17 Dec 2017 - Recap of the NorCal Dec ‘17 event (by SW RD, Lynn Dragoman and Facilitator) - corrections made on 27 Dec 2017 (by Facilitator - comm errors)
The new online forms worked much better as you can actually read them.
707FreedomFan showed up nice and early, qualified, shot an achievement target, and got two hits at 2586 yards with a rifle so new it still had the tag on the trigger guard. He did this using factory 375 Cheytac ammo with 50fps+ of extreme spread. Nicely done!!!
It started out windy and switchy and nobody got enough hits on the record target to move back from the 2054 yard line. [This match will be carried over to the next event – should have been decided with a Sudden Death shoot off (between Jason and Hoffer).]
As the day progressed the winds dropped down to a more manageable speed and the hit rates rose quickly so we held 3 matches.
In match 2 we had Focus and WhiteMamba both get enough hits (i.e., 4 in 10 or better) to move back to 2586 yards.
In the 3rd match the wind kept dropping and we had Hoffer, WhiteMamba, and 707FreedomFan all move back to 2586 yards (i.e., each had 4 in 10 or better).
By this time of the day the winds dropped down to almost calm and Focus and Hoffer each took home a win at 2586 yards - Focus won the continuation of Match 2, shooting his 375 CT, and Hoffer won the continuation of Match 3, shooting his .338 Lapua Magnum Ackley Improved. Focus shot a 5 in 10 for his win - being already an URSA “Novice”, he only needed one more hit at 2586 to score his first Achievement target at “Shooter” level.
Focus won the final match, also at 2586 yards (the carry-over match from the November event), getting 5 hits out of 10 shots. Very nice shooting Focus!!!!!!!! [Again, here, he only needed one more hit to score an Achievement targets at “Shooter” level.]
Hoffer’s 5 in 10 was his 5th Novice Achievement target, so a green shirt will be headed his way shortly. 707FreedomFan’s 5 in 10 qualified him for the 2018 3K Challenge (Hoffer qualified in November).
Ken Eng was shooting his .50 DTC and the photo (on CalGuns) shows one of his hits at 2054 yards. Definitely not what you want to see when shooting unlimited range (hit dead sideways).
17 Dec 2017 - Recap of the SoCal Dec ‘17 event (by SoCal MD, Fred, and Facilitator)
Terrible, terrible, terrible conditions (winds starting at 22 mph and ending at about 30; with wind chill, well below freezing)!!! [If my memory isn’t failing me, the worst weather we have ever had in the last 2.5 years.] After losing two shooters at the last minute (extractor failure and no time to reload for the back-up rifle – for the commute driver, of course), and thus being down to the minimum for an event (5), the weather just had to slam those hearty souls that came to compete (Bill, Fred, Kurt, Lisa, and Robert). On the up side, everyone got hits, including Lisa shooting her 6.5 Creedmoor (2 hits).
As in November, the Vegas crew took the event, shooting extremely well in these conditions – Bill the winner and Robert the Runner-Up. Bill also scored another Achievement target (surprisingly only his second), in the process qualifying for the “2018 URSA 3000 Yard Challenge”. Bill was shooting his .375 CT Desert Tech HTI with factory barrel, Nightforce optics, MOAB 150 MOA “adapter”, AB on Kestrel, and Warner bullets. Robert was also shooting a .375 CT, this one smithed by Vestal’s Gunsmithing & Custom Rifles in Virginia with Stiller TAC 408 action, Rock Creek barrel, Mirage ULR chassis, Schmidt & Bender optics in Ivey 0-175 MOA base/rings on a 45 MOA rail, AB on Kestrel, and Cutting Edge MTAC bullets. Bill and Robert will be shooting the ELRC World Record event (in Nevada), which is coincident with the January URSA SoCal event. Good shooting, guys! …so non-Vegas shooters will be unopposed for our URSA event.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to Fred, our new Match Director/MD for URSA SoCal! He really came through under fire – his extra “joy” was that the two shooters that fell out were going to be his “helpers” in hanging the steel. He managed anyway and still got hits after trailering in all the URSA gear from Paso Robles. Thanks again, Fred…and Lisa who helped with the paperwork. The new online forms solved the legibility problem – but not their completeness. Step by step. [Pics in the Gallery.]
The new online forms worked much better as you can actually read them.
707FreedomFan showed up nice and early, qualified, shot an achievement target, and got two hits at 2586 yards with a rifle so new it still had the tag on the trigger guard. He did this using factory 375 Cheytac ammo with 50fps+ of extreme spread. