Fun at Panola.

Wood stock on my little hunting carbine. Doe in a cooler ready to manhandle into the back of the 4-runner.


Match rifle with wood stock configuration. Wood stock now on carbine I took deer hunting. Match rifle has now been around the block a bit- it went to the NRA Championship at Camp Perry after CMP week and to mid-range a couple of times.

First match in a while at the Panola County Gun Club. I skipped the first Saturday in November for deer season, December was more hunting. January moved off the first weekend due to the holiday and then snowed out. February bounced a weekend due to weather. Last Saturday we finally shot. Not too many folks but a nice little 3-relay crowd. 20 folks or so. Low temp- I kept checking my car thermometer in shock. 24 when we started. No wind so it was comfortable but still a little daunting for a Texan. Warmer in the sun and by the time the first relay was in the pits everyone had forgotten about the weather.

I took my match rifle out with only Scientific Wild Ass Guesses for zeros. They turned out to be pretty close. Shot 95X1 standing. (All in the aiming black: X,10 and 9 rings.) Had to borrow ammo for the rapids, (mine was seated too long for magazines), but shot a 100X7 sitting at 200 and 100X3 at 300 yards. 600 line started off easy with four Xs but at the end the wind picked up a bit and I dropped four points in the last five shots. 487x14. Sounded OK but I was disappointed not to break 490. Rifle hardly moves when it goes off. Heavy. Long barrel makes for faster bullets. Faster bullets means less wind. Longer sight radius and better sights help. Big sling. You really shouldn't miss...ever.

Justin Utley shot a 495X17 with his match rifle to get another 495 NRA club certificate and hatpin so I was just a face in the crowd. Only the 5th 495 that we could think of at that range and two of them belong to Justin.

Had a brand new shooter with an unzeroed rifle. I couldn't ever convince him to put a good Happy Meal cheek weld on the rifle. Gave up after I counted ten times of telling him. He didn't shoot any misses off his target. I think he had a good time but it's hard to tell with teenagers. Amazing to shoot at 600 and actually hit anything if you have never done it-or ought to be.
Sore today from stretching out prone with a sling. Shooting is so immersive that it's really satisfying when it goes well. Shot only one round in the eight ring all day, a late shot the wind blew out at 600. Should have caught it.

Match rifle is lots of fun. LOTS of fun.