2022-2023 10 Meter Air match #01 and #02 notes

 As seen in my inventory of scores, the last time I played at 10m air was 10 years ago.  Where did all the time go?  I refuse to admit age in a factor in shooting.  I think it means you just have to work smarter to get the desired results.  I need to make time to improve.  This personal shooting diary is to force me to train.  This year getting to 500 will be a fight.  No jacket, no glove to make it as similar to Silhouette as possible.  

Match #01. Must extinguish the "get it over" shot release.  Match was a last minute, spontaneous jump on the air bus.  Shake down cruise to make sure I had all the right equipment.  I went without spotting aid.  I read my prior match notes and saw my score improved when I skipped confirming where the shot impact went.  Less gear to bring.  I rushed the trigger.  Wanting to "get it over".  Relearning the trigger took time.  I started.

Match #02.  Goal was ZERO pellets touching white.  Better scores don't happen with more 10s but fewer low value scores.  480 is 60 8s.  5s just cannot happen.  That was my goal.  I had 3 pellets touch white which gave up (3x6) 18 points.  Practice is to shoot at used targets and see how many pellets I can launch without hitting the white.  Quality shots.  Physical conditioning.  Just holding the gun on target for a period of time is going to be my focus.  

2022-23 Season score log

#01 419 (72 67 72 68 69 71)  H&N pellets.  15 minutes per 20 shots.  I was rushing.
#02 448 (78 76 73 76 77 68)  H&N pellets.  3 snow birds (hole touching white) and 3 5s.

2012-13 Season score log

#01 501 (81 81 84 85 82 88)
#02 515 (87 88 89 83 85 83) 11 7s or lower, 15 10x. previous practice 1x (3.6)
#03 485 (82 82 80 77 86 78) 19 7s or lower, 7 10x. Daisy pellets, reduced barrel weight.(3.6)
#04 494 (88 74 87 88 76 81) 14 7s or lower, 11 10x. JSB SCHaK pellets. First Tuesday night.(3.6)
#05 522 (89 88 90 88 82 88) 7 7s nothing lower, 11 10x. Many high value 9s! H&N + SCHaK (3.2)
#06 492 (75 85 76 84 86 86) 14 7s or lower, 6 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#07 520 (88 84 90 86 87 85) 8 7s, 12 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#08 490 (75 85 76 84 86 84) not worth noting. SCHaK (3.8)  Guest shooter.
#09 516 (91 87 86 82 86 84) 11 7s, 13 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Must stamp out 7s!
#10 513 (88 85 89 85 86 80) 9 7s or worse, 9 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Stock shorter
#11 518 (83 92 83 87 85 87) 8 7s, 1 6, 12 10x. H&N (3.8)

2011-12 Season score log

#1 515 (87 83 87 88 90 80)
#2 510 (85 89 85 86 82 83)
#3 532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) (season high, 94/100 tied best ever 10 shots)
#4 530 (87 90 90 93 89 81)
#5 524 (86 84 88 91 85 90)
#6 517 (88 85 88 87 90 79)
#7 524 (82 91 88 91 84 88)


Personal Top three 600 scores. Goal, 540.

539 (93 90 90 85 87 94). 11x 7 or lower, 22 10x. 11/??/08
532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) 3/??/12
530 (87 90 90 93 89 81) 3/??/12

2023 goal and load development to help me get there.

2017 NRA Scorebook

I have made it a goal to earn my PCLA (Pistol Cartridge Lever Action) Grand Slam Pin in 2023 to complete the Lever Gun Trifecta.  Why not join me in the pursuit?  I posted many moons ago about my 2,878 day pursuit of my Small bore Lever Gun quest.  Memphis was in the middle.  Getting my 39A back from Ernie who kept it safe in Texas took some time.  But once I got the gun, found a vintage all steel 66MC Lyman site, it was still an undertaking to get 10 rams.  With PCLA, I have far fewer animals in the bag and eyes now 20 years older than when I first started the game, time will tell. 

I encourage you to find those old Score Books and pick one block to complete.  Above right is where my 2017 book stands.  Little changed from 2011 book but four boxes did get updated over 6 years.  And then we have those pesky 1/5th scale turkeys!  And maybe Air too given the primer shortage.    

