First CMP Match - Results

[TrapperReady]

359 - 1x

OK, so I've got some room for improvement. However, most importantly, I had fun and plan to keep shooting in these events.

Here's the hardware I used:

Colt 6700 HBAR (flattop with detachable carry handle)
- the only mod was filling the stock with #7.5 shot in a baggie
75 gr Ultramax Match Ammo
30 round GI magazines
Turner leather sling
Open-cell foam sleeping pad (for shooting mat)
10x binoculars (need to get spotting scope)

The match ended up being a reduced course, all shot at 100 yards (not 200 like I had originally anticipated). It had a COF as follows:

200 yards (simulated): 10 minutes
10 rounds - single feed - standing - slow fire

200 yards (simulated): 60 seconds
10 rounds - 2 then 8 - standing to sitting - rapid fire

300 yards (simulated): 70 seconds
10 rounds - 2 then 8 - standing to prone - rapid fire

600 yards (simulated): 20 minutes
20 rounds - single feed - prone - slow fire

Breaking down the different targets:

Standing - horrible, I really, REALLY need to practice this more.

Rapid Sitting - Not bad.

Rapid Prone - Not bad, although I ended up with two distinct 5 shot groups, one in the 9 and 10 ring, the other barely in scoring territory. I'm not sure what happened there.

Slow Prone - Not bad, although either my eyes or my concentration started to wane, and the target was considerably more fuzzy by the end. Should probably slow down some, as I had several minutes remaining.

Lessons learned:

1) Need a thicker glove. That sling starts to hurt after a while.
2) Remove watch before shooting (see Number 1 above)
3) Bring a lighter to blacken the sights
4) Need to get a decent spotting scope
5) High power shooters are very friendly and helpful
6) Bring a pen
7) It's possible to slice my thumb open getting the small screwdriver out of my Leatherman.

For now, I'm just going to keep shooting these informal matches with the equipment currently have (although I forsee getting a spotting scope). Evidently the gun club I belong to has these matches once per month. Quite frankly, right now, that's about the limit of my available time. I figure I can just shoot against my prior week's score and have some fun.

Oh yeah, and order a Garand. Definitely order a Garand.

 

[antsi]

Congrats!!

Fun, ain't it?

A buddy of mine really stressed the log book when I was first getting into rifle match shooting. He was right. It helps you analyze what you need to work on, trends in what you are doing... and above all, it helps you recognize the improvement you are making.

 

[TrapperReady]

antsi: I'm working on jotting down some notes right now.

Steve Smith: THANK YOU! You are an invaluable resource to highpower shooters everywhere. The most informative and helpful posts I have seen regarding the subject (whether here or on TFL), always have your name all over them. You are a credit to yourself and your sport.

 

[Steve Smith]

Aww, shucks, I just like to yap a lot...


Sounds like you did alright, and the important thing was that you participated. Keep going and lights will turn on all the time for you.

Not having been there, its hard to say "why" you had some of the problems, but I can guess. Did you take your time in the rapid prone? Remember to breathe! On the slow prone you can take your time, look at other things other than your sights (watch ants crawl around or look at trees) to rest your eyes. Later you'll start speeding it up though so you can catch the conditions easier. For now, just work on the basics.

 

[TrapperReady]

In the rapid prone, I did make sure to breathe and shoot only after an exhale, with a brief hold. One possibility, and it's a slim one, is that the wind picked up considerably during those 70 seconds. The flag had just barely been flopping around when we started that stage, but I noticed that it was flying hard after I had stopped shooting. I kind of doubt that had a serious effect, since it was only 100 yards, and I was shooting relatively heavy bullets.

On the slow prone, I tried to take my time. I would shoot, eject the magazine and load a new round. Then, before I reinserted the mag, I would move my arms a bit and try to relieve any muscle tension in my upper body (while practicing on Saturday, I developed a big-time cramp between my shoulder blades). Then I would glance at the flag, load the magazine, chamber the round, wriggle back into position and shoot. Repeat until done.

Through most of the stages, I didn't feel too hampered by using stock equipment, but I do think a better trigger would have helped on the standing. As the front sight would weave around, I'd try to touch it off right as it hit the bottom of the black, but it seemed to consistently be a little slow, and the shots were going all over the place.

BTW, you were right, and I was able to buy an OBI from someone for a couple bucks.

Just as a side note, do most guys shoot (on stages where it is allowed) with the rear of the sling detached? I was the only one that did that, and was just curious what you normally see.

One last side note... When I was practicing on Saturday, there was a teenage kid shooting next to me. He'd gotten a deer rifle for Christmas and was sighting it in, but was quite intrigued by my Colt. After I developed the cramp in my back and decided to stop shooting, I loaded up 10 rounds in a magazine, gave him a brief run down of how the thing works and let him shoot. He was stoked. This afternoon, about halfway through the match, he stopped by and watched the rest of the stages. Hopefully, he'll come out and try it sometime.

 

[Steve Smith]

On the slow prone, I tried to take my time. I would shoot, eject the magazine and load a new round.

