I want to thank Bob Poole, Paul Noyes and Mike Goumas who came on Saturday to help with the silhouette range. There were many others who included Doug Bishop, Chris LeGros, Eric Harding and a big thanks to Doug Fuller for helping with the new door in the cook shack. Rick Baker loaned us his generator which was a huge help. As always, any volunteer program is a team effort. The range looks great. We have a place to store a trailer loaded with animals.
Thanks to all those involved!
Monday, April 23, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
My 1/5th gun story, Part II
As info, the majority of my competitive 1/5th shooting has been done
with two guns and three stocks. A NS522 with a Weaver KT-15 was my gun
for the first three years shooting mostly Wolf MT. I put on a custom rear pad cut out of a flip flop. Not to dampen the recoil but to make the butt of the stock more "sticky" in my shoulder. Heck, some people put sandpaper on the end of their pad. After a few years a far more experienced shooter who also used an NS offered to tune the factory trigger by adding a sear adjustment screw as well as cleaning up the sear. WOW! That was a huge help and something I should have done at the outset. For glass, I started with a Weaver KT-15. Mostly because it was under $100 and had Weaver's "Microtrac" system which I was told affords excellent repeatability. And, way back when I bought two cases of Wolf MT. They were just $167/case. Seemed like a lot of money when Federal Lighting was just $69/case.
In truth I was always making changes, upgrades, tweaks. Some shooters say you're just going to chase your tail. While I will say, understand the truth in that statement yet when you start off, you have to learn what does and does not work. Experimentation is what will help you develop the system that works for you.
I decided that 15x was simply not enough power. Or, like so many males, more had to be better. I picked up a Sightron 6-24x44 SII with a dot reticle. If I recall, the extra power caused my scores to go down. But, my shooting buddy had loaned me his Anschutz std gun for the season and I needed a second scope. So there I was, looking like everyone else, two gun cases, two supplies of different ammo, one for each gun. I looked like a pro! Truth is, I was running in place never really getting anywhere. I reviewed my scores and with the NS522 I was getting on average 3 fewer animals. We're talking 22 to a 19 on average. Too much equipment, no focus!
I was at sea. Progress had ground to a halt. But I kept trying. I decided to try air since that is what the good shooters were doing.
I started to shoot other shooters airguns. They of course all had Leupold scopes. WOW! The clicks were tight and better yet, you could see the paint chips on the animal. I convinced myself that seeing the details of the animal would help me and I purchased my first 6.5-20 Leupold with target knobs. Silly money. 3x as much as my gun. I liked it and it gave me more confidence. Better yet, Leupold scopes don't seem to lose value.
I started to practice air at home over the winter as I had to give back the Anschutz std gun and re focused on my NS522 with it's new Leupold Scope. Talk about bi-plys on a Ferrari! In short, back to one gun, air practice, a good scope with clean optics, target dot, 20x power. I Have 28 SB/SB Hunter matches recorded and 11 airgun matches. 39 competitive matches, shoulder to shoulder in 2002. In 2003 I had 54. My point, I went to every shoot I could find and shot a lot of airgun.
Nomad invited me to go to a big match in Pe Ell Washington. Yes, FLY to a match. I did and managed 33+27+28+23=111. For AA class that was enough to win a Nesika Bay Fiberglass stock which Nomad coached me to take off the table after HOA, First M, First AAA took the Kowas and Leupolds. He then introduced me to John C. who wanted my stock and would trade a Anschutz 1710 toward the stock. So, in 2004, four years into my journey, I retired the NS and moved to a 1710 in a black MacMillan stock with a two stage trigger.
I moved up to an Anschutz 1710 in a MacMillan Monte Carlo stock with a Leupold 6.5-20x40mm scope still shooting Wolf MT. The score books do not tell much of a story as I moved from Dallas to Memphis shortly after acquiring the Anschutz. In 2007 I moved my 1710 action to a Mark Pharr designed Silhouette RT stock. At this point, all problems are caused by the shooter. This is a mental game, a shooter skill game, not an equipment game.
To substantiate that statement here is a story. I was shooting well one day at Pemi. It happens sometime. As I was encouraging a fellow shooter who was not having as good a day as I was, I offered to shoot his gun to see if I could find the cause of this problems. After I emptied the 5 round magazine on 5 rams which all now rested in the sand, the gun, a CZ, was exonerated from any wrong doing. It's mental, not equipment! Don't get sucked up into the equipment vortex.
