Shooters Diary

Planning to use this blog as a sort of shooter's journal so as to track progress and make plans. Feel free to interject with observations and advice.

Well, since I rose from D grade last year to B grade this coming indoor season I thought I'd better do something about making it count so as to have a springboard toward A grade next year.

I'd also like to be able to shoot competitively this season and not simply occupy a space. I plan to visit the range a little more often and endeavour to apply some of the basic position and setup guidelines as described in the book "The Ways of the Rifle". Although I feel I have a pretty good position, I've never really tested it by trying variations. I am aware that I must need some adjustment as my left wrist can get quite painfull after a prolonged squad (particularly 30 shot outdoor).

I am on a limited budget so most improvements will need to be operational ones as opposed to equipment upgrades.

Last night I only had a little time so I shot a card and made mental note of what was bothering me the most.

If I consciously relaxed into my position I found myself too far back from the rear sight and needing to stretch my neck forward. When I think about it, this is happening more often than not.

For next time, I'm going to shorten the butt and extend the handstop out effectively bringing the rifle back which should position my eye closer to the sight.

I don't think my right hand position on the grip will be adversely affected as I'm only going to make a small adjustment initially.

Last night I made the adjustment the adjustment to the butt, shortening it by 10mm and a corresponding extension of the handstop. Made a huge difference! Feel like I'm just "falling" into the correct position now instead of trying to fit into the rifle. Shot some good groups followed by a 98.1. Way more comfortable.

Next plan is to visit the optometrist for an eye test... long time needed!

Bought a new Gehmann rubber eyecup into which I plan to fit the lens prescribed by the optometrist this coming friday.

It's slightly longer than the std Anschutz one I've been using and just barely touches my eyebrow. I found this to be very beneficial in that I'm now able to verify that I'm in the same cheek position each time. Came away with a 98.4 and was quite happy with that.

Agh! Lens came but they made it to fit in the wrong place. Another week and I should have a tale to tell.

Tried new lens last night. Excellent sight picture. I think it was a success.

Had a wee struggle with position though, not able to pinpoint the cause. Will continue to mull on that one. Resulted in very average scores.

Not happy with my mediochre result last week I was determined to pay close attention to my position last night.

With a little shuffling I was in a comfortable position and I did a 20 shot match resulting in 96.4 & 99.4.

Apart from a thick 9 on the first card all other 9's were tested out so on the whole it was a much more pleasing result and a much more consistent pattern.

Bring it on next week!

Another thing I was acutely aware of was my lack of fitness! It takes me nearly 3/4 of the first card to have relaxed breathing. All the fuss of laying out the gear, setting scope, hooking up sling to rifle, getting NPA etc seems to put me in a state of oxygen deprivation. Need to begin some sort of exercise regime. Need some discipline first.

Did another 20 shot match tonight. Seem to struggle on the first card for some reason. Although I burgled a few testers to get a 97.2, 99.5 (196.7) I was far from happy with the first card and did a complete restart on the second card with much more pleasing results. Definitely position but didn't realise how unsatisfactory it was until I reshuffled for the 2nd card.

Need to spend more time and effort aquiring this before starting.

Club night this week was practically a repeat of last week. 96.4, 99.4 (195.8).

Went for a practice today on my own and found that if I deliberately pushed the butt as close to my neck as possible, my cheek would fall into the best position for me with my eyebrow just brushing the sight shroud. Solid as a rock! I could hold the sight picture for a lot longer than usual. Seemed almost too good to be true. Resulted in 100.6, 99.6 (199.12). As you would expect, it was the last shot I dropped, and the card counts for nothing but experience.

Now, my mission is to repeat this on club night in spite of all that goes on around me. I feel like I made some progress today.

Well, after last night's dismal result (worst this season) I have only one comment to make:

After scoping beginners all night on the club's BSA's & Vostok's, remember that your Anschutz sights adjust in the opposite direction!!

This realisation only came to me at 6.00am this morning. (At least it came to me I guess).

Colyton Open Champs

Not a bad day, not brilliant though. 293.10.

Inners were scarce and the 9's were thick ones. Not sure what the cause may have been. Discovered afterwards that the locals seemed to have a preference for the bottom mounds, wondering if it's because of the low roof producing a dark band above the targets? No excuse but found that it produced an uneven looking sight picture. My 9's weren't vertical ones so I couldn't really hang them on that theory.

I think I may have been holding the targets for too long.

