Although near-record high temperatures might have had some suppressant effect on attendance, it had no such effect on the level of skills exhibited by the eight HOT airgunners contesting the May 7 TEXtreme Bench-Rest Silhouette match. All but two of those shooters chose to shoot multiple classes for braggin’ rights and awards, and three 'triathletes' contested all three classes.
The venues well-deserved reputation for ‘challenging’ winds proved less curse-worthy yesterday than is often the case, given most of the field of ‘seasoned’ competitors might have succumbed to heat-stroke without said winds! At least this time the winds prevailed from one direction, rather than displaying than their usually-schizophrenic nature.
That may have something to do with Derrick Wall posting a new course record in taking the top honor of Overall Match Winner (and Slug Class Winner)! To add perspective to Derrick’s awesome 38/40 score, the high score posted earlier in the Rimfire Bench-Rest Silhouette match was 39/40 in lighter winds and less scorching temperatures.
Derrick also posted the only ten-in-a-row of the airgun match; in fact TWO! That guy is going to have to add an extra room on his house to hold yesterdays Match Winner and Ten-In-A-Row Pig and TURKEY hat-pin awards. Well, at least get another hat to display all his hat-pins. A BIG hat to contain them and an ever-swelling head.
During the post-competition Mexican food pig-out (when your genius-level ‘color commentator’ does his most impressive thunking), I shared an epiphany apparently stimulated by salsa overdose of all two remaining brain cells.
Considering the rimfire BRS shooters launch 40 grain .22 slugs about 1040 FPS, since Derrick’s Athlon-scoped AGT Vulcan 3 was shooting 34 grain Varmint Knocker .22 slugs at 1025 FPS, he was approaching the ballistics of match-grade .22 LR ammo. However, that the (earlier) rimfire match enjoyed lower temperatures and lighter wind conditions further emphasizes Derrick's shooting skills. GREAT SHOOTING Derrick!
Derrick is also a U.S. sales and service agent for Airgun Technology airguns, and widely considered a top PCP guru/customizer for other high-end PCP brands. Point is, anyone interested in owning an airgun that shoots as well as the finest rimfire competition rifles might consider getting in touch with THE MAN.
Jim Martin finished Second in Slug Class with an excellent 30/40 using his Sightron scoped Daystate Red Wolf, shooting 37 grain slugs of unknown origin at unknown velocity. Excellent shooting, Jim. Being the previous Course Record holder with a 36/40, Jim’s record still stands as the Eighty Foot Pound pellet class record.
All three competitors that contested Slug Class also contested the two pellet classes- Eighty and Thirty-Five Foot Pound (maximums). And all eight shooters in attendance contested the Eighty Foot Pound pellet class.
Despite sacrificing two points to brain farts, Paul Bracaglia posted a fine 34/40 score for yesterdays Eighty Foot Pound Class win. Pablo’s first brain-fart point sacrifice came on his first shot of the match. Though he hit the turkey he was shooting at, 1) he either did not realize, or forgot that shooters cannot take practice shots on the animal targets, 2) hits on animal targets don’t count as points unless the shooter has announced “shooting for record now”, but 3) DO count as a MISS on the scorecard, and, 4) no more practice shots are allowed once One has made aforementioned blunder.
Paul’s second point sacrifice occurred near the end of the match when he again successfully hit the animal target he was shooting at; the WRONG animal target! As Paul’s hero (Homer Simpson) would say, DOH!
It could be construed as more than coincidence that the rifle Paul used is a .30 FX Bobcat that has been “touched” by Derrick Wall. Paul’s DW-anointed Bobcat wears an Athlon Talos scope, and shoots 44.75 JSB pellets 860 FPS. Having been in my possession for a couple months, I declare the pixie-dusted .30 Bobcat one of the most accurate airguns at 100 yards that I’ve ever shot. But Paul shot it extremely well yesterday!
Second Place in Eighty Foot-Pound Class went to Jim Martin (again). Jim posted a 27/40 with his .25 Delta Wolf topped with an Athlon scope, shooting 33.95 JSBs at 890 FPS. Good shooting, Jim. Again.
Six shooters also contested the Thirty-Five Foot Pound class. Your’s Truly, managed to eke out the win with a 24/40 score using a Bushnell Legend scoped .22 Brocock Bantam Sniper, shooting 18.13 JSBs 925 FPS.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Jim Clarke for pretending to have mechanical issues with his rifle that prevented him from engaging the (10) chicken targets. But even with that ten-target dive (virtue of my $20 bribe), Jim nevertheless took Second Place only two points behind the 35 FP Class “WInner”. We don’t have details about Jim’s 35 FP rig or ammo; but good shooting, Jim.
Despite the nearly stifling heat, feedback suggests a fine time was had by all. None more than me.
Correction, maybe Paul! He seemed as excited about his 80 FP Class win as we (all) were about razzing him about his mental game. You might want to work on that, Pablo.