In truth I was always making changes, upgrades, tweaks. Some shooters say you're just going to chase your tail. While I will say, understand the truth in that statement yet when you start off, you have to learn what does and does not work. Experimentation is what will help you develop the system that works for you.
I decided that 15x was simply not enough power. Or, like so many males, more had to be better. I picked up a Sightron 6-24x44 SII with a dot reticle. If I recall, the extra power caused my scores to go down. But, my shooting buddy had loaned me his Anschutz std gun for the season and I needed a second scope. So there I was, looking like everyone else, two gun cases, two supplies of different ammo, one for each gun. I looked like a pro! Truth is, I was running in place never really getting anywhere. I reviewed my scores and with the NS522 I was getting on average 3 fewer animals. We're talking 22 to a 19 on average. Too much equipment, no focus!
I was at sea. Progress had ground to a halt. But I kept trying. I decided to try air since that is what the good shooters were doing.
I started to shoot other shooters airguns. They of course all had Leupold scopes. WOW! The clicks were tight and better yet, you could see the paint chips on the animal. I convinced myself that seeing the details of the animal would help me and I purchased my first 6.5-20 Leupold with target knobs. Silly money. 3x as much as my gun. I liked it and it gave me more confidence. Better yet, Leupold scopes don't seem to lose value.
I started to practice air at home over the winter as I had to give back the Anschutz std gun and re focused on my NS522 with it's new Leupold Scope. Talk about bi-plys on a Ferrari! In short, back to one gun, air practice, a good scope with clean optics, target dot, 20x power. I Have 28 SB/SB Hunter matches recorded and 11 airgun matches. 39 competitive matches, shoulder to shoulder in 2002. In 2003 I had 54. My point, I went to every shoot I could find and shot a lot of airgun.
Nomad invited me to go to a big match in Pe Ell Washington. Yes, FLY to a match. I did and managed 33+27+28+23=111. For AA class that was enough to win a Nesika Bay Fiberglass stock which Nomad coached me to take off the table after HOA, First M, First AAA took the Kowas and Leupolds. He then introduced me to John C. who wanted my stock and would trade a Anschutz 1710 toward the stock. So, in 2004, four years into my journey, I retired the NS and moved to a 1710 in a black MacMillan stock with a two stage trigger.
I moved up to an Anschutz 1710 in a MacMillan Monte Carlo stock with a Leupold 6.5-20x40mm scope still shooting Wolf MT. The score books do not tell much of a story as I moved from Dallas to Memphis shortly after acquiring the Anschutz. In 2007 I moved my 1710 action to a Mark Pharr designed Silhouette RT stock. At this point, all problems are caused by the shooter. This is a mental game, a shooter skill game, not an equipment game.
To substantiate that statement here is a story. I was shooting well one day at Pemi. It happens sometime. As I was encouraging a fellow shooter who was not having as good a day as I was, I offered to shoot his gun to see if I could find the cause of this problems. After I emptied the 5 round magazine on 5 rams which all now rested in the sand, the gun, a CZ, was exonerated from any wrong doing. It's mental, not equipment! Don't get sucked up into the equipment vortex.
Basics not just for beginers
As I coach a few new comers I came across an old web site article that is as valid today as it was 12 years ago. Although the title is a little condescending, I strongly recommend you ignore the title and read the rest.
What I find are the golden nuggets would be...
What I find are the golden nuggets would be...
- Gun/ammo matching...or....how well does your ammo & gun combo group?
- Shooting the box to test scope. Key!
- Keeping a record book for later evaluation
- See if CBS is an issue for your gun
New CZ 455
Well, the CZ-513 is a cheap version of the 452 and you can't get the trigger where you need it to be. The 453 with its set trigger is not legal for Silhouette hunter class. But now it would see there is a CZ-455 which seems to be the replacement to the 452. The challenge, 452s seem to be drying up and 455s are yet to be fully evaluated. I am just arm chair speculating. I hope someone will buy one and tell us what it is all about.
Here is a good review on line. Let me know what you hear.
Monday, April 9, 2012
10 meter air match #7 and end of season
I have been quiet about my air rifle efforts this season. Mostly because I have been working on other more pressing topics. But, to send off the season and see if I could leave with my head held high, I gave it one more try.
First, I practiced little if any. My matches were practice. This is a case of do what I say not what I do. Practice works. I just did not have air as a priority. It is a vexing game. I can be focused and in the zone and then for some inexplicable reason shoot a 6 after shooting four confident 9s in a row.
