOA gradations, and provides 20 MOA per revolution.
The third product, the $445 MSR 30-150, has a pair of 30mm clamping rings that fit on a Picatinny-style (1913 mil-spec) rail. Base cross-slots for two-bolt clamp can accomodate 3/4″ to 1″ slot spacing between centers. Height from top of rail to center of rings = 1.82″ at lowest setting. Note: you need a rail at least 5.625″ long.
The Ivey products are expensive, to be sure, but they are beautifully machined, and they offer unique capabilities for ultra-long-range shooters. With the +150 MOA units you have enough elevation to shoot at 2000+ yards! Even with the +50 unit you can you shoot at 1000 while keeping your scope centered in its elevation travel. We like the idea of using the micrometer to dial within 1 MOA and then just using the scope turrets for fine-tuning. To learn more, visit the Ivey Shooting website, or call Stephen Ivey at (615) 424-8855.
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