Pablo pondering what makes women tick, when he should be thinking about SHOOTING.
On second thought…
The venues well-deserved reputation for ‘challenging’ winds proved less curse-worthy yesterday than is often the case, given most of the field of ‘seasoned’ competitors might have succumbed to heat-stroke without said winds! At least this time the winds prevailed from one direction, rather than displaying than their usually-schizophrenic nature.
That may have something to do with Derrick Wall posting a new course record in taking the top honor of Overall Match Winner (and Slug Class Winner)! To add perspective to Derrick’s awesome 38/40 score, the high score posted earlier in the Rimfire Bench-Rest Silhouette match was 39/40 in lighter winds and less scorching temperatures.
Derrick also posted the only ten-in-a-row of the airgun match; in fact TWO! That guy is going to have to add an extra room on his house to hold yesterdays Match Winner and Ten-In-A-Row Pig and TURKEY hat-pin awards. Well, at least get another hat to display all his hat-pins. A BIG hat to contain them and an ever-swelling head.
During the post-competition Mexican food pig-out (when your genius-level ‘color commentator’ does his most impressive thunking), I shared an epiphany apparently stimulated by salsa overdose of all two remaining brain cells.
Considering the rimfire BRS shooters launch 40 grain .22 slugs about 1040 FPS, since Derrick’s Athlon-scoped AGT Vulcan 3 was shooting 34 grain Varmint Knocker .22 slugs at 1025 FPS, he was approaching the ballistics of match-grade .22 LR ammo. However, that the (earlier) rimfire match enjoyed lower temperatures and lighter wind conditions further emphasizes Derrick's shooting skills. GREAT SHOOTING Derrick!
Derrick is also a U.S. sales and service agent for Airgun Technology airguns, and widely considered a top PCP guru/customizer for other high-end PCP brands. Point is, anyone interested in owning an airgun that shoots as well as the finest rimfire competition rifles might consider getting in touch with THE MAN.
Jim Martin finished Second in Slug Class with an excellent 30/40 using his Sightron scoped Daystate Red Wolf, shooting 37 grain slugs of unknown origin at unknown velocity. Excellent shooting, Jim. Being the previous Course Record holder with a 36/40, Jim’s record still stands as the Eighty Foot Pound pellet class record.
All three competitors that contested Slug Class also contested the two pellet classes- Eighty and Thirty-Five Foot Pound (maximums). And all eight shooters in attendance contested the Eighty Foot Pound pellet class.
Despite sacrificing two points to brain farts, Paul Bracaglia posted a fine 34/40 score for yesterdays Eighty Foot Pound Class win. Pablo’s first brain-fart point sacrifice came on his first shot of the match. Though he hit the turkey he was shooting at, 1) he either did not realize, or forgot that shooters cannot take practice shots on the animal targets, 2) hits on animal targets don’t count as points unless the shooter has announced “shooting for record now”, but 3) DO count as a MISS on the scorecard, and, 4) no more practice shots are allowed once One has made aforementioned blunder.
Paul’s second point sacrifice occurred near the end of the match when he again successfully hit the animal target he was shooting at; the WRONG animal target! As Paul’s hero (Homer Simpson) would say, DOH!
It could be construed as more than coincidence that the rifle Paul used is a .30 FX Bobcat that has been “touched” by Derrick Wall. Paul’s DW-anointed Bobcat wears an Athlon Talos scope, and shoots 44.75 JSB pellets 860 FPS. Having been in my possession for a couple months, I declare the pixie-dusted .30 Bobcat one of the most accurate airguns at 100 yards that I’ve ever shot. But Paul shot it extremely well yesterday!
Second Place in Eighty Foot-Pound Class went to Jim Martin (again). Jim posted a 27/40 with his .25 Delta Wolf topped with an Athlon scope, shooting 33.95 JSBs at 890 FPS. Good shooting, Jim. Again.
Six shooters also contested the Thirty-Five Foot Pound class. Your’s Truly, managed to eke out the win with a 24/40 score using a Bushnell Legend scoped .22 Brocock Bantam Sniper, shooting 18.13 JSBs 925 FPS.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Jim Clarke for pretending to have mechanical issues with his rifle that prevented him from engaging the (10) chicken targets. But even with that ten-target dive (virtue of my $20 bribe), Jim nevertheless took Second Place only two points behind the 35 FP Class “WInner”. We don’t have details about Jim’s 35 FP rig or ammo; but good shooting, Jim.
Despite the nearly stifling heat, feedback suggests a fine time was had by all. None more than me.
Correction, maybe Paul! He seemed as excited about his 80 FP Class win as we (all) were about razzing him about his mental game. You might want to work on that, Pablo.
Pablo pondering what makes women tick, when he should be thinking about SHOOTING.
On second thought…
is doing darn good. It’s shocking how much better the slugs perform in winds! Shooting Spock in between .30 Delta Wolf & .22 Evol really showcased just how advantageous slugs are. 
