I have been wanting to test some higher grade ammo in a couple different guns on the 3 different sided steel plates in the Long Gong competition game. It's a relatively new game and the rules are pretty simple but can be frustrating. 8", 6" and a 4" swinger. Hit the 8" worth 1 point you may move over to the 6" worth 2 points. You may stay there or move over to the 4" worth 3 points or stay on the 6" or even go back to the 8". A miss means you go back one target. Max score could be 27 points per round, you do this 5 times. Easier than it sounds. Plenty of info out there if you search Long Gong Rimfire.
I finally got some free time to take a couple guns out to another local range to try the Long Gong targets at 300 yards and also test some higher end ammo. I tried a Long Gong event last summer at a local range that has started having the Long Gong matches. I took a single shot which is nearly all I have in the way of longrange rimfires and found out quickly that a repeater is much more suited for this game and especially for Powerline Parks range. It's windy there all the time and with wind varying between 5moa left to 6moa righ between shots with my single shot it wasn't going to be a fun day. I tried but with the slow loading and winds it was an exercise in futility. I didn't quit because I was upset, but why waste good ammo and get frustrated. Some shooters got decent wind conditions for a couple shots and their faster repeater actions really helped. I'll work on getting something better suited for next time. Give all the credit in the world to the skills of those that do well there. It's a beautiful range but hold on to your hat, they definitely have more than their fair share of wind to contend with.
Well, on to yesterday. I took my Big Green Anschutz Exemplar pistol with some Lapua Super Long Range ammo. Chris took his Izhmash toggle gun and a BSA Martini Int as did another buddy Bill Moran to try and see if they could see and get hits on the 8", 6" and 4" Long Gong targets at 300 yards thru their peep sights. A buddy Butch McCort made a set for practice at his range which makes it nice for others to get their feet wet.
First the peep sighted BSA Martinis. It took a couple shots for them to get centered up on the sighter plate then both got quite a few hits on the 8" plate using RWS-50 ammo. They didn't know if they'd be able to see the next targets or not and were prepared to dial off and still hold on the 8" for reference. They were both able to see the 6" and got hits but not always in a row. Chris was able to see the 4" and got a few hits. I think his best 1 shot string totaled 11 or maybe 12 but I'd say 7 to 8 per round would easily be his norm. Bill had similiar results but again, it was pretty calm without switching winds to deal with. I even managed a few hits on the 8" but would have to dial over since the 6" was not defined enough for my old eyes to see clearly. Definitely doable, but more a novely than trying to be competitive.
Chris' Izhmash with a 10 round magazine with RWS R-50 ammo did very well with his first try being a 17. Think it would be a good gun to try next time. He found out that there is a method to the madness with playing the game and getting better scores by going for more consistent hits and not jumping right over for more points all the time. Guess there is a strategy to this game. That is probably the gun we'll take if we try Powerline Range again, nearly all our rimfires are single shot target rifles.
Then I tried Big Green which is an Anschutz Exemplar Pistol customized a tiny bit for longer range competition which I think is probably one of my most accurate rimfires. I had a 50 yard zero with Lapua Super Long Range but hadn't shot it past 197 yards. Took one shot at 300 yards on the sighter and get the cold bore out of the way. Topped off the mag and tried two rounds of 10 shots on the Long Gong targets. I agree with Chris a bit of strategy for this game will be needed to be consistent but smart gambling on good conditions will produce the higher scores to place well. First time thru was a 17 and second time thru was an 18. I didn't feel there was a need to waste more ammo since the conditions were consistent and hit ratios would remain the same. Big Green definitely did not dissappoint. That sucker really shoots for what it is. Match day and varying wind conditions while waiting for your next round would definitely play a factor in how to shoot the targets.
My main goal that day was to see how the ammo would shoot in those particular guns at that distance on a relatively calm day. I think I had 1 to 1 1/2 moa left dialed in which could be some spin drift also but it held pretty consistent with a very slight varying hold between shots. The elevation spread with both ammos was excellent, I've been using SK Biathon at nearly all my longrange matches and at the other local matches. Not sure I'll step up at every match with the high end stuff but there is a noticeable difference in group sizes at that distance with this ammo.
I've been seeing this at my longrange matches which I spot for nearly every competitior and have been seeing the better shooters with even midrange guns and up using top shelf ammo the impacts are much more center mass rather than using the whole target up and the occasional dropped shot. I will have 3 classes next year for my matches based on ammo types/costs so everyone won't feel they have to spend big bucks to have a chance to win. I give a free entry for each class winner and feel that way they have a chance to win against competitors using similiar ammo. I haven't found a high end rifle using low end ammo has any advantage over a cheap rifle and the cheap ammo. Ammo quality is the dividing factor in this game. I spot nearly 5000 rounds at each of my matches so this is only based on what I've see with rounds going down range from various levels of competitors and equipment.