To prepare, you need to have a PCLA gun.  In truth, a 22LR will get all the animals except for Rams if you are in a primer pinch.  10 chickens will fall with a 22LR just as easily as with a center fire cartridge.  Pigs, might be slow but good solid hits, they will fall.  Turkeys spin of like chickens.  Rams can give you the stink eye unless you can aim at their butt or horn.  If all you have is Rams, time to bring out the big gun if you can.  

I have two PCLA guns, 44 Rem Mag and a new to me 32-20.  Love, hate relationship with them.  Moments of brilliance and moments of disbelief.  As one mentor  says, blame the shooter not the gun.  Likely the case.  John B. helped me conquer my fear of crushing 32-20 cases.  Found what looked like a decent load with a Laser Cast bullet.  Quarter size group at 60 yards.  Went to Pemi, fired it over the Chronograph and got the below results.  These results have me a 8" vertical string at 50y.  I guess this is why we enjoy the game???

In final review, I had not torqued the rear tang peep sight.  Would that make for these results?  Not sure.  Only one way to find out.  Another trip to the range.  Or just use the 44 and move on.  The plan had been to take 5 offhand shots with each gun and see which one I shot better.  With the 32-20 pattern, I decided there was no reason to attempt an offhand exercise until I figured out what was going on.  

8 Green 32-20, 8 Red 44 50y

Image on right a bit confusing if you were not there.  The small  green holes are from eight (8) 32-20 shots taken off a bench with iron sights at 50 yards.  I expected a nice tight group and was taking these shots for chronograph readings.  The prior weekend I had a tight group with these handloads.  I was expecting the same so I fired all 8 before inspecting the target.  No such luck.  I then un-bagged my 44 Rem Mag and took 4 shots for chronograph readings.  I inspected the group with my spotting scope and decided to adjust the sights for the second group of 4.  In short, 32-20 paper impacts used a single sight setting but 8" group.  44 paper impacts used two sight settings, but much better groups.  

10 meter rifle miscellanea

 After my first 10 meter match, with just 15 minutes for 20 shots, I went back to see if I can find any good coaching videos.  In truth, natural point of aim, bone on bone.  Don't take shots that are not centered.  I know what I need to do.  Basics.  Practice and make the basics happen every time.  Easy!

First.  As info.  CMP sells some Daisy 10m rifles.  Don't laugh.  They have Walther barrels.  I gave mine away in Wisconsin.  Decisions were made.  Went to a family with boys and started getting use.  Win!   To see how they stack up to an Anschutz, check out this old post.  Exactly!  The main issue is the trigger.  My pellet/rifle comparison test was from a bench and scoped.  I could man handle the trigger/gun to ensure I broke on the dot.  There are CMP instruction on how to modify the Daisy trigger.

Pellets.  As I watched an insomnia video of the the Grand Prix 10m rifle match earlier this year,  I saw Eley on the side of a rifle.  Odd.  Then I saw an Eley box which was the same shape and size of a 22LR box.  Odd again.  Curiosity got the better of me so I Googled it.  Sure as heck, Eley now makes pellets!  And it three different diameters.  Cool stuff.  Good marketing.  Any shooter will have to buy all three for testing! 4.49mm, 4.50mm and 4.51mm.  

For those who read this far.  

My scores from Wednesday match #01 in 2022.  A tad embarrassing given the prior results.  I have NEVER shot such a low score.  I blame the short time frame.  It can't be me!  Never!! 540 seems a long way off .

2022-23 Season score log

#01 419 (72 67 72 68 69 71).  SCHaK pellets.  15 minutes per 20 shots.  I was rushing.

2012-13 Season score log

#01 501 (81 81 84 85 82 88)
#02 515 (87 88 89 83 85 83) 11 7s or lower, 15 10x. previous practice 1x (3.6)
#03 485 (82 82 80 77 86 78) 19 7s or lower, 7 10x. Daisy pellets, reduced barrel weight.(3.6)
#04 494 (88 74 87 88 76 81) 14 7s or lower, 11 10x. JSB SCHaK pellets. First Tuesday night.(3.6)
#05 522 (89 88 90 88 82 88) 7 7s nothing lower, 11 10x. Many high value 9s! H&N + SCHaK (3.2)
#06 492 (75 85 76 84 86 86) 14 7s or lower, 6 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#07 520 (88 84 90 86 87 85) 8 7s, 12 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#08 490 (75 85 76 84 86 84) not worth noting. SCHaK (3.8)  Guest shooter.
#09 516 (91 87 86 82 86 84) 11 7s, 13 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Must stamp out 7s!
#10 513 (88 85 89 85 86 80) 9 7s or worse, 9 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Stock shorter
#11 518 (83 92 83 87 85 87) 8 7s, 1 6, 12 10x. H&N (3.8)

