Saturdays, Dalton Range, 8am SHARP.
| Date | Range | Match |
|---|---|---|
| May 26th | Dalton Range | JCG Rules – Any Rifle |
| June 9th | Dalton Range | RimFire Sporter |
| July 21st | Dalton Range | Carbine |
| August 18th | Dalton Range | Bolt Rifle |
| September 1st | Dalton Range | JCG Rules – Any Rifle |
| October | Dalton Range | John C. Garand |
| Date | Time |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, June 20th | 5:30pm |
| Sunday, July 8th | 1:00pm |
| Wednesday, August 22nd | 5:30pm |
| Wednesday, September 19th | 5:30pm |
| Sunday, October 21st | 1:00pm |
Numerous members pointed out that with the CMP selling Carbines, it would be better to wait a bit before holding a Carbine Match. So we have put that off until July. Another change is that the June, July, and August matches will all be registered with the CMP. That means that your scores (as well as the match schedule) will appear on the CMP’s web site.
It costs us $20 to register the match, but then we also get our ammunition at reduced prices, so I think it is worth the trade off. In fact, I should have done this long ago. We have vouchers for 8 cases of M2 Ball ammo, and I have cleared it with the CMP to pick it up when I am at Camp Perry this year, saving us about $35 per case shipping.
The ‘Bolt Rifle Match’ on August 18 will be a combined Springfield and Vintage Bolt Rifle match. We will have separate award schedules for each of these two categories, and in effect, it is like running two matches at exactly the same time. Since we run two relays, it is possible for a person to shoot in both matches by shooting one type of rifle in the first match and then using the other type of rifle in the second match. That would mean firing 110 rounds through a military bolt gun, and you might want to bring some Tylenol. Finally, to answer two questions that I know will come up repeatedly: no, you may not shoot twice in the same category (e.g., shoot the 03 twice); and, yes, all rifles must be AS ISSUED. No fancy triggers, cutoff stocks, match sightes, etc., will be allowed. The one allowance I will make will be for Krags that have had the wood butchered and the barrel cut down. As long as the sights are substantially original, they will be considered legal. A lot of Krags were ‘sporterized’ or turned into carbines with an 03 front sight, and if you want to shoot one of these, that’s OK with us.
The two matches that are ‘JCG Rules—Any Rifle’ are our usual format matches where you may shoot any rifle you please. Awards will be largely for the CMP-type shooters (Garand, 03, Carbine, M1917), but if enough people shoot the AR-15 (at least 5 to make a category) we’ll give a prize there also. Needless to say, these matches are not registered.
We had 30 shooters on the line for our May John C. Garand Match, and once again, Steve Milholland emerged head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. Congratulations Steve, nobody shoots the M1 like you do. There was quite a cadre of Bronze medal winners; what happened to Silver? See the April newsletter for the cutoffs (and ignore the mis-print for Silver medals—you can figure out what it should be).
And the President of the club owes a big ‘Thank You’ to Steve Kemm for taking care of the logistics and running the match. It’s nice to be able to take a weekend off an know things will be done right. Thanks.
The club has recently acquired two more 03A3’s and a Carbine from the CMP. I made the decision to spend our Treasury on these rifles for future raffles. Since it seems like the CMP is doing its best to close out inventory, I figured we better purchase whatever we can, because in a year or two, there won’t be any US GI rifles to buy.
If you’re keeping track, that means we currently own four (4) Springfield 03A3’s, one (1) M1 Garand, one (1) M1 Carbine, and three (3) Mossberg 44 .22 rifles.
All things considered, I think we should raffle the Carbine next. That’s a change from our original schedule (an 03A3 was next in line for the raffle), but I think we can get it done by the July Carbine match, and that would be a good thing.
Things are getting real busy in our shooting world. May and June are the two biggest months of the year around here for this sport. Besides the events listed on the first page, there are some very important matches that OOS members really ought to attend. Here is a rundown:
Saturday, May 19 is a John C. Garand match at the Joplin range. Les Welch runs this match. It is a 30 shot match and it is shot at 200 yards, just as at Camp Perry. This is an excellent opportunity to get a 200 yard zero on your rifle. Be there by 8:30am. Sunday May 20 at the Joplin range is a 88 shot NRA Highpower match. You may shoot at either 200 or 100 yards, whichever your heart desires. Most of the guys on the line at this match are OOS members. Come and shoot. Again, start time is 9am, and be there by 8:30.
The first weekend in June is the Missouri Highpower Championship at the Bucksnort range, near Marshall (north of Sedalia). Once again, it is an 88 shot match (8 sighters and 80 shots for record) at 200, 300, and 600 yards. Saturday is the championship match and Sunday is a team match (and probably a leg match). Both of these matches Sunday are 50 shot matches, much like our JCG matches. Sunday is a good day to experience full course shooting, since you can shoot with OOS members on a team. And we would be happy to loan you all the equipment and ammunition. All you have to do is bring yourself. Please come. Call me or email me for further information. The cost is $30 Saturday and about $20 or less Sunday, depending on which matches you shoot. You can camp on the range or stay in the bunkhouse, and many OOS guys will be there camping. Pre-registration is required for Saturday (see me for details), BUT NOT FOR SUNDAY. All we need to know for Sunday is that you will be there.
At the May 5 and 6th Regional match, we had 10 guys on Saturday and 8 on Sunday. In the Sunday team match we fielded two 4-man teams, and OOS 1, a team of Alex Belt, Robert Head, Pat Worley, and Bill Corcoran, handily bested the OOS 2 team of Steve Milholland, Gerry Averett, Ed Bowles, and John Daley. Bragging rights are what this sport is all about. Come on out and have some fun.
I have been shooting an air rifle in my basement the past couple years. It helps tremendously for practicing and learning offhand shooting. In addition, the Joplin club has been holding some indoor air rifle silhouette matches, the 4th Thursday of the month. These are a hoot. My point is simply that you might consider investing in an air rifle as a cost-effective practice device, and I would like to encourage this.
So I wonder, would there be any interest in holding some air rifle silhouette matches on some evenings this summer? I have designed a course of fire that only requires a 20 foot range, so just about anybody’s basement will work for practice. Bill Baldwin has volunteered his backyard, so that’s an option too. My basement could accommodate 5 shooters at a time. If you have a large out building or access to a room approximately 25 x 30 feet, we need to talk.
And, some comments on air rifles: I have gone through 3 or 4 air rifles this winter. By far, the best bang for your buck is the Daisy 853 Avanti offered through the CMP at $180. That is almost half the retail price. This rifle will put all its pellets in the same hole at 10 meters, and it has target sights (adjustable aperture). Its only problem is a creepy trigger, but there is a fix for that with some minor home gunsmithing. I personally do not like CO2 rifles because of the hassle and expense, and I advise strongly against a spring-piston rifle such as the Gamo brand rifles because the recoil requires that you change your shooting style in order to shoot accurately. For some more expensive fun, you can find old 10 meter competition rifles around for decent prices ($300-$500). The Diana 75 and the FWB 300 were recoil-less springers used in International competition, and they can be found at reasonable prices. Sometimes, too, the FWB 600 or 601 can be found fairly reasonably, but more often it’s about $1000.
Any questions?? Contact… Bill Corcoran (417) 862-861 or send me an email