Results Sept 2023 Topstraps Rimfire Challenge

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I want to thank everyone that helped me spot/score/paint this match, it really helps save time and also gives my eyes a rest from constant spotting. Hard to spot and then try to shoot a match. Blessed with a great bunch of competitors that always chip in to help anyone that needs tools, ammo or even a loaned gun to make their day a fun outing.

Another great shoot is in the books, only one more this year. Next month will be the timed event. It's really the most fun match of the year but some get intimitated by there being a time limit. A few of us have shot it with old single shot rifles and still finished in plenty of time. The event is: you start with 100 rounds dumped in a bowl, you are allowed 1 ten round or less capacity magazine (non altered) or single shot. The magazine has to be held in your hand when loading and if you have problems loading you can hand it off to a person that you can have load it for you and hand it back. There are 75 targets starting at 25 yards and ending at 197 yards. I take out the smaller harder to hit targets or racks so shooters don't get tied up on one target they can't hit. Shooters are allowed all the sighters they want but they come out of their bowl. The spotter/scorekeeper does not spot rounds or hits but if there is a miss they will yell MISS and that target has to be shot again before continuing on. The match ends when either when the 20 minute time limit is reached or you run out of ammo or you hit all the targets and ring the bell with your last shot which stops the timer. We use a calculation similiar to Comstock scoring where all hits are counted, any left over ammo is counted and the time is calculated in to come up with a number which is your score. We tried all variables but hitting the most targets with left over rounds and shooting quickly/accurately gives the best result. Remember the old saying, slow is smooth and smooth is fast. If the winner beats the Kings high previous record score and wins the match I'll hand you a crisp $100 bill as the bounty on the King. It's really a super fun match and nothing like it anywhere. It's the real Topstraps Rimfire Challenge Match.

OK, on to the match report for this month which might be a bit long. We shot the match in reverse this month meaning we shot from 197 yards first then worked our way back to finishing up at 25 yards. I needed a bonus rack for close up and used lifesavers glued to a piece of cardboard. I allow 5 sighters for shooters to use at any distance/rack they want and if they had any unused sighters they could use them to tweak their 25 yard setting on a small dot beside their respective lifesaver row. They got 3 tries at the lifesavers, only 6 shooter managed to get thru the hole. I made the decision early on that if part of the lifesaver remained intact it would be counted. My first shot looked to be good but was cracked all the way thru, Bob Brown only had a crack near the front so his was counted. The others all went cleanly thru with a slight rubbing on the side. Tim Humphrey was the only one to be perfect with no slight rubbing of the side. I also let all competitors take a chance by guessing how many total shots would be perfect with a $1.00 bet. I even let them make their bet after shooting the match so they could get a better chance at guessing the right number. Nobody saw or knew how many hits had been made other than the one card they could see while they were there so it was equal for everyone. I told everyone that one perfect shot had been made and it was their guess after that. One shooter guessed 33, pretty optimistic but we'd never tried it before and you'd think at 25 yards it would be easier.

I will make mention of one shooter that has been shooting with us for many years, She has really become a nice shot, a buddy and I talked her into stepping up to a better ammo since we felt it was holding her back. She really stepped up and got some RWS R-50 and hit all 10 of my 10" down to 1" targets at 197 yards to get her name up on my shed ceiling to join in with the few others that have accomplished this feat. She then proceeded to shoot aan 82 which was by far her best score to date. Look our guys, we created a monster. Great shooting Karen Marsh.

Dan Bartok came back later in the day after having a terrible time earlier with a well cleaned gun. He reentered and shot an 88, bet he don't super clean the gun again before a match. I still haven't figured out how to clean or not clean, opinions vary all over the place. I spot for most of the competitors and I think everyone is discovering that the higher end ammo just overall just plain shoots better in nearly all guns. The consistency and watching the bullets come in on the targets is much better, if you get a bad round/flier it's only out a little bit instead of flying over or under the target. Still might get a miss on a little target but the odds are better it'll be a better shot with the good stuff. I'm still stubborn and use SK Biathlon and had 4 flier rounds, 1 well over the top and 3 drop in under. I guess shooting a gun I've never shot to get settings for and never with that ammo and starting at 197 didn't help either but I love the old target guns and am happy with the old Remington 37. Is it worth spending $20.00/50 for ammo? Up to you and your goals, some matches I may step up but I still want to keep the fun aspect with peep sights and old guns knowing I won't be at the top anyway.