2011-12 Season score log

#1 515 (87 83 87 88 90 80)
#2 510 (85 89 85 86 82 83)
#3 532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) (season high, 94/100 tied best ever 10 shots)
#4 530 (87 90 90 93 89 81)
#5 524 (86 84 88 91 85 90)
#6 517 (88 85 88 87 90 79)
#7 524 (82 91 88 91 84 88)


Personal Top three 600 scores. Goal, 540.

539 (93 90 90 85 87 94). 11x 7 or lower, 22 10x. 11/??/08
532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) 3/??/12
530 (87 90 90 93 89 81) 3/??/12

Practice Time with 10 meter Air indoor!

To my surprise I located my backstop which I hang on a picture hook in the kitchen.  I found my 10m rifle but the custom scope mount is AWOL.  Special item made by Fenton Sandlin years ago with some "droop" in it to help a scoped target gun make the 45 yard shot.  Did I tell you I have my 10 in a row for Rams in Target Rifle?  I can remember it like yesterday even though my NRA Scorebook tells me it was May 7th, 2005!  Good times!  

Any who, the Anschutz 2002SSP is still functioning in 2022.  No primers.  No scuba tanks, no CO2 tanks.  Just one manual pump and shoot!  Even better, I am using up some pellets I bought for $1.50 tin at a Texas gun show.  And they shoot great!

The above two targets (10 shots each) was the first time I have shot that gun for 9 years.  Some cobwebs for sure.  Nothing should be in the white! Right target was a redo.  Maybe the third target I can keep them all in the black.  

Below is what it should look like EVERY time.  

I logged into SteelChickens for the first time in years.  Just to see what was going on.  Well, it seems like Silhouette is alive and well.  Here is a video for your viewing pleasure.  A number of you have been to Ridgeway.  I think just Mark went to Pe Ell with me.  

I went to Pe Ell for the first time in 2003 and my scorebook reports I shot a 23 and 21 in hunter and 19 and 24 in Standard.  Back then I was shooting an NS522 with a Weaver KT15 scope.  I great event.  Sadly I think my shooting has atrophied some and I might shoot those scores again with my Anschutz and Weaver 24.  Time to work on core strength!  Air will help!

Conard Cup in Pe Ell Washington

Silhouette in NH and Winter Air Postal

 A few days have passed since my last post June 18, 2018.  Mostly some career demands took me away from the sport I love.  Now it is time to rebuild the New Hampshire Silhouette program.  

Media channels.  So many options.  I started to blog to share with others my travels to other clubs and major competitions.  I enjoyed them so much I wanted other to see what was going on in Silhouette outside the state of new Hampshire.  It morphed a bit into general lessons learned which I thought others might enjoy.  

Today, in 2022, with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, I am thinking the Blogger format might not be the optimal tool.  Any and all input welcome.  

I used to use MailChimp to distribute email.  Yahoo no longer lets me attach documents.  They always limited their CC to 99 or fewer.  So MailChimp was the solution to all of that.  Now I have lost most of the emails.  And, for anyone that came on the scene post 2018 to current, I don't have their email either.  Input welcome.  

As winter approaches I am thinking about indoor Air Rifle.  Or outdoor on those days we are blessed with some warmer weather which this season has been a delight.  

I have a link to the official 10m air rifle silhouette target which we have used to have some friendly postal competitions.  This post is a start to bring this back should there be any interest.  

Postal 10m Air Rifle target.  

An old post with the 10m Postal program.

Sample results last time we ran the program.

2018 GSSCC pictures

Match Results

A big thanks to Jim Doolittle, Ron Carter,
Phil Thalheimer and
everyone else involved for their hard work in making this a great event.

Hope to see you all again next year!