Notes from the TSRA Garand/Springfield?M1Carbine/Vintage weekend.

Some Swiss guy's rifle at Terrell.

1. The Terrell club was a great host. Alan Wilson, Dave Wilson, Karl Schultz, Roy Plumlee and others put on a wonderful set of matches.

2. Ammo Issue: We got CMP ammo issued in 30-06. The first day was mostly HXP 77. The second day I got WRA 56, St Louis Arsenal 54, HXP 63, HXP 68, HXP 70, HXP 72, HXP 77. Quite a range. I didn't get to fire Springfield so I brought some home. I took some back after sorting and got ten rounds of HXP 77, though now I kind of wish I had that WRA 56 and the SL 54 back. There was some grumbling about the inconsistant ammo.

3. Used a little suction-cup peepsite thingy on my shooting glasses with the K31 in Vintage. It's one more thing to manage but it does sharpen up the sight picture with the ladder sight.

4. Had a squib in the slow-fire portion of the 50 yard Pistol LEG. Had to drive the bullet out of the barrel and then get back into the shooting. Used a wooden dowel with stapler as a hammer. Took me a moment to figure it out. Primer just drove the 230 Sierra MatchMaster out of the chamber. Have to talk to my loader.

5. Plenty of time in all the rapids with pistol, bolt action rifle, et. 5 shots in 10 seconds with pistol. No problems. Started next trigger squeeze at the top of the recoil from previous shot.

6. Moving from 50 yards to 25 yards in the pistol I didn't reset my sights for the 25 yard timed fire. Group was high in the ten ring and nine ring. Kept me from winning outright.

7. Justin and I ought to have consecutive Pistol Badge numbers. I shot a 261 and he shot a 250. He sucks.

8. 5th win in the Texas Vintage Championship. My rifle has actually won it six times, as I loaned it to Clay Hefner in 2009 and he beat me with it. Maybe it IS the rifle.

9. No problem with recoil. Cheekbone a little sore from riding the back of my thumb but nothing else. Tried to make sure I was squared away.

10. Crazy M1 Carbine match. Handguard jumped off twice and the zero went from 10 ring to way high or way low. Back recoil lug bolt wasn't tight. (I didn't check it because it always tight, you know?) Unknown what is going on yet. When I pulled the rifle out back home the forearm fell off again. Shot 334 or so. 347 won. Ron Leraas.

11. Never got my Springfield uncased. Just no time when you only shoot one day. That means I didn't get a combined score for the Garand/Springfield/Vintage. That's an important match at Camp Perry. Hate to have missed it.