Maryland State Service Rifle Championships 2013

I shot the Maryland State Service Rifle Championships over 2 days. For the first day (9/21) I got up at 5am, ate a bowl of oatmeal, and drove the 2 1/2 hours to warrior mountain. I was on relay 3, so I went to the pits first, and fired standing 3rd. I ate a sandwich in the pits, but I got hungry with low blood sugar about 5 shots in to standing. I was a bit of a wobbly mess, so I did not do very well standing that day. I did have a nice sitting score.
Rapid prone, I wasn't sure if my elevation should be 23 or 20. I went with 23, right 2 plus a little left for the wind, and ended up with a good group high left. The next string I went down to 20, and was centered low. Go figure.
I got rained on in slow prone, and that caused some problems. Actually, for the first couple of shots, the rain helped me focus on the front sight, and I shot x's. After that, the gun got slippery, and I had a hard time getting a good cheek weld, and holding position. In the end, I did at least shoot my classification.

Last	First	Stand	X	Sitting	X	R prn	X	S prn	X	Score	X	Percent
McGinnes	Michael	174	3	196	5	184	0	179	3	733	11	91.6%

The second day (9/22) was the EIC match. I slept in a nearby hotel (7 C's Lodge, pretty nice), and only had a 20 min drive to the range. Nonetheless, I just felt crappy that morning. I'm not sure why.
So I'm relay 2, so I'm shooting 2nd (which I prefer). When I mounted the rifle for the first shot, it was all over the target. At that point, I should have taken the rifle down and started over, but instead, I shot a miss. That's right, my very first shot was a miss, and I knew it as soon as I pulled the trigger. I figured my day was pretty much over, but I kept it together and finished standing with an 82. I really do need to write down a shot plan for standing. It needs to include finding my balance in my feet, relaxing my legs, and relaxing my upper body, shoulder, and arms. I need to practice at least 22 rounds a day.

Sitting, I had a good position, and not to much pulse. I took it one shot at a time--breath, front sight, squeeze-- and shot a 98.

Rapid prone, I had a pretty good position. My goal was to break every shot in the X, and get a nice small group so that I could confirm my zero. I ended up with a good group, but a little too much to the left on the 9-10 line, netting me a 96. Which means I'm going to 600 down 24 points. That's not actually too bad, but it doesn't leave much room for error.

Then, I had a phenomenal stage and string in slow prone. For the first string, I really wanted to try to break clean shots, so that I could adjust my zero as needed. I decided to be brave about spinning the knobs as long as I broke a good shot. I helped to focus on each shot, and keeping focus on the front sight while I squeezed the trigger. The second string in particular I took shot by shot. I finished with a 92 and a 99, for a stage total of 191--personal bests for string and stage. As a result, I have the beginnings of a shot plan for slow prone. Roll left, place rifle in shoulder (high), establish cheek weld with nose in charging handle, roll right and place right elbow, lift and reestablish cheek weld. While looking at grass, relax left arm, relax shoulders. Breath, sight picture, front sight focus. I also have a new no wind zero (NWZ): Right four clicks. I started and ended with the same elevation, with a little fiddling in between.

I ended up with a 467, which I knew was good-- and gave me hope of getting EIC points -- But I hadn't realized that that was a person best for a National Match Course. I ended up 5th, 5 points and a few X's out of the money. In other words, if that first shot had been just a six instead of a miss, I would have finished 3rd, taking home a bronze and 6 points. As it was, I didn't even get first leather. Still, lesson learned: never give up.
Other lesson learned: if my wobble zone is the whole target board, take the rifle down and start over.


After shooting the Maryland State Service Rifle Championships at Ft. Hill/Warrior Mountain, I need to update my personal bests, and goals (new PBs in bold):

Personal bests to date:
Standing 97/100; 191/200 (spring league, M4)
Sitting 100; 196
R. Prone 100; 195 (2012 Creedmoor Cup)
S. Prone 191 - 5x; 99 - 3x(?) (MD State SR Championships)
Navy total: 474-11x (spring league, M4)
NMC total: 467-8x (MD State SR Championships)
800 Agg : 750 (2012 Creedmoor Cup)
Best Ball (NMC): 488

Goals:
Standing: Clean, regular 90s.
Sitting: Regular cleans
R. Prone: Regular cleans
S. Prone: Clean string, 195, regular 90s ea. string.
NMC Total: 475, regular 470s.

Last	First	Stand	X	Sitting	X	R_prn	X	S_prn	X	Score	X	EIC_Ranking
Podshivalov	Roman	96	1	100	1	99	2	191	6	486	10	Winner
Bloss	Tim	94	1	97	0	97	1	191	4	479	6	Second
Read	Justin	92	2	96	2	96	1	188	5	472	10	Third
Thomas	Alex	91	1	94	0	96	2	189	5	470	8	High_Junior
Lechliter	Leah	85	0	96	3	98	2	188	4	467	9
McGinnes	Michael	82	0	98	1	96	2	191	5	467	8

Juddgernauts - Spring League 2013

It was a good year. We were the second place Expert team, missing first place by 4 points (5582-90x to 5586-81x). Spring League Team Results

On the last match of the series, I set some personal bests:

97-2 / 100 Standing
191-4x / 200 Standing (first time breaking 190 offhand).

