Getting ready for Saturdays .22 rifle match.

[Danny Creasy]

I decided to go with two different rifles for the August 50/25 Rimfire Sporter Silhouette match. The CZ 452 UltraLux for the open sighted class and the Anschutz 1710 for the telescopically sighted class:



Once again, no one else was at the range on this beautiful Monday summer morning. I set up one rack and put up some sighting bulls on the backer just behind the rack:



I began by zeroing the two rifles using the flame dots. As I jotted on the target in the accompanying pic, the Anschutz was a piece of cake to zero (up four clicks and left three on the Weaver V-16). However, I was bummed to find the windage off on the long barreled CZ as that entailed playing cat and mouse with the tiny little windage adjustment screws on the rear sight. I only took two boxes of SK Std Plus cartridges and I wanted to be sure I saved 60 rounds for two runs at the rack. One with the Annie and one with the CZ. So, I could only spare three rounds for that final CZ group. I was making very judicious left windage adjustments trying to sneak up on POA. Fortunately, those last three pretty much straddled the little diamond:



With the two European sporters sighted in, I was ready to take on the steel targets, offhand, in simulated match conditions. One can engage the 25 targets in any order with his/her 30 rounds, and there are several strategies about how to go about this. Usually, the competitors, me included, start with the bottom row dwelling rams and then work our way up. I shot the Anschutz first and I decided to use my still fresh nerves and muscles to start with the challenging top row. I have done this once or twice over the years with mixed success. Today, I smacked the Pdog with my first shot and then went six for six on the little chickens. Not only that, while I was hot and since I had a ten shot magazine in the rifle, I knocked off three pigs. "Dang, ten for ten. I can clean this thing today." Well, it was not to be. Left one turkey up. I even missed a big fat ram. But, I would gladly take a 1X1 score on Saturday (under match conditions and a crowd):



I started with the rams on the open sight rack. It is the percentage play with this less precise combo. After shooting two or three rams, I started using a scattered strategy which is a favorite of mine. A couple of rams, a pig or two, a turkey, the pdog, etc. After finally clearing the bottom three rows and the pdog, I had only one round left for the six chickens. I paused, set the rifle down, and let my numbing arm hang for a moment. I picked the rifle back up - chambered a round - took a deep breath, let half of it out, aimed, sighted, and squeezed. I sent the last pill sailing right over the third chicken from the left's back. A 6X6 is a fine open sighted score, but a 4X4 on Saturday would probably be needed to beat or tie the King brothers (they can flat out shoot):



By the way, if you live in the North West Alabama area, these matches are open to the public and we don't even charge an entry fee. We simply ask that you follow the rules, be safe, and have fun. More than once, I have seen a gravel pit plinker show up and best everybody with his or her Marlin 60 or Ruger 10/22. And, there is a peep sighted class as well.

 

[ford8nr]

So what distance is it shot at? All targets at one distance? I shoot a sil league and we shoot chicks at 40m, pigs at 60, turkey's at 80 and rams at 100m. Two banks of 5 for a total of 40 targets all offhand. Best score this year has been a 31. GREAT FUN with a .22

 

[Danny Creasy]

Hi ford8nr,

Over 20 years ago, my local club wanted to start a rimfire silhouette game. They had tried the more traditional multi-distance game like your league. However, we had space and range usage issues (it tied up the relatively small but popular 100 yard range).

After a few years, they came up with a 25 yard rapidfire game using a setup similar to that in the pics. It worked well on our shorter 50 range. After a few years, attendance waned.

I came up with a 50 yard game in the aughts that somewhat split the difference between the two. The shooting is at a deliberate pace, but one cannot dilly dally. Here is a match description. I posted it on the club's site years ago:

50/25 Sporter

First Saturday - Set ups start at 8:30 AM

From 50 yards the shooter engages 25 metallic silhouettes with 30 rounds of .22 short, long, or long rifle ammo in 10 minutes. The winner leaves the fewest metallic animals standing. Fired offhand and unsupported with the use of a sling prohibited. Classes - aperture sight, optic sight, and open sight.

These matches have gotten quite popular and we average between 10 and 20 shooters. The match has been featured in the Times Daily sports section. We have added extra racks as of late to enable us to move more shooters through at a faster rate.

The rifle must be a .22 "sporter" with the match coordinator holding the right to reject questionable rifles. No palm rests or thumb-hole stocks are allowed. We have scales on hand and the rifle's weight with its scope and/or peep or open sights must not exceed 8.5 lbs. Triggers must simply be "safe". The rifle's detachable box magazine must be removed before weigh in. Tube repeaters are cleared and then weighed. A shooter can bring three rifles and shoot in all three classes if he or she so desires. NO SCOPE MAGNIFICATION LIMITS

Here are last month's scores to give you a better feel for the scoring:


SCOPE SIGHTED CLASS

1st 3X3 Randy King, Savage Mk II, CCI SV
1st 3X3 Danny Creasy, Kimber Hunter, Sk Std Plus
2nd 7X6 David Malone, Ruger 10/22, Wolf MT
3rd 9X4 Mike, Savage Mk II, Federal AutoMatch
4th 9X7 David Hollimon, CZ 452 Silhouette, Aguila
5th 11X5 Ulus Farris, CZ 452 American, Federal 510
6th 12X7 Peter Justinius, Ruger 10/22, Federal*
7th 15X6 Peary Willard, Remington 581, Federal 510
8th 21X7 Billy Moffett, Cricket, Federal 750