There was a 4 way tie for guessing how many perfect shots would be made. There were 6 shots although Tim thought mine should have counted since it was still there except for a small piece that fell out which would have made 7. Tim guessed 7 so I'll have to be reminded of that for a while. It's all in good fun but after having my Grandson still the bowl for a while then pulling out 1 ticket the winner is....... Do the drum roll from Chevy Chases Christmas Vacation please. Brian Yochum. He'll get $29.00. Not everyone decided to take a chance.

This was also Mark Elliotts first time shooting and drove 2 1/2 hours to get here, thanks for coming and hope you had a fun time.

All scores decided by reverse count including the bonus stage.

Dan Bartok won "A" class and Dave Callipare won "B" class so they get free entries next month.

Score Class Name Gun Scope Ammo Bonus Lifesaver Hits

1. 88 A Dan Bartok (2) Anschutz MPR NF R-50 0
2. 88 A Bill Moran (2) Anschutz 1910 Arken Lapua Super Long Range 0
3. 86 B Dave Callipare Vudoo NF SK Bia. 0
4. 85 B Matt Gallagher (1) CZ 457 Vortex SE SK Bia. 0
5. 84 B Tim Humphrey Vudoo NF SK Bia. 1
6. 83 A Jerry Gelbraith CZ 457 NF Eley Match Black Box 1
7. 84 A Kenny Arnold Kimber Vortex Eley Match Black Box 0
8. 83 B Chris Baker Rim-X NF SK Bia. 0
9. 82 B Bob Brown Remington 40-X Athlon SK Bia. 1
10. 82 B Jerry Shaw H&R 12 Arken SH-4 SK Bia. 0
11. 82 B Mike Drake Vudoo NF SK Bia. 0
12. 82 B Phil Palmisano Vudoo Arken SK Bia. 0
13. 82 A Bill Nesbitt Vudoo NF Lapua Midas 0
14. 82 A Karen Marsh CZ Ultra Lux Vortex R-50 0
15. 82 B Mark Elliot CZ 457 Arken EP-5 SK Rifle 1
16. 81 B Joe Bender CZ 457 MTR Vortex SK Bia. 0
17. 81 B Dennis Kirkpatrick Remington 37 Arken SH-4 SK Bia. 0
18. 81 A Bill Moran (1) Anschutz 1910 Arken Lapua Midas 0
19. 80 B Herman Crooks Rim-X NF SK Bia. 0
20. 79 B Dan Steyaert Savage MK II Arken EP-5 Eley Club 0
21. 79 B Steve Wilson CZ 457 Vortex Eley Target 0
22. 79 B Matt Gallagher Ruger 10/22 Arken EP-5 SK Bia. 0
23. 79 A Bill Moran (3) Anschutz 1910 Arken Lapua Super Long Range 0
24. 78 B Kurt Yoder Sako Quad SWFA 20X SK Bia. 0
25. 77 A Dan Bartok Anschutz MPR NF R-50 0
26. 77 B Matt Dillon Vudoo Athlon SK Bia. 0
27. 75 B Chuck Wagner H&R 12 SWFA RWS Rifle 0
28. 74 B Butch McCort CZ 457 Bushnell CCI Std. 0
29. 74 B Rick Sells Savage MK II Vortex Eley Club 1
30. 72 A Jake Slyder Ruger Bushnell Lapua Polar Bia. 1
31. 71 B Jim Lochary CZ 457 March SK Bia. 0
32. 70 B Jacob Cain CZ 457 SWFA 20X SK Pistol 0
33. 69 B Brian Jochum CZ 452 Arken SK Rifle 0