Navy Match: 474-11 (second Master score).

I also broke 1400 for the league (1500 agg).

2013 - 1403.025

2012 - 1394 

2011 - 1351

My off-hand was much improved. I did not do as well as normal in the rapids. Slow prone was a little improved. If I can maintain my slow scores,
I need to work on improving my rapids so that I can regularly shoot 98+, that get's me to the 480s.

Personal bests to date:
Standing  97/100; 191/200 (spring league, M4)
Sitting  100
R. Prone 100; 195 (2012 Creedmoor Cup)
S. Prone 186 - 3x; 94 (RC200), 95 (RC100)
Navy total: 474-11x (spring league, M4)
NMC total: 455-6x
800 Agg : 750 (2012 Creedmoor Cup)

Goals:
Standing: Clean, regular 90s.
Sitting:  Regular cleans
R. Prone: Regular cleans
S. Prone: 190, regular 90s ea. string.
NMC Total: 475, regular 470s.

Aug. Fun Match; Personal Bests

At this months Fairfax Rod and Gun club "Fun Match," I shot a personal best 761-17x for the match, my first Master level score. Extracting stages of a National Match Course, this would be a 471, also a personal best. I also had personal bests in standing, sitting, and rapid prone.

I shot the first relay on target points 14 and 15, paired with Greg Spitzer. These TPs have the targets in the shade through sitting, with dappled light in prone when the sun was out. It was partly cloudy. I was shooting using my new short hood and .46 aperture, Creedmoor 50 coat, and a web sling. First shot was at 0900, and we shot until we finished all stages.

Standing

I fired a personal best tying 95-2x in the first string, and a personal best 186-3x for the stage. The ground is flatter and more even than Quantico or Perry (no grass), but I still ended up with my feet closer together than normal to find a good spot. Rear foot was still tilted back a little.

Success Analysis

The first string seemed easy. I had a good NPA. I consistently placed the buttstock in the same place, with the toe just inside the humeral head, near the top. I brought the rifle down and set-up, feeling my position, before looking trough the sights (thank you, Olympics). I also shot with a relaxed diaphragm (thank you, Jeter). The larger aperture allowed more light, which seemed to make it easier to focus on the front sight.

Solutions Analysis

I'm looking for a solution to fatigue and loss of focus during the last 5 shots of a 20 shot offhand string. I think the problem was aggravated by trying to record my own score, and keep score for my partner.

Sitting

I fired a personal best 5x clean on the first string, and finished the stage with 200-9x, my first double clean sitting.

Success Analysis

Felt easy. I kept a front site focus, I took a breath on each shot, and exhaled relaxing the diaphragm each shot. I called a couple of shots high and low, but all were in the 10 ring.

Solutions Analysis

I'm looking for a solution to my magazine hitting my sling. I think I need to get my sling higher on my arm, and more outboard.

Rapid Prone

I fired a personal best 196-2x for the stage.

Slow Prone

We were pair firing and scoring, which meant I had to break position to record Greg's scores between shots.

Success Analysis

I kept Greg's scores in my head if it was an X or 10. I wrote it down and forgot about it if it was anything else. I shot a reasonable score on the first string. I finished the stage with three 10s, and three Xs.

Solutions Analysis

I am looking for a solution to getting myself into a stable prone position, with a good NPA; and keeping or getting myself back into a the same position through the stage. A stable prone position allows me to relax my left arm and hand, and right shoulder. It also allows me to get on target without muscling the gun.

Creedmoor Cup 2012

I shot an 800 agg saturday, and the EIC match Sunday the 2012

In the 800, I finished 13 out of 55 Expert; 71 out of 173 overall.
Standing 182 - 2  -- Xs and 8s.
Sitting  194 - 4
R. Prone 195 - 7 -- Includes my first Rapid Prone clean on the second string.
S. Prone 179 - 1
Total    750 - 14 -- 93.75%, two points shy of a Master score.

In the EIC match
60 out of 112
McGinnes, Michael (147246)
Standing  88 - 0 -- Not great, but if I shoot the other stages really well, I'm still alive. Down 12, I figured I could drop another 14.
Sitting   94 - 1 -- Ok, and not the end of the world. Down 18, leaving 7.
R. Prone  95 - 2 -- Never give up! Down 23, I just have to shoot a great prone. I can do it.
S. Prone 171 - 3 -- I forgot to change elevation, so the first shot went into the dirt.
Total    448 - 6 -- The last leg went for a relatively high 475-10x.
Without putting a shot in the dirt, I would have finished around 45th.

Personal bests to date:
Standing  95/100; 185/200
Sitting  100
R. Prone 100; 195
S. Prone 186 - 3x; 94 (RC200), 95 (RC100)
Navy total: 469-9x
NMC total: 455-6x
800 Agg : 750

Goals:
Standing: Clean, regular 90s.
Sitting:  Regular cleans
R. Prone: Regular cleans
S. Prone: 190, regular 90s ea. string.
NMC Total: 475, regular 470s.