Wes Hall Memorial

   With Winning In Mind sat open on the table as I ate breakfast. I thought it would be a good idea to read it before the match at Plantation that morning. As I read, I pictured myself winning the match. In my head, I already had.

  

   I walked up to the shooting line thinking about what I read in the book, 'It's impossible to think about something positive, when you're thinking about something negative'. I only thought about making perfect shots, one shot at a time. After every shot, I told myself that that shot was gone, and my next shot is going to be a center X. I shot my very first 600/600 that day, winning the match in the process. I had the only clean score (600/600) for the match rifle shooters. My X count wasn't too bad, I had 39. I didn't have the highest X count, but points come before X's.

   I was shooting my .308, not the 6 BRX. I hadn't shot with iron sights for a little while, so I was a little nervous. When I was shooting the 6 BRX for test loads and practice, I was using a scope. I ordered a sight base for the 6 BRX, so I can move my Right Sight easily from one gun to the next. Now, I just have to do more load testing with the irons. My dad and I already found a pretty good load, so I'm going to shoot it with iron sights and see how it goes.

Wes Hall Memerial 1-28-12

It's my new 6 BRX!

The brass on the right is what
it looks like after I fired it.

   Yeah, you heard me. It may not be a 6.5-.284, but it's half way there, without the recoil of course. I'm pretty excited to start shooting this.
 
 An old friend of mine, a shooter, gave me a 6 BRX (with a Krieger barrel) on a Barnard action and a Nightforce scope. He told me he was proud of me, and wanted to see me succeed, and he would do anything to help.

  My dad and I went out to the range the other day (yes, in the snow), to blow out the cases. See the pic of the cases at right? We loaded normal 6 BR loads, and shot them in the 6 BRX action. I wasn't loading each case the same, some had about a 1/2 grain difference. My group was pretty tight, about 20 shots inside of a dime. I can't wait until I do load testing! It's going to be DEADLY!
 
 I will be able to shoot the 6 BRX for long range too. In Oregon, there is a Palma match, then an Any-Any match at 1,000 yards. So, I can shoot my .308 for the Palma, then shoot the 6 BRX for the Any-Any match with the Nightforce scope.

  I won't be able to shoot it at Plantation on the 28th, but next month there are a couple matches. I also have to get another Right Sight. I can't just swap my front sight for different matches. So, I have two barrelled actions now. It's hard to decide which one to shoot with all the time now. Plus, I'm using the same stock for both the .308 and the 6 BRX, so I don't have to get used to two different rifles. I just swap barrelled actions. My main focus is still my .308, the 6 BRX is for fun, and Any-Any matches. But hey, if this shoots better than a .308 in the wind like the numbers say it will, I may be tempted to shoot the Wimbledon Cup (Any-Any) at Camp Perry this year. We'll find out soon!



 

    I wasn't going to shoot Custer's (2nd) Annual New Year's match because I was sick. When I decided to anyway, my dad was really surprised. It was an XTC match. I wanted to shoot my .308 bolt gun, but that would be a little hard to shoot for the rapid fire strings =). There were eight juniors and four adults at that match. My dad shot this match with me. We had a really good time. Now he realises how I busy I am at matches, you don't have a lot of free time. I placed 2nd, behind Luke Rettmer. He shot really good, I'm sure he's happy with his new service rifle that he bought!
   My dad put my Benchmark barrel back on my .308, and I did some load testing. I shot some pretty good groups. I went out and tested two of the loads again, so I could make a choice of which load I'm going to use.
   The next match I'm going to is on the 28th at Plantation. It's been quite a while since I've shot there, and I'm looking forward to it. I really like shooting there.
   My dad has done more sanding and finishing on my stock (no, it wasn't all the way finished for Australia). It is really shiny, and very pretty! I am so happy with how it looks. It has to sit and dry until I shoot at Plantation. After the match, my dad will probably do more wet sanding and finishing, because I won't have another match for a couple weeks, and thats how long it has to dry. I don't shoot quite as much in the winter, as I do in the spring-fall. It's the only time that my stock has time to dry!