Match Report — IBS 1000-Yard Nationals in West Virginia

Notice the narrow configuration of the Harry Jones Range. The 1000-yard targets are located below the tree line in the rear center of the picture.

Report by Jack Mulroy for IBS
This year’s IBS 1000-Yard National Match was held August 29-30 at the Harry Jones Range in Fairview, West Virginia. Attendance was good — there were 74 Light Gun shooters and 66 Heavy Gun competitors. After a tune-up day, the 1000-Yard Match for record started on Friday, August 29, and finished on Saturday, August 30, 2014. The 1000-Yard National Match is a three target Aggregate. You shoot three times for Light Gun and three times for Heavy Gun. I guess the reason you shoot at three targets is because anybody can get “lucky once” (such as a blind squirrel finding a nut). Shooting luck happens “when preparation and hard work meet opportunity”.

Mike Gaizaukas, World Record Shooter at Harry Jones Range on August 29, 2014

The overall Two-Gun Champion and match winner was Steve Waldrep with 32 rank points. Close behind, with 33 rank points, was Jim Bauer, who finished second overall. Waldrep dominated the Heavy Gun (HG) division, posting the best HG score and winning HG overall. Waldrep shot a .300 WSM Heavy Gun featuring Lawton action, Bartlein barrel, Byers stock, and Nightforce scope. Waldrep’s Light Gun was also chambered in .300 WSM. It had a Remington action, Bartlein barrel, McMillan stock, and Weaver scope. Jewell triggers on both guns.

Overall Winner Steve Waldrep (Left) with assist from Stanley Taylor (right)

In Light Gun division, James Isaacson put on an impressive show, winning LG overall and posting smallest LG group. Jim Bauer (second overall in the Two-Gun), posted the top LG score.

World Record 2.871″ HG Group by Gaizaukus
Mike Gaizaukus shot the small HG group for the match — a stunning 2.871″ ten-shot group. Pending approval, Mike’s group should be a new IBS 1000-yard world record. Congrats to Mike for his record group. Mike’s record-setting gun featured a 1:10″-twist Krieger barrel chambered by Mark King in .300 WSM. Mike shot Berger 210gr VLDs with CCI BR2 primers.

The Harry Jones Range
Founded in 2008, this facility was named in memory of the former property owner Harry Jones who passed away a few years ago and is buried on top of the hill next to the range. Presently the property is being administered by Harry’s daughter, Jean Dawson. The property has been in the family since 1840. The 1000-yard shooting facility is a covered pavilion that has 13 shooting positions with ambidextrous concrete bench tops sitting on a concrete floor. Behind the pavilion is a covered ready line where the relays-in-waiting can stage their equipment. (For this shoot only 12 benches were used.)

Very Narrow Range — “Like Shooting Up a Holler”
The Harry Jones range is very unique — it’s very narrow in width, approximately 100 feet wide, and runs slightly uphill to the targets. As they say in West Virginia, “It’s like shooting up a Holler”. If there is such a thing as a “Wind God,” he’s alive and well at the Harry Jones Range. Some very good scores and groups have been recorded at this range (including a world record 2.871″ 10-shot group in this very match.) A longtime shooter friend of mine, Ralph, used to say when I would complain about the wind, “Jack, there is no such thing as wind, just sight adjustments”. Ralph was right, no matter what range you are shooting at, you have to deal with the wind through sight adjustments. Looks like Mike was “Right On” when he made his adjustments.

The management and membership of this range have come a long way in developing this range over the last few years. Trees had to be removed, gravel put down, buildings built, creek flow re-routed, target areas built, and shooting benches installed. But the effort was worth it — Harry Jones has become a very serviceable range that is a great place to shoot.

The Harry Jones range is not blessed with much “elbow room,” due to the configuration of the range, but through thoughtful placement of the firing line and ready area, the range is doable. At this match, there were 74 light gun and 66 heavy gun shooters. This match was well managed and ran smoothly, but parking space was at a premium. In my estimation the 2014 1000-Yard Nationals were at capacity with the number of shooters registered.

$27,000 Prize Table (with Lots of Scopes)
Roughly $27,000 worth of prizes were awarded at this year’s 1000-Yard match. Valuable prizes included Nightforce scopes, stocks, rests, bullets and more. Two of the nicest gifts presented at the match were a pair of quilts made by property owner Jean Dawson. Thanks Jean! That was a very generous gift that a shooter and his family will treasure for years. Many thanks should go to Stanley Taylor from Douglas Barrel for his time and energy in acquiring most of the prizes presented at the match.

Serious Artillery on Display — Rick Murphy’s Metal-Stocked Heavy Gun
The prettiest gun and gun rest at the match belonged to Rick Murphy of Adamsville, Tennessee. The barrel was originally 36 inches long, but was shortened to 30 inches. The gun now shoots much better after the reduction in barrel length. This Heavy Gun and rest set-up were probably the most expensive pieces of equipment at the 1000-Yard match. Rick has been working on this rig for the last three years and has put countless hours into the production of his gun and gun rest. Rick placed 13th in the Heavy Gun overall.