So, the Long Gong game looks fun, it is very dependent on range conditions and not all ranges will compete on a level playing field. I'd say Power Line is going to be one of the toughest ranges I've ever been on for wind conditions that switch opposite directions by a lot between each shot. Give a lot of credit to those that can do well there. Guess I need to step up on my wind reading skills and not be the guy remembered for being the DNF guy. Got an idea for one of my guns to set up for that instead of falling down the Rim-X or Vudoo Rabbit hole, I definitely like to do things a bit differently.
I finally got some free time to take a couple guns out to another local range to try the Long Gong targets at 300 yards and also test some higher end ammo. I tried a Long Gong event last summer at a local range that has started having the Long Gong matches. I took a single shot which is nearly all I have in the way of longrange rimfires and found out quickly that a repeater is much more suited for this game and especially for Powerline Parks range. It's windy there all the time and with wind varying between 5moa left to 6moa righ between shots with my single shot it wasn't going to be a fun day. I tried but with the slow loading and winds it was an exercise in futility. I didn't quit because I was upset, but why waste good ammo and get frustrated. Some shooters got decent wind conditions for a couple shots and their faster repeater actions really helped. I'll work on getting something better suited for next time. Give all the credit in the world to the skills of those that do well there. It's a beautiful range but hold on to your hat, they definitely have more than their fair share of wind to contend with.
Well, on to yesterday. I took my Big Green Anschutz Exemplar pistol with some Lapua Super Long Range ammo. Chris took his Izhmash toggle gun and a BSA Martini Int as did another buddy Bill Moran to try and see if they could see and get hits on the 8", 6" and 4" Long Gong targets at 300 yards thru their peep sights. A buddy Butch McCort made a set for practice at his range which makes it nice for others to get their feet wet.
First the peep sighted BSA Martinis. It took a couple shots for them to get centered up on the sighter plate then both got quite a few hits on the 8" plate using RWS-50 ammo. They didn't know if they'd be able to see the next targets or not and were prepared to dial off and still hold on the 8" for reference. They were both able to see the 6" and got hits but not always in a row. Chris was able to see the 4" and got a few hits. I think his best 1 shot string totaled 11 or maybe 12 but I'd say 7 to 8 per round would easily be his norm. Bill had similiar results but again, it was pretty calm without switching winds to deal with. I even managed a few hits on the 8" but would have to dial over since the 6" was not defined enough for my old eyes to see clearly. Definitely doable, but more a novely than trying to be competitive.
Chris' Izhmash with a 10 round magazine with RWS R-50 ammo did very well with his first try being a 17. Think it would be a good gun to try next time. He found out that there is a method to the madness with playing the game and getting better scores by going for more consistent hits and not jumping right over for more points all the time. Guess there is a strategy to this game. That is probably the gun we'll take if we try Powerline Range again, nearly all our rimfires are single shot target rifles.
Then I tried Big Green which is an Anschutz Exemplar Pistol customized a tiny bit for longer range competition which I think is probably one of my most accurate rimfires. I had a 50 yard zero with Lapua Super Long Range but hadn't shot it past 197 yards. Took one shot at 300 yards on the sighter and get the cold bore out of the way. Topped off the mag and tried two rounds of 10 shots on the Long Gong targets. I agree with Chris a bit of strategy for this game will be needed to be consistent but smart gambling on good conditions will produce the higher scores to place well. First time thru was a 17 and second time thru was an 18. I didn't feel there was a need to waste more ammo since the conditions were consistent and hit ratios would remain the same. Big Green definitely did not dissappoint. That sucker really shoots for what it is. Match day and varying wind conditions while waiting for your next round would definitely play a factor in how to shoot the targets.
My main goal that day was to see how the ammo would shoot in those particular guns at that distance on a relatively calm day. I think I had 1 to 1 1/2 moa left dialed in which could be some spin drift also but it held pretty consistent with a very slight varying hold between shots. The elevation spread with both ammos was excellent, I've been using SK Biathon at nearly all my longrange matches and at the other local matches. Not sure I'll step up at every match with the high end stuff but there is a noticeable difference in group sizes at that distance with this ammo.
I've been seeing this at my longrange matches which I spot for nearly every competitior and have been seeing the better shooters with even midrange guns and up using top shelf ammo the impacts are much more center mass rather than using the whole target up and the occasional dropped shot. I will have 3 classes next year for my matches based on ammo types/costs so everyone won't feel they have to spend big bucks to have a chance to win. I give a free entry for each class winner and feel that way they have a chance to win against competitors using similiar ammo. I haven't found a high end rifle using low end ammo has any advantage over a cheap rifle and the cheap ammo. Ammo quality is the dividing factor in this game. I spot nearly 5000 rounds at each of my matches so this is only based on what I've see with rounds going down range from various levels of competitors and equipment.
So, the Long Gong game looks fun, it is very dependent on range conditions and not all ranges will compete on a level playing field. I'd say Power Line is going to be one of the toughest ranges I've ever been on for wind conditions that switch opposite directions by a lot between each shot. Give a lot of credit to those that can do well there. Guess I need to step up on my wind reading skills and not be the guy remembered for being the DNF guy. Got an idea for one of my guns to set up for that instead of falling down the Rim-X or Vudoo Rabbit hole, I definitely like to do things a bit differently.
