TRBPS – Event – Big “A” Crow

by John White

So a very nice day. Everyone prepped and was aware of the heat. The heat was not as severe as it has been this week and we actually had a pretty good breeze on that open hilltop. It blew a few gusts so hard it knocked a couple of target stands over causing us to take the range cold to set em back up. Our shooters took the opportunity to take a liquid break or sat down just to be on the safe side. We had 15 folks show. Very good showing given gas prices, beginning of summer breaks, family obligations and fathers day weekend. Thank you all for coming out to shoot and to help keep us safe, scoring and simply enjoy shooting.

So we started the registration sign in at 8.30am as we had moved the shoot up a week due to schedule conflicts and the start of the course of fire description and safety briefing with the goal of starting the shoot by 9:00am. We got started shooting at 9.10. Not bad folks.

We had two shooting categories, off hand and bench to compete in classifications for fairness. We do not want to exclude anyone who wants to shoot with us but we will not compete against centerfire or scopes to be fair for example. So no e-shooting excuses allowed.

We shot two relays, 10 shots each, patch and roundball, any caliber in these two shooting classifications off hand and bench. The classifications did not compete against each other for prizes, just bragging rights. Ww had rifles today, all shooting roundball from 32 cal to .62 cal! A 20 gauge rifle! And it made a big hole.

First Relay:
10 shots at 50 yards, we found us a wicked ugly looking crow who did not even have a nine ring for score. What an ugly crow and with the rings and scoring areas, at 50 yards it was for me not possible to see where the scoring rings were. Tough target and so tough, the scorer told the program shoot designer do not ever get that target again as it was tough to score. Yea, took it under advisement. When we get complaints that just adds to the challenge!

Second Relay:
10 shots at 25 yards, small target 5 bullseyes with the practice bull. It is a great target for consistent shooting and testing how you are improving. A favorite for many clubs. Shooters use it to see how you are improving. You get to keep all the targets and just as reading shot patches to help in your accurate loads, a target will help you with technique if you make notes on things you noted correct and different as reminders.

Both relays were added together for placement within your appropriate shooting category off hand or bench-rest for ranking of results. We had no dry-balls that I can recall, just a couple caps pop and no bang and minimal flashes in the pan. Overall a good mechanical day although several blamed the gun for, ummm, cough, scores…….this helped greatly in staying on track and kept the shooters from getting frustrated and tired from the extra effort.

Off hand results:
First Billy T.
Second Jim G.
Third Bob W.

Bench results:
First Mike L.
Second Charlie R.
Third the Burgess family let them argue who beat who…..

Third Relay for interest level evaluation:
In May we had a unique target that was built and tested I call the ferris wheel. A four armed rotating clay pigeon holder to test yourself against. Video is available on our website of it in action at www.trbps.com . We set up a fun third relay with handguns today. We seem to have interest in this set up as well. We had three actual shooters and 5 others who wanted to see what it was all about. So for next month which is back to the fourth week of the month we will be adding a pistol match. Single shot category and cap and ball category. All off hand. If you do not have a pistol that does not mean you cannot shoot. Just as we do offhand and bench as separate classes, pistols will be in their own class from the rifles.

Now there was the proverbial dweb that could not find a bench with his rather large behind. Thank goodness no one got a picture of that graceful fall. But I will tell you, the ground did feel pretty comfortable laying there checking all body parts. That bench is not wide enough. And thank you for the assistance in getting up off that gravel ground. The offer of a forklift was a bit much though.

So to all thank you for coming out. We are enjoying creating a fun shoot atmosphere with different each month challenging targets and we are grateful you all enjoy what we are working towards. Challenging, fun, different targets shot with friendship and a willingness to help, coach and assist each other.

Till next month. Be on the lookout for our shoot announcement email to come.

John White
Program Mgr – Talking Rock BPShooters
www.trbps.com for pics and write-ups of past shoots