Matches and Shooting Reports  

KISA RIMFIRE BENCHREST START'S 2007

The weather for our re-scheduled match was perfect on the following Saturday, and a favorable forecast a few days before prompted us to hold a make-up match that Saturday.

We had a field of six shooters show up for the make-up competition on Saturday, in spite of very few who knew about it.  Partly cloudy skies, warm temps in the 50’s, and switchy breezes were the backdrop for a bunch of rusty rim fire shooters.  Winter weather had afforded us no practice since last season.  The winds were from 12 to 3 o’clock and would go from calm to 13 miles per hour without warning.  The winds and lack of shooting practice provided lots of excuses for dropped points, but the field of shooters posted surprisingly high scores.  Half the competitors shot clean, or the maximum amount of points of 400 for 40 shots.  It was the X count, or Bullseye`s that determined the final placement and that total was very close.

Gary Byers showed up with his custom Ruger 10-22, and despite no practice since last season, he shot an impressive 390 12x.  Gary shot a 197 and 9x at the tough 100 yard stage. 

                     Up and coming Benchrest shooter! Keaton Reed

Call me if you’d like to get started regarding our schedule, 486-8141.

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Rimfire Benchrest Match # 5, Aug. 5^th. `07

            Warm steady sea breezes, just before official start time, turned into a blender of whirling hard winds, by the 6:30pm start time. Those of us who arrived early to set up the equipment, and get in some practice, found the sight adjustments we made were far off, with the wind changes. The only way to keep our shots close to intended impact point was to wait for all the wind flags to point the same direction at the same time and shoot. It didn’t matter which direction the wind came from, it was more important to have the flags just all agree to the same direction at once. It was hard to find a steady direction, as the wind came from all points of the compass, but patience would be rewarded if you waited long enough for the wind to swing around back to a general quadrant. As an example, Haskins and I both checked our sighter shots at 100 yards, then quickly launched our twenty record rounds in under 5 minutes. It was necessary to shoot rapidly as possible, as when the clock began, the wind was holding a steady direction making for some predictable impact before the wind swung around 180 degrees. Those that took advantage of the steady direction, that only lasted the first five minutes of each relay, scored better than those who took the whole twenty minutes allotted.

            Mike Haskins took advantage of his fast shooting, right bolt, left port Hall actioned rifle, and finished both the 50 yard, and 100 yard relays in less than 5 minutes. The configuration of a right bolt, left port, allows the shooter to work the action with their right hand, and feed the ammo into it with their left hand. By coincidence the winds held steady for the first few minutes of each distance of the 50 and 100 yard relays. This permitted Mike Haskins to rapidly place all 40 rounds of the match into the “X” ring, and finish with a new personal best, and tie the course high score of 400-40X. It’s quite a feat to shoot a perfect score of placing all forty shots, twenty at each distance, into the “Bulls eye” or “X” ring. I was the first to do it in August of 2006, and have not repeated that score since. Haskins used the strategy of shooting fast while the wind was holding from the same direction, and concentrating on the wind flags for any changes that would drift his shots out of the Bulls eye. As stated before, “It’s a record that can be tied, but not broken”, it’s as rare as pitching a perfect ball game of striking out 27 batters. Haskins is to be congratulated for his accomplishment.

            Erik Berggren did very well considering the winds we dealt with that day, as he too also turned one of his personal best “X” counts. If not for the winds catching one shot, and pushing it into the “9” ring, Erik would have tied for 2^nd place, but turned in a final of 399-34X.

            Gary Byers also attended our 5^th. Rimfire match of the year, but was plagued with ammo problems. Gary uses a semi-auto, Ruger 10-22, and has had a hard time finding accurate ammunition that will cycle the bolt and feed through his rifle. Since all rimfire ammo is factory produced, with the selection being endless of different kinds made, the trick is to find a model that shoots accurately, but with a semi-auto, it also has to have enough pressure to cycle the bolt back and feed into the chamber. Most target type rimfire ammo is low pressure/low velocity, and this combination doesn’t feed through most semi-auto type rifles. It certainly breaks your focus if every round jams, or fails to feed through the rifle. Gary’s Ruger 10-22 has turned in some great scores, but now Gary needs to find the type of ammo that is accurate and feeds through his rifle. Anyone who has a type of ammo in mind for a solution, please feel free to contact me at (907)486-8141

            Our 5^th. match witnessed the return of prone shooter Hamilton Long, who uses open/iron sights to compete with. We do have a separate division for those who shoot rimfire in the “Prone” or laying down position. Hamilton is very handicapped in that each shot can’t be seen upon impact, but only seconds later if the shooter has a spotting scope to look through. It’s a miracle Hamilton can still see the iron sights at his age, let alone lay down on the ground long enough to shoot accurately. If I had to shoot from that position, I would need a crane to lift me off the ground afterwards. In spite of all the drawbacks to his shooting style, Hamilton turns in some very respectable totals, including a 194-7X at the 50 yard distance.

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Rimfire Benchrest Match # 6, Aug.19^th,`07

            The Rain lasted most of the day for our scheduled 6^th Rimfire Match of 2007. Since Mike Haskins, and I were responsible for setting up the match at 4:00pm, and the rain showed no signs of letting up we decided to not attend or hold the match. My medical issues were also a factor in cancelling the match, as I didn’t feel up to showing up several hours early and trying to assemble equipment needed to host the event. Sure enough, as soon as we called and let folks know that we we’re cancelling the match; the sun broke out just before the 6:30 official start time. Erik and Rio Berggren had already lined up some new shooters, and had their truck loaded for the shoot. Being driven to shoot, no matter the conditions, the Berggren’s managed to hold a 6^th. Match in spite of Haskins, and I staying at home.

            The K.I.S.A. club benefited in having the entries fees collected, and four shooters participate to have our 6^th. rimfire match of the season. It was a relief to have the Berggren’s step up and take over hosting the match, and introducing 2 new shooters to the sport. Thanks to the Berggren’s for making it possible, and setting up, and tearing down the equipment.