Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

[TimK]

It turns out there's a local rimfire prone league that shoots at the Olympic Training Center on Tuesday nights. With the help of _9H here, I got all the necessary paperwork together and went down to shoot with them tonight. Holy crap, these guys can shoot. I guess I've never been around <span style="text-decoration: underline">really</span> good shooters before because I might not have believed what they do without seeing it myself.

_9H and the rest of them shoot prone at 50 meters. Sure they have some expensive and goofy looking rifles, but they're all shooting irons unsupported. I, on the other hand, had my cheapie trainer, bipod, rear bag, and a 16X scope.

A match is 60 shots. The ten ring is 1 cm (3/8"), and the average score was somewhere in the 580's. So that's 40 of 60 in the 10 ring and 20 of 60 in the 9. The targets I saw were mostly 1 MOA for 60 shots or just slightly more.

I managed not to embarrass myself by shooting the target stands or anything, but it was pretty humbling to be shooting the same scores or a little worse than these guys with all my extra gear.

Most amazing to me was the eldest gentleman there, who is a superb shot. I think _9H told me he's in his 80's. Now that is some cool stuff right there.

Oh,don't bet your lunch money against _9H in a rimfire match unless you want to go hungry.

 

[Mudcat-NC]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Now get ya an iron sighted rifle and come out and join us. I had the same reaction when I started back in 2004, couldnt believe what I was seeing, how can someone shoot tiny knots like that with irons off a sling!? Well, it can be done and we regularly do that out to 1,000 yards (not with a 22, of course) but same way, irons and sling.

Yeah, 9h is no slouch and one would be wise to take everyone opporunity one can to go shoot with him. That 80yr old didnt have the initials L.W., did he?

John

 

[clodhopper]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Keep hanging with those guys, you will learn to be one of them.

 

[richardj]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Just curious.. what sort of rifles/configurations are shot at these matches?

RJ

 

[MinorDamage]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: richardj</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just curious.. what sort of rifles/configurations are shot at these matches?

RJ </div></div>

You should be seeing a lot of fully adjustable Anschutz, Walther, and maybe a Cooper or two. Some will be in aluminum stocks while others will be in fully adjustable wood. Some models

Anschutz 1413, 1613, 1813, 1913, 2013
Walther KKM

Josh

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Lones is not that old yet John. It was Joe Farmer. He's 81 now and still shoots in the 590s - with a BSA no less.

Tim did very well tonight. The target is humbling though - do things right and you score 10s, make a mistake and you are out in the 8 ring.

That heavy barrel Savage shot that lot of Eley OK. Lots of respect for that Accutrigger Savage.

 

[The Mechanic]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Old guys can shoot. I went to a local trap and skeet range and there was this old guy shooting skeet. OK so no big deal right? Well this guy looked like he was 100 years old and shot from the hip!!!! You kidding me?! Dam if he didn't shoot a straight 50 right in front of me. Someone said he was a tailgunner in WW2 and that is the way he has always shot.

 

[John L]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Tim,
yes it can humble you. If your interested in becoming a better shooter there is nothing better than a rimfire. They will really show what your doing wrong. Sounds like you have a good coach there too. After taking up smallbore prone my cross the course scores went up, mainly at the 600 yd. line. Biggest lesson learned back there was all of the wind corrections I was making were mainly due to position errors. When you have a good hold the wind seems to blow a lot less. Keep shooting with those guys and you will see a drastic improvement in your scores.

 

[TimK]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: John L</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tim,
yes it can humble you. If your interested in becoming a better shooter there is nothing better than a rimfire. They will really show what your doing wrong. Sounds like you have a good coach there too. After taking up smallbore prone my cross the course scores went up, mainly at the 600 yd. line. Biggest lesson learned back there was all of the wind corrections I was making were mainly due to position errors. When you have a good hold the wind seems to blow a lot less. Keep shooting with those guys and you will see a drastic improvement in your scores. </div></div>

That is precisely my plan. I figure if I hang around long enough, something is bound to rub off.

 

[usmcchet9296]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

There is always going to be someone better than you but that doesnt mean you shouldnt shoot. Have fun and you will get better over time

 

[kdelnort]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

What's the most popular round in these competitions (.22lr, .22wmr, .17hmr, .17hm2)?

 

[TimK]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

I'm no expert, but all I saw was .22LR.

 

[crumpmd]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

I laughed when I saw your post.
The first F-class match I shot the guy next to me was shooting a 308 palma rifle with Iron sights and beat me easily. In fact he beat everyone shooting with a scope that day.
Humbled is the word for sure.

 

[kdelnort]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Thanks Tim,
I have a Anschutz 17HMR and I was wondering if a person could enter a rimfire match with it, or if only .22lr was permitted.

 

[9H_Cracka]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Rimfire matches vary widely. In today's emerging "tactical rimfire" arena, I'm seeing any rimfire being allowed in the programs I've seen. 22LR, 17M2, 17HMR. I have a 17M2 that works pretty well but am tooling up my 40X rimfire to be my 22LR shooter for this kinda stuff.

NRA and International sports limit you to 22LR. At the OTC, even though Tim is shooting a league (informal) session, we must shoot lead bullets only. Our backstop can handle jackets but our collection and recycling plan only supports lead, not a mix of lead, gilding metal, and plastic, so the 17s are out.

EDIT TO ADD:

Here is a program from a match this Saturday in Rifle CO.

Precision Rifle Division
The match on Dec. 4th will be a rim fire match. The only 4 calibers allowed are 22 long rifle, 22 mag., 17 HMR and 17 mach 2. Shooting will be from 25 yards out to 300 yards. Targets will vary in size from paint balls to 10 inch ballons. We plan on doing lots of shooting so bring lots of ammo(approx. 400 rounds). Shooters can switch between rifles during the match. The usual gear should be brought shooting mat, bipods, range finder,spotting scope, ammo, rifles. The cost of the match is 20 dollars shooters will need to be there prior to 8:30 to sign up match will start at 9:00 A.M. Any questions or to sign up please call or email me.

Shawn
970-309-9772 [email protected]

 

[kdelnort]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Thanks for the update. It's good info.
Is the .22Lr inherently more accurate than the other rimfires?
Or is it just that it's cheaper and more developed?

 

[TimK]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

I'm going back tonight to get my ass handed to me...again.

I've been dryfiring a bunch all week and think I might be able to improve on last week. We shall see.

If nothing else, it'll be nice to shoot indoors. It's <span style="text-decoration: underline">cold</span> here.

 

[daxromana]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

Haha,

There was a 4x600 match at our range earlier this year. The guy that won each class did it with the same damn rifle. WOA 20" AR service rifle with irons. What a shooter!

 

[TimK]

Re: Got humbled today at the OTC in Colorado Springs

I had a modest improvement from a 577 to a 580. There were two young girls shooting, and I had the good sense not to look at their scores. The only thing worse than being schooled by an 81 year old man would be being schooled by a 14 year old girl.

At least I didn't get worse.