??? No need to eject mag. Just keep the empty mag in there the whole time. Do be sure to poke the round into the chamber as far as you can (ejection port is too small for fingers) and keep the barrel pointed downrange when you close the bolt in case of a slamfire.

, I developed a big-time cramp between my shoulder blades

Doesn't sound right, unless you're not used to the stretching. If your'e getting a cramp, I'd guess you're using muscles, which you shouldn't be. Ever. Your muscles will get stretched, but you should not ever be constricting them.

I of course have recommendations for triggers and other stuff. for now, you could try to be a little more agressive on the trigger to oversome the bad pull. Just don't jerk the gun when you do it. Of course, at your stage, it is acedemic until you get solid positions.

I leave the rear of my sling attached, but some others don't. Its personal preference. I have see a guy's rear frog catch his shoestrings once. Any idea how difficult it is to get in and out of sitting like that? Moral of the story, if you don't leave your sling hooked at the rear swivel, hook it back to itself!


Hey, could you send the breakdown of your scores? (Standing, sitting, and both prones)

 

[TrapperReady]

Sorry for the delay:

Standing 68
Sitting 85
Rapid Prone 77 (1 x)
Slow Prone 129

Total 359 - 1x

As I review the targets, it seems as though most of the dispersion occured to the right (which was definitely in the direction of the wind), and the elevation was somewhat more consistent. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say that my zero was off. It was more like a group near the center, with some flyers off to the right.

 

[Steve Smith]

Well, I don't think that the wind at 100 was doing anything of consequence to your group. There are a myriad of things that could and probably are a problem, and of course only time will cure some. You can't fix it all in one trip to the range. Things I think are most common: Bad NPA, muscling the gun (not letting the sling hold the rifle's weight), flinching, inconsistent sight alignment, inconsistent sight picture, bad trigger, bad control over said bad trigger, loose position, inconsistent breathing, rushing, taking too long (lol), and generic newbieness.

The flyers to the right indicate several of the above. The beginner should concentrate on developing a good position and finding a good NPA. you can do that at home. If (and it most likely is) your barrel is getting bent because you don't have a tube, perhaps you should look for one of the old cloth M1 slings. They are great slings and you can run it back to the delta ring before you run it to your arm. they are about $5. That will keep most of the tension out of the barrel. After getting a position that really feels solid, start working on sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control. All the other stuff will start to come up after you have this right, but this is the most important now.

On your rapid prone it sounds like you did ok for 6-8 shots and then it fell apart, or maybe the opposite, your first two were crapy? Some new folks do have group shift during the mag change. Always reverify your NPA after the mag change. If its not right, FIX IT before you waste points.

If you double your rapid fire score you will see that you would have beaten your slow prone score by 25 points. You ought to be able to score roughly equally on both in a reduced course match. What this tells me is that your position most likely fell apart or you were bull gazing. Constantly evaluate your position, and spend only eough time on the sights to know you're pulling the trigger at the right time. (maybe 6 seconds)

 

[TrapperReady]

Thanks for the advice. Since that was only the third time I'd shot that rifle (not counting dry firing), I'm still getting used to it. I am very familiar with the platform though, and have a lot of experience (although not for a number of years) with M16A1s and A2s.

I agree that at 100 yards, the wind isn't likely to have moved a fast moving 75gr bullet enough to screw up my scores.

The trigger is definitely heavier than optimal, but not as bad as many I've seen. It is certainly not a match trigger by any stretch of the imagination.

Regarding the slow prone, I did notice that the last 6 shots or so were pretty rough. I just wasn't able to focus as clearly as I should have, which was either waning concentration or a problem with my contacts.

I do think that the "general newbieness" had something to do with it. Having done it once, I'll be far more relaxed for next time. I also won't be afraid to shoot the slow prone considerably faster if the conditions are good. I may even bring a little contact lens rewetting solution for use between the stages.

Right now, I just plan to dry fire a fair amount in the standing position, since that was pretty pathetic. My goal for next time is to at least keep all of the rounds in the scoring area for all targets and see if I can get closer to 400.

BTW, if I get a new trigger, I was leaning towards the Jewell. Any opinions on that?

Thanks again!

 

[Steve Smith]

The Jewell is good, but the Rock River as tuned by John Holliger is better and cheaper.

 

[cracked butt]

You probably did better than I did when I shot my first CMP match last year.
AT least now you know your weaknesses and can work on them. The standing position I was able to make the most dramatic improvements on with practise. My first match I got 73 on the standing position and a 95 on my last match(using a Mauser 98 ) . I practiced with a scoped .22 sighted in at 100 yards. Shooting offhand at a bleach bottle until I could hit it every time offhand, then progressively moved to smaller targets such as 20 oz coke bottles, clay pigeons and pop cans. Its alot more fun than punching paper, and you can see instantly if you are making hits of not. If you are shooting at a dirt berm, you can also get a better feel for the rifle and be able to call your shots because you can see where the shots hit and what you did wrong to make the shot hit there. I also practice sitting and prone positions with this rifle (without a sling though) but I need much more practice on sitting as its now my weakest position.