8/24/13 Eastern WA Shoot - After Action Report
Brief After Action Report of our Trip to Eastern WA this weekend for some long range shooting in Jake's neck of the woods.
Three of us (Flashfire, Known, MactheKnife) made a road trip out to the Jubilee Youth Ranch this weekend to connect with Jake and get some long range shooting action on steel targets at the type of distances that are typically very hard to find on the wet side of the state.
After a nice dinner at the Road House Steak restaurant in Kennewick on Friday evening we drove out to the ranch to get some sleep so we could get an early start on Saturday morning. We loaded up our gear at 6:30AM and got out to the firing position at 7:00AM to start to setup some steel targets. Jake reconned and put up some of the far targets prior to our group's arrival (thanks Jake!).
We had targets setup as follows:
- 277 Yards - 5 inch Square on a t-post
- 317 Yards - Steel Swinger
- 390 Yards - Know your Limits Rack with 5 plates of various sizes; and a pepper popper
- 429 Yards - 66% IPSC
- 540 Yards - Hostage Flapper
- 872 Yards - 12" Square
- 950 Yards - 12" Circle
- 1150 Yards - 12"x24" Rectangle
Jake also built a nice rooftop barricade with an integrated port holes underneath that we used to practice typical match stages in the afternoon.
7:00 AM Environmental Stats: 68.8F, 29.29 In BP, 1500 DA, 63% Hmd.
We started out at ground level near where our trucks were parked and engaged some of the near to intermediate distance targets. After a couple of hours, we decided to take a position about 30 feet up on a flat knoll and we also deployed an easy-up canopy to give us some shade in the impending 95 degree heat of the afternoon. We each took turns shooting and spotting. Mike's .308 Mega Maten semi-automatic malfunctioned due to a broken extractor after he shot off about 50 rounds, and the mid-day heat had even arrived. Luckily we had several other rifles available for him to use/try. As temperature began to rise into nineties, we took a break for some refreshments and then decided to use the barricade to run some practice match drills on the targets. After 90 minutes in the blazing sun, we decided to bring the canopy down from the hill so we could sit in some shade while waiting for our turn to use the barricade. On my third run through the barricade drill my 6.5 Grendel malfunctioned due to two the bolt lugs being sheared off. So I went to one of my other rifles for the rest of the day. Late in the afternoon, some of us still hadn't connected with the 950 and 1150 yard targets. The 1150 yard target proved to be somewhat elusive due to the shifting wind conditions as well as the heavy/thick grass around the target gave absolutely no information as far as bullet splash to make corrections. After some time, Jake was able to follow the trace to coach me into making impact on the far target.
After hitting all the targets, and being well dusted and dehydrated by the Eastern, WA environment we decided to pack it in so we could get cleaned up and have a nice dinner back in town. On the way back to the Jubilee Youth Ranch, Jake's newly constructed barricade fell off his truck while he was cruising at about 40MPH, luckily it survived "mostly" intact. A few more screws and 2x4s will make it like new again.
Before we left on Sunday morning - we had to pick up some more fine products from JC Steel Targets and say our farewells. We'll definitely be back for the upcoming match in 2014.
Below are the handful of pictures I was able to capture.
Photo of: Mike, Ed, Me (Steve). Jake is taking the photo.
Jake our host, is on spotter/observer duty and chillin out under the shade of the canopy.
Mike is inspecting spent brass from his rifle, while Ed prepares to shoot. You can see the on the right hand side of the photo, off in the distance - the terrain where we set out targets, near the bottom of the slope.
Mike trying out Ed's AI AW rifle
Ed engaging the spinner target
Jake engaging the spinner target
Me with my 338LM that I used to hit the 1150 yard target