Club night. Didin't feel my postion was as solid as it has been on occasions, but it still felt like it was where it should be and produced a very acceptable result. Amidst a good series of 10's I still get the thick 9 appearing. A test 9 I could understand but the heavy 9 didn't seem any different from the 10's to shoot, just the rotten surprise when you look down the scope. A little difficult for me to understand the cause. I hear many advising me to start using decent ammo, suggesting that what I am using will let me down. Thing is, I know this stuff can do it, and I can't afford the top shelf anyway.

Poroutawhao Open Champs.

Good result overall in spite of a poor first card. Very nice range which yeilded a 96.2, 99.4, 99.2 and 3rd place in B Grade.

Club night. Had high expectations. Good shots were very good, bad shots were rather bad. Quite the leveler.

96.04, 98.03

Rangatikei Open Champs.

99.04. 97.04, 99.06 for 2nd

Was very happy with this. Last card tested out, so close to 100.

Last few opens I have squadded in 3 consecutive mounds and found it to be way less distracting and having the set-up already arranged I find that there is plenty of time to regain focus for the next squad. Will endeavour to do this in future. Also Friday evening shooting is much more relaxed.

It's been a very frantic and busy week starting with a coaching seminar last Sunday with Scorch Taylor. This was fantastic with a very good turnout from experienced and novice alike all going away with some very useful advice. It's good to be able to ask questions and find out why things ought or ought not to be done.

I made some minor adjustments to the butt to counter the right-hand cant I had going and also lifted the cheek plate so as to rest my cheek bone on it rather than my whole cheek. I think I may have to take some of the rounded shape off it to give a more defined edge for location as I'm struggling a little to regain a repeatable cheek position.

Last night saw NDC and Town v Country being shot simultaneously. In spite of some good individual scores, we were unable to secure any team wins.

Teams of Ten is looming close and is going to require my full attention, so here comes another busy 2 weeks.

Wow! What a week. So busy.

Didn't perform very well this week. Started with interclub when I put 10pts into the roof. (Sloppy with my loading - free finger touched the trigger).

ToT warmup saw me shoot at the lower end of my grade and consequently didn't make the final team.

Have been using the cheap Lapua Magazine ammo to date and tried some Tenex for the first time at the ToT warmup. Have to say, I didn't really see any benefit. Who knows, may have been worse otherwise. I thought I was shooting ok though. Follow through suggested good shots but they just weren't there.

I need to make some adjustments to the shape of my cheek piece as it's too rounded and doesn't give a defined cheek bone location each time. I have an idea, will post pics when I've developed it.

Club this week was busy again with many new shooters. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

Did a 20 shot match resulting in 97.4 + 98.6 (195.10) and was quite pleased with the shoot. The cards were a lot tidier than the score reflects apart from one heavy 9. It felt very comfortable and was able to distinguish very clearly between the sweet shots and the ones I shouldn't have let go. So now it's a matter of trusting that judgement before releasing the shot.

Teams of Ten this Saturday. Not shooting but team managing for the first time, so I'll probably be nervous enough for them all.

Teams of Ten went very well.

Not only did Wanganui manage to take the Jim Hart Trophy, but also secured a position in the top ten for next year's Rees Scroll challenge. We'll have our work cut out for us then.

Club: 197.8 was a fairly pleasing result considering the previous 2 weeks. Felt very comfortable on the mound although sight picture towards the end was a little difficult to maintain for some reason. Didn't seem to have as much time on the shot to make the right decision. With plenty of time on the clock I need to just relax, take a breather and then resume the routine.

NDC: With 293.08, I was also pretty happy, except for the "8" that turned up uninvited, but certainly announced. Amidst that was a 99 with a "test out". -so close. Haven't seen a 100 for a while now. Must be time for one.

Club: 196.10 Another happy result. Seem to be getting back in the groove again. Position is consistently stable now that I'm focussing on repeating it. Still needing to take my time on each shot, particularly on the last few diagrams.

Taranaki Open: 293.11 Same as above. Progressing nicely around the card and then allowing a couple of thick 9's to creep in. Need to bring my impatience into submission.

Club: Went pretty well and on a par with current averages.

Awahuri Open: I don't wanna talk about it! Sigh, haven't shot an 8 in about 8 weeks and then at a championship shoot I manage 2 in one card and another in the following card resulting in a dismal 287.06. Very annoying and I'm still unable to explain it. It does coincide with a new tin of ammo but I'm reluctant to cast blame there as I found myself unable to maintain a steady position in spite of doing everything the same as I have been for some time now. Will see how things go at club this week. Hope I manage to overcome this issue before NDC on Thursday.

Club: Went pretty well. Vast improvement on the Awahuri shoot. with 194.08

NDC: Shot 294.15 Was very pleased with this and as the inners show, they were pretty tidy cards with the exception of a couple of very outer 9's which seemed to be easily achieved.