.22 rimfire Black Death Challenge
(Targets at bottom of page.)
"...the real test of marksmanship, the infamous Black Death Challenge target. It is there for one reason, To Destroy You! There are 5 targets on the sheet in decreasing sizes from 1 ½ inch, 1 inch, ¾ inch, 5/8 inch, and ½ inch. You have the option to fire your shots at the larger targets and play it safe for less points or get crazy and go for a win, attempting to put 5 bullets in a half inch White circle
without cutting the Black sides. Only three people in the world have done it at 25 yards and only one at 50 yards. We expect others but it ain’t likely. You must be absolutely dead center or DIE. You can lose all 50 points if you attempt a perfect score and are slightly off. “Do You Feel Lucky?” It is indeed the ultimate pressure match. But those who shoot Black Death and like it prefer nothing else. No one can really show you how to shoot the Black Death target, as strategy must be employed, therefore it is a match for the thinker. Bob Baldwin needed points on his last championship match, he put 4 shots on the 10 point circle, as the coach I advised him to shoot the next largest target for a clean 47 points which he did and won TOP GUN. Sometimes it is wise to play it safe...Each competitor may choose to observe, or ignore (at his option) Clint Eastwood’s Rule #1 of Self-Knowledge... as spoken by Dirty Harry, "You've got to know your limitations."
~ John Simeone, creator of the Black Death Challenge
The original Black Death target
John Simeone's rules
1. Only 5 shots anywhere on the score target... Unlimited shots on the sighting in target.
2. This target will be used for benchrest 25 yard "Squirrel Rifle" Class, .22 rifles,... 50 yard "BR-50" Class .22 rifles,...and Centerfire "Varmint" Class rifles at 100 yards.
3. You have fifteen minutes to fire your sighters and to fire your record fire. (For TOP GUN Challenge 2001 you only have 15 minutes to Zero, shoot the Bull’s Eye and the Black Death Target)
4. Any shot judged to touch anywhere on the Black area of a target, voids all shots on that target (other targets on the paper are unaffected).
DETAILS
The 5 scoring shots can be fired one at each target, or all 5 at one target, or any desired combination...But only 5 shots total on the score target.
Shooter will lose his highest scoring shot for each extra shot found on his scoring target.
Each of five targets is marked with the value of each hit in the white area.
Center rings in each target are tie breaking "X" scores. In the case of "X" ties, the best "X" wins.
Maximum score is 50-5X, minimum score is 0-OX.
Target sizes are: 1 1/2 inches, 1 inch, 3/4 inch, 5/8 inch, and 1/2 inch.