Cascade match

   On Saturday, I shot an 80 shot match at Cascade (600 yards). I was pretty excited, and mentally prepared to shoot this match. There wasn't any wind, but it did rain. Well, there was a little bit of wind on the last string, but not much. Sadly, I didn't shoot a perfect 800, but I still did good.

  My first and second strings were the same, a 199-11X. On my 9th shot of both strings is where I dropped the point. I didn't know where either of them had come from, but they were both in the same place. I told my dad after I was done shooting, that my 9th shot in my next string was going to be an X. It was, and I ended up with a 200-12X. This was my first clean with my new gun, and my first clean at 600 yards! I also cleaned my last string with 8 X's. I wasn't too happy with my X count, but I can't complain, I shot another clean. I was happy with a 798-42X!

   I am really liking my new gun, it fits WAY better, and the recoil is better. I guess I could just say, everything about this gun is better for me. Every time I shoot it, my new position feels better, and I get more used to how different everything is. I'm still working on keeping my gun in my shoulder to load. If I keep it in for 10 shots at a time, then take it down for a minute, then shoot 10 more shots, I can't see through my spotting scope at the middle-end of my string! The recoil moves me back so far that my scope is about 5 inches too far forward, haha! During the match at Cascade, I was shooting 1-3 shots with the gun in my shoulder.

Lots of matches!

   Right now, I'm trying to shoot as many matches as possible before Camp Perry. I am shooting a practice and a match at Cascade next, so I'm just busy reloading. The match at Cascade is another 80 shot match, which means I'm shooting four strings instead of three, and more practice with my new gun!

   I'm pretty happy about getting to shoot my new gun a whole bunch. I want my position and everything PERFECT for Perry! That's why I decided to shoot lots of matches, and get used to my new position.

    I just shot a match at Machias. This was my second match, and first time shooting 500 yards with my new gun. My position wasn't comfortable, and it wasn't right during my first string. I shot a 193-6X. During that string I learned that the two flags that I was watching lied to me, and that I should trust the mirage. I couldn't really see the mirage, so that's why I used the flags. On my second string, I could see the mirage a little bit better, but not good enough to use it the whole time. I shot a 196-8X. My last string was best, a 198-6X. During this string, I only used the mirage, hmm... I wonder which works better? Mirage! It doesn't lie like the wind flags do. At least I learned something!

   I wasn't too happy with my first string, but hey, I'm still getting used to my new gun. It is WAY different than the one I was shooting, plus my position is different, and I have to remind myself that I'm kinda starting over. New gun, new position, and how I have to load the gun, look through the spotting scope, it's all different now.

   In my Paul Bunyan post, I said that my strings were 146, 147, and 144. But I meant 196, 197, and 194. It was a 60 shot match, with three strings of 20 shots, not three strings of 15 shots. Sorry! I already fixed it a few days ago, but I was just letting you know.

Paul Bunyan 41st Division Regional Championship - 600 Yards



(click on image to enlarge)



  I shot my new gun at Paul Bunyan on Saturday. I had a really fun time, even after I dropped 3-6 points in one string. I didn't let it bother me, because I knew that I was able to break perfect shots, and I was just getting used to this gun. The wind was switching faster than I was shooting, so I got caught a few times. I didn't drop any points from me not making a perfect shot, and that felt really good! I was able to keep my gun in my shoulder for most of my shots, but after about 10-15 shots, I couldn't feel my arm at all! Once in a while, I took it out just to rest my arm.

   My first string, I had a 196- 10X. In my first 10 shots, I had a 100- 7X! My last 4-5 shots is where I dropped the points, when the wind really started switching fast. My second string was my best, a 197- 9X. I was really happy, I shot a little bit faster and was better at wind calls. I honestly don't remember what my third string was, but I think it was a 194 with 7 or 8 X's.



(click on image to enlarge)

  
My position feels way better. I'm more straight with the gun, and my recoil is straight back. I am very happy with my new gun, I can't wait until it gets finished. It will be really pretty. As I'm typing this my dad is sanding the stock, and you can see all the characteristics of the wood. It looks nice so far.