For those he don’t
know, the CMP National Trophy Rifle Matches have been held at Camp Perry, Ohio every
year since 1907. Camp Perry is an Ohio National Guard base, and was home
to German and Italian POWs during WWII. The huts that housed those POWs still
stand to this day, although somewhat worn by time and weather.
I ended up staying one
of those huts with Jason and Charley, two other VFEMI shooters. I could
not have had more fun. Well, not in a week when I'm getting up at 5AM every day, and giving up caffeine, alcohol, and sarcasm. Our hut came with a gnome.
Monday: Presidents
100
I started off really well with a in the President's 100 with a 93 in Off-Hand (very happy). We went to 300 prone, and I shot a nice
tight little group at 6 O'clock in the 8/9 border for an 86. I was a minute and
a half low for some reason. The targets were backlit, and it was overcast, so
it might have been the light. Some people say you just shoot high at Perry
because of having blue-sky instead of a berm and the targets are high relative
to the shooting positions. Who knows? Anyway, at 600, there was some wind, and
I shot at the low end of my normal range (88) for a total of 267-- which put me
solidly in the Secretary of the Treasury's 600.
Tuesday: NTI - F-Bombs Ahead
When we got to the
line at 0-dark thirty, it was just starting to sprinkle and the wind was
blowing like hell. It looked like a storm was blowing in, so we didn't know if
we were going to shoot, or how we were going to shoot. By the time we started,
though, it had blown past us and turned into a nice morning. I started off
AWESOME in off-hand: 10, 10, 10, (this is easy!) 9, (Ok, I still have to focus)
10, 7 ( WTF?), black (I can't see!). My aperture had come loose, and was
flopping around in the hood. I got the aperture out of the hood, and figured I
didn't have time to try to get it back in, so I kept shooting. I actually could
see the target OK, but I didn't really get back into my zone, so I ended up
with an 85. (so I dropped 4 points with the first 6 rounds, and 11 points with
the last 4 rounds. There was a pair of 6s in there somewhere. Ok, 85 is not
good, but it's not death either.
I got down in sitting.
My head wasn't really where in needed to be, but the position felt
good: Bang, bang. Reload. Bang,
bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. I counted 10
rounds, and I thought about giving the trigger one more squeeze, but I didn't
for some reason. I had time. When the targets went down, I looked at my bolt.
It was, strangely, closed. And when I opened it, there was a bullet inside.
Fuck. It came up an 88, with a saved round. I figure I need a 470 to make the
cut, and I am down 27 after two stages. Double fuck. But, there is still
hope. Never give up.
We move the 300, and
rapid prone. The sun is now out, and on the face of the targets. I estimated
that there was about a minute of wind from the left. Now I have to decide if I
was low Monday because of the light, or because "It's Perry." I
decide it was mostly the light, so I just use my normal zero. I shoot a nice
tight little group about a minute out at 3 O'Clock, because I
never actually put the wind on the rifle. I still managed a 93.
We move on to 600
prone, and holy fuck, we got the wind something terrible. It was a switching,
gusty 5-10 mph wind. It just pushed me all over the target, and I didn't have
the confidence to chase the spotter. I would shoot a 7, not change the sights
and shoot another one right next to it. I'd finally change the sites, and the
wind would change direction, which I would discover when the next shot was a 7
out the other side. Tuesday night, we drank. Not much, but enough.
Wednesday: Hearst
Doubles
It's a fine morning.
We are sharing the firing point with Team Remington. I'm partnered Jason,
and we are both a little hung over. I start by shooting two 7s. It's going to
be a lovely day. After that, I start to get my groove on, and end with an 88.
Not bad, considering I started with two 7s. And hey, my aperture didn't fall
out.
By the time we get
back to 300, our hangovers are gone. I'm ready for 300 rapids, and the targets
are backlit, but it's not overcast. I take a wild guess and come up a minute.
I'm in there, and come away with a 99. Not. Fucking. Bad.
Before we shoot at
600, I score for Team Remington, so I get to look through the scope for 23
minutes watching the mirage while listening to them discuss what it means. This
is the best wind reading lesson ever. By the time it's our turn to shoot, I not
only have a good starting wind call, but a good idea on how to read the changes
through the scope. Plus, the wind is being kind to us. There was one 7 that I
knew was bad as soon as I sent it, but everything else was 9s and 10s. I was
actually seeing that I was stacking them up on the right side of the 10 ring,
and came left a quarter to correct. It was awesome. I ended up with
a 93, for a total of 280. Our team finished 101st. If I'd
shot these scores in prone on Monday, I would have made the President's 100.
Scores
President's 100
|
|
|
|
|
Rank
|
Standing
|
Sitting
|
300 Prone
|
600 Prone
|
Total
|
551/1242
|
93-1
|
n/a
|
86-0
|
88-1
|
267-2
|
Notes
|
|
|
Elevation 1.5
minutes low due to overcast / back-lit targets
|
The wind something
terrible
|
NTI
|
|
|
|
|
|
792/1125
|
85 - 1
|
88 - 3
|
93 - 2
|
162 - 1
|
428 - 7
|
Notes
|
10,10,10,9,10 -
aperture falls out. D'oh
|
1 saved round. In
other words, one more squeeze would have made that a 97 or 98.
|
Got the elevation.
Failed to add wind.
|
OMG, the wind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hearst Doubles
|
|
|
|
|
160/576
|
88 - 2
|
n/a
|
99 - 4
|
93 - 1
|
280 - 7
|
Notes . top 28%
|
Hungover. Started
with a pair of 7s, then things started coming together.
|
Good coaching and
wind call. Added a min of elevation for backlit target
|
Bam! Watching Nate
and team Remington call wind was very helpful. Calling wind for my partner
helped me.
|
Nice score. Quite
happy. Take best ball standing from p100, and I'm in the P100 with a 285.
|