I think in my effort to take that perfect shot I force the rifle and that is the end of a good shot. If you have to consciously make the rifle stay on bull, then you have not practiced enough.
When match #6 was 517 I gave up. The more I tried the deeper the point deficit. Went in cold turkey today and shot a 524. First 20 shots netted me a 82 which killed me. Otherwise I will take the results. The question is, will this translate to smallbore silhouette? Next year my goal is to shoot another 539 which would seem to be my best ever true shoulder to shoulder score. I would hate to think I am going backwards!
Original 10m air post with updated results.
First, I practiced little if any. My matches were practice. This is a case of do what I say not what I do. Practice works. I just did not have air as a priority. It is a vexing game. I can be focused and in the zone and then for some inexplicable reason shoot a 6 after shooting four confident 9s in a row.
I think in my effort to take that perfect shot I force the rifle and that is the end of a good shot. If you have to consciously make the rifle stay on bull, then you have not practiced enough.
When match #6 was 517 I gave up. The more I tried the deeper the point deficit. Went in cold turkey today and shot a 524. First 20 shots netted me a 82 which killed me. Otherwise I will take the results. The question is, will this translate to smallbore silhouette? Next year my goal is to shoot another 539 which would seem to be my best ever true shoulder to shoulder score. I would hate to think I am going backwards!
Original 10m air post with updated results.
Starter scopes and then some.
So, the starter rifle question has been hot and heavy. If it were an easy decision there would not be so many people asking the question. After we get through the "what rimfire" to buy, we get to the next question, "what scope to buy?"
First, you have to ask yourself, what do you want to shoot? What do you intend to use the scope for?
I am not a hunter and due to that, I don't own a darn thing that is suitable for a deer hunt. From what I can tell you want low power and high light gathering ability for hunting. That means a 50mm objective and power levels in the 3-9 category. Or at least in the woods of NH. If you plan to hunt 51% of the time and shoot silhouette 49% of the time....well....this post will not be helpful because it will be somewhat silhouette centric. But, I have been beat by folks using old Weaver 12x scopes. More power, bigger, badder glass does not equal more animals. I've been through that rodeo.
In the game of Silhouette the key issue is REPEATABILITY! Because you are going from chickens at 40m and then Rams at 100m and back again, you want your scope to be what we call mechanically repeatable. Price point wallyworld scopes just don't give you that. Next in priority is the adjustment dials for elevation and windage. It is nice to have a scope with "clicks" or "detents" so you can count the clicks up and down. In theory, you should be able to run the scope up 12 clicks and down 12 clicks and return to the same POI. Lastly, it is handy to be able to affect these 12 clicks with the apposed thumb and index finger and not a screw driver on coin substitute. Then you have optical clarity.
You can spend $75 or $2,500 on a rifle scope. Yes, research Nightforce, Schmidt & Bender, Swarovski if you don't believe me. We won't go there!
Here are a few brands that have a good reputation. Leupold, Bushnell Elite series, Weaver T and KT series and Sightron. You also can look at Tasco but only the older scopes with Japanese optics. So, who have a slighted? BSA, Bouch & Lomb, Redfield, and I am sure a slew of others. It is really quite dicey as many venerable brands have turned into outsourcing companies and no longer make or control their product.
Leupold has been the historical leader in optics and mechanical performance. Over the past five years or maybe longer they have done what so many brands have done, tried to reduce cost at the risk of sacrificing quality. They still have a life time warranty and will fix any issue you have. But, after a while, it's nice to not have to worry about shipping your scope back for repair.
Sightron has been on the heels of Leupold and has perhaps passed them with their "Big Sky" line. I own both and I prefer the Leupold because it is optically cleaner, brighter. But, I looked through a new Sightron and WOW! My point again, who knows who makes what for whom.
Next would be the Bushnell Elite 4200 family. They have a 6-24x scope that is optically better than the Leupold and mechanically works well. Just be sure you get a 1/4" MOA click scope. Bushnell and Weaver offer some in 1/8" for the benchrest market.
Then you have Weaver. Weaver used to be made in El Paso, TX and there they developed something called MicroTrac. Great system. Then, like so many others, things went off shore and there are good Weavers and not so good Weavers. I am a fan of two that I own. The KT-15 which is no longer made but excellent mechanics. And a rare T-24 with 1/4" clicks. All the T-24s now are 1/8" clicks.
