Finally shot my first CMP Garand match

[PhillipM]

Well I'm a long way from that distinguished badge but I'm learning. Mainly learning I suck at the standing position with a whopping 38. We did it last and by that time I was soaked to the bone with the heat and humidity with my wet feet sloshing around in my boots (should have taken them off). Combining that with no breakfast and not really enough sleep the night before, I was pretty well done in. I just read Mr Kepler's thoughts on standing in Jeff's post. Thanks for the advise. There is an Appleseed starting here soon, I'll try that out.

The best thing I did was build a lot of confidence in my rifle. As I fired the slow prone I finally started hitting 10's and X's and I came into my groove and wound up with a better score on the rapid prone percentage wise, than on slow prone as a result. I beat all the other Garands but those black rifles do shoot well. The winner was the only one there that was a serious shooter with the A2, stool, jacket, etc. The rest of us were just playing around. John Fisher (JohnF on Jouster) built my M1 and I can't say enough good things about it. It's like a brand new one.

I had no idea I was being photographed until I saw it on the web earlier.

Link to todays shoot with more pictures

[Jeff L]

Pretty fun huh? I did my first one recently too. When are you going to shoot again?

-Jeff L

[PhillipM]

I'll shoot a Garand clinic for the practice on the 27th, then there is a highpower match on 9/4 to be fired at 200, 300, and 600 yards. I've never shot anything at 600 so this will be a learning experience for sure.

It will be fun learning this with you, Jeff!

[John Kepler]

Phil et.al.
One little piece of advise regarding shooting at 6...EVERYTHING you do at 6 is exagerated. That "rock-steady" position you have at 200 is shivering like a dog crapping peach-stones at 6! That "nice" trigger you have at 2 is yanking it at 6! Tighten your sling, keep your position stable and uniform, REMEMBER YOUR NPOA and keep it Holy, and run a very "soft" trigger with complete follow-through. A little "twitch" that might pull you an 8 instead of a 10 at 200 is an off-target miss at 6! On the up-side, it's many times worse at 1000!

[Art]

Another lefty shooter :-)

[dzelenka]

Where is the highpower match on 9/4?

[Griff Murphey]

DRy fire, Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry Fire, Dry fire.... repeat repeat etc. Dry firing will help you more than anything. .22 and air rifle are also good training for offhand. Did anyone say get a coat?

[dzelenka]

Did you shoot the match today? Where was it? How did you do?

[Sunray]

"...Dry firing will help you more than anything..." Absolutely. Won't bother the rifle either. Kind of fun too. Door knobs at the end of a hall make good aiming points. Get some upper body toning exercise and a sling(if they're allowed) too. A sling makes a huge difference when shooting off hand.
Don't know if they're allowed, but a trigger shoe will help too. Not sure if they're still available though. Mind you, good ammo is more important.
There's a .pdf 600 yard target reduced for 100 yards here, as well. http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf.html

[John Kepler]

"...a sling(if they're allowed) too.

They aren't!

A sling makes a huge difference when shooting off hand.

Which is why they aren't allowed!

Don't know if they're allowed, but a trigger shoe will help too.

Trigger shoe????? Academic in any case....that's an "external modification" and so, illegal for Service Rifle competition.

There's a .pdf 600 yard target reduced for 100 yards here, as well. http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf.html

The only problem with "sim-targets" as that they don't simulate what wind does to your bullet at 600. I have seen many a "Simulated Master" get their fundaments shot off by Sharpshooters that earned their classifications at real ranges with real wind!

[PhillipM]

Did you shoot the match today? Where was it? How did you do?

It was to be at the Burns range at Bogue Chitto. After working late out of town Thursday and Friday I get home and start organizing everything so I can leave at 6am when I get an email at 8pm that it's canceled due to lack of interest. No one RSVP'd except me.

[Maury Krupp]

...canceled due to lack of interest. No one RSVP'd except me.

Grrr, that's a pet peeve of mine

There was no lack of interest on YOUR part.

You're a new shooter trying to get started and learn the game but essentially you were told "You're not worth the time or effort."

With all the bitching and moaning about the "decline of highpower" that's a great way to build the discipline - NOT!

If there's a match scheduled on the range calendar then it's incumbent on the Match Director to show up and at least TRY to hold a match.

Maury

[PhillipM]

They aren't!

Which is why they aren't allowed!

Trigger shoe????? Academic in any case....that's an "external modification" and so, illegal for Service Rifle competition.
The only problem with "sim-targets" as that they don't simulate what wind does to your bullet at 600. I have seen many a "Simulated Master" get their fundaments shot off by Sharpshooters that earned their classifications at real ranges with real wind!

The maximum range I can find to shoot nearby is 300. I guess many would like to have a 300 yard range 3 miles from home, so I guess I shouldn't b*tch too much.

[PhillipM]

DRy fire, Dry fire, Dry fire, Dry Fire, Dry fire.... repeat repeat etc. Dry firing will help you more than anything. .22 and air rifle are also good training for offhand. Did anyone say get a coat?

I have a 513 Remington I practice with that I picked up from Emri. It's not a T model but I did find a LEAD stock cheap on the CSP shopper that I use since the sling swivels are the same as my M1. An aperture sight for it is on my shopping list.

[Maury Krupp]

The maximum range I can find to shoot nearby is 300...

Nothing wrong with 300yd. The MR-63 can be a tough target. Enough so that it's part of standard Mid-Range Prone courses.

Getting right down to it all the distances and all the targets are pretty good. It depends on what you're trying to accomplish. The 100 lets you practice by yourself, the 100 and 200 can show you what your hold really is, the 300 adds a little bit of wind but not too much.

Shooting full distance 600 is nice and definitely a challenge, but never think there's nothing to learn at the shorter distances.

Maury