OPEN SIGHTED CLASS

1st 5X5 Randy King, CZ 452 Trainer, CCI SV
1st 5X5 Danny Creasy, CZ 452 FS, SK Std Plus
2nd 10X6 David Hollimon, CZ 452 UltraLux, Aguila
3rd 14X5 Mike, Marlin 39, Federal AutoMatch
4th 15X7 Andrew Butler, CZ 452 UltraLux, Winchester Xpert
5th 19X7 Peary Willard, CZ 452 Lux, CCI SV
6th 23X7 Peter Justinius, Stevens Favorite, Federal
7th 24X7 David Malone, Ruger 10/22, Wolf MT

PEEP SIGHTED CLASS

1st 7X7 Randy King, CZ 452 Trainer, CCI SV
2nd 8X6 Danny Creasy, Marlin 39A, Federal 750
3rd 17X6 Billy Moffett, Marlin 39A, Federal 750


The first number in the score denotes the total number of silhouettes left standing, and the second number in the score indicates how many were left standing in the top row. The second number can serve as a tiebreaker.

 

[tuj]

The rifle must be a .22 "sporter" with the match coordinator holding the right to reject questionable rifles. No palm rests or thumb-hole stocks are allowed. We have scales on hand and the rifle's weight with its scope and/or peep or open sights must not exceed 8.5 lbs.

Why? Many good position rifles like the ever-popular Kimber 82G weigh at least 10lbs. Why are you excluding them?

 

[Danny Creasy]

Because it is a "sporter" match. Not, a target rifle match. There are many popular competitions designed for the type of .22 rifle known as a sporter. They all have weight limits varying between 7.5 to 8.5 lbs. Our rules for the 50/25 Match are actually quite generous with the 8.5 lb. ceiling, no scope magnification ceiling, and no trigger weight of pull floor.

Besides, some few have tried the match with their heavy target rifles just for fun and done poorly. First, the heavy rifle shooter has trouble holding their big rifle up for the 30 rounds in under 10 minutes. Second, their bullseye guns are usually single shots and while it is possible to complete the course of fire in the allotted time via single loading, it adds stress to an already challenging match.

I have a couple of sporters with only one reliable magazine - a Remington 541-T and a Kimber Hunter (K-22). I found it best to simply place 30 rounds in a loading block and single load when using these two sporters. I shot well, but finished with just a few seconds remaining.

Back last fall, a friend shot his Anschutz 54 Super Match single shot target rifle (scoped) on a whim. It was a hoot but he said the match would have been much easier with a lighter rifle. He got all 30 rounds off and scored a 13X6. Pic:


One would think that my Anschutz 1710 Sporter would almost present an unfair advantage (although several regulars have them). However, I find it just a bit too heavy for the match. Fatigue is a factor in the match. The match has been in its current form since 2007. In that time, the rack has been cleaned only three times. Twice, by myself with two different CZ Americans, and once, by my good friend Dwight Pilkilton shooting his customized Ruger 10/22. In spite of many attempts I have yet to clean the rack with the Annie. My goal, at present, is to use it in the match until I can get 'em all down with the German rifle. No one has ever cleaned the rack in either the open sight class or aperture sight class.

http://www.rimfireshooting.com/index.php?/forum/69-50-25/

By the way, we shoot a 25 yard .22 handgun version of the match on second Saturdays.

 

[Jim Watson]

As a member of the same club, although over on the IDPA side,
I will add that the other main smallbore event here is CMP Rimfire Sporter. Three position, 7.5 lb rifle, 3 lb trigger, maximum 6X scope magnification in the optical sight division.
There is some BR50 shot, too, but the sporter events are more popular.

If you want NRA Conventional smallbore, you will have to drive a bit from our area. I know a few who do.

 

[Danny Creasy]

Good point Jim.

tuj, a Kimber 82G armed shooter would be quite in his/her environment competing in our 50 yard bench rest match.

 

[ford8nr]

Our club has two classes in the traditional sil league. Hunter class and heavy class, I believe 7.5 or 8# is the split. We also have a Hunter Sil shoot monthly that is at 25/50/75/100 with bigger targets. Opened to ANY .22 rifle/scope/sight with two events. Hunter shot standing with no support or sling and Praire Dog shot off a bench or bipod straight through 20rds and is timed. Last year I won cleaning all 20 in 34secs. This year I'm holding 1st so far with a clean in 38sec shooting a 10/22 LVT

 

[Danny Creasy]

Interesting.

 

[Danny Creasy]

Actually, that rack with a single turkey standing in my first post would rate a score of 1X0, not 1X1.

By the way, I couldn't quite muster the magic of the Monday practice session at yesterday's match. Shot a 5X3 in scoped class and a 9X6 in both open and peep sighted classes to finish third, second, and first respectively.

That's the way it goes. The class you consider the "throw away" effort (in this case, the one in which I used my aperture sighted Marlin 39A) ended up being my highest placement.

 

[mp510]

Besides, some few have tried the match with their heavy target rifles just for fun and done poorly. First, the heavy rifle shooter has trouble holding their big rifle up for the 30 rounds in under 10 minutes. Second, their bullseye guns are usually single shots and while it is possible to complete the course of fire in the allotted time via single loading, it adds stress to an already challenging match.

Having tried to use smallbore match rifles on sillouettes twice (once with a Walther GX1, once with an older stevens 416), the big detriment isn't even necessarily in the weight (my walther is about 13 pounds) or single loading, but rather that the sights are not well designed for engaging targets that are not round (unless you have a post aperature for the front).

 

[Danny Creasy]

Yep, the big bullseye guns are designed to do one thing well - shoot bullseyes. Now, when you replace the iron sights with optics, you have a fine bench rifle in some cases.