So, what to look for? Weaver KT-15 is what I tell all new shooters to find. They are on eBay. Used guns stores, pawn shops etc etc. Great bang for the buck. Then, I would look at the Bushnell 6-24x. I have seen very good deals on eBay.
Sightron has evolved from the entry level upstart to the high dollar scope. I think they deserve strong consideration but my old Sightron and thus experience is not the same as what is on the market today. In this one instance, the new stuff is better than the old stuff.
A word about weight. Some scopes are heavy and can make it hard to pass the 8.5 pound rule for Hunter class. Although Nightforce scopes are the defacto scope for F-Class, Field Target and I gather some bench shooting, they are too heavy for the silhouette game. When doing your research it is prudent to know the total sum of your parts from a weight perspective. Scopes can vary from 14 to 18 oz or more.
Cheers!
First, you have to ask yourself, what do you want to shoot? What do you intend to use the scope for?
I am not a hunter and due to that, I don't own a darn thing that is suitable for a deer hunt. From what I can tell you want low power and high light gathering ability for hunting. That means a 50mm objective and power levels in the 3-9 category. Or at least in the woods of NH. If you plan to hunt 51% of the time and shoot silhouette 49% of the time....well....this post will not be helpful because it will be somewhat silhouette centric. But, I have been beat by folks using old Weaver 12x scopes. More power, bigger, badder glass does not equal more animals. I've been through that rodeo.
In the game of Silhouette the key issue is REPEATABILITY! Because you are going from chickens at 40m and then Rams at 100m and back again, you want your scope to be what we call mechanically repeatable. Price point wallyworld scopes just don't give you that. Next in priority is the adjustment dials for elevation and windage. It is nice to have a scope with "clicks" or "detents" so you can count the clicks up and down. In theory, you should be able to run the scope up 12 clicks and down 12 clicks and return to the same POI. Lastly, it is handy to be able to affect these 12 clicks with the apposed thumb and index finger and not a screw driver on coin substitute. Then you have optical clarity.
You can spend $75 or $2,500 on a rifle scope. Yes, research Nightforce, Schmidt & Bender, Swarovski if you don't believe me. We won't go there!
Here are a few brands that have a good reputation. Leupold, Bushnell Elite series, Weaver T and KT series and Sightron. You also can look at Tasco but only the older scopes with Japanese optics. So, who have a slighted? BSA, Bouch & Lomb, Redfield, and I am sure a slew of others. It is really quite dicey as many venerable brands have turned into outsourcing companies and no longer make or control their product.
Leupold has been the historical leader in optics and mechanical performance. Over the past five years or maybe longer they have done what so many brands have done, tried to reduce cost at the risk of sacrificing quality. They still have a life time warranty and will fix any issue you have. But, after a while, it's nice to not have to worry about shipping your scope back for repair.
Sightron has been on the heels of Leupold and has perhaps passed them with their "Big Sky" line. I own both and I prefer the Leupold because it is optically cleaner, brighter. But, I looked through a new Sightron and WOW! My point again, who knows who makes what for whom.
Next would be the Bushnell Elite 4200 family. They have a 6-24x scope that is optically better than the Leupold and mechanically works well. Just be sure you get a 1/4" MOA click scope. Bushnell and Weaver offer some in 1/8" for the benchrest market.
Then you have Weaver. Weaver used to be made in El Paso, TX and there they developed something called MicroTrac. Great system. Then, like so many others, things went off shore and there are good Weavers and not so good Weavers. I am a fan of two that I own. The KT-15 which is no longer made but excellent mechanics. And a rare T-24 with 1/4" clicks. All the T-24s now are 1/8" clicks.
So, what to look for? Weaver KT-15 is what I tell all new shooters to find. They are on eBay. Used guns stores, pawn shops etc etc. Great bang for the buck. Then, I would look at the Bushnell 6-24x. I have seen very good deals on eBay.
Sightron has evolved from the entry level upstart to the high dollar scope. I think they deserve strong consideration but my old Sightron and thus experience is not the same as what is on the market today. In this one instance, the new stuff is better than the old stuff.
A word about weight. Some scopes are heavy and can make it hard to pass the 8.5 pound rule for Hunter class. Although Nightforce scopes are the defacto scope for F-Class, Field Target and I gather some bench shooting, they are too heavy for the silhouette game. When doing your research it is prudent to know the total sum of your parts from a weight perspective. Scopes can vary from 14 to 18 oz or more.
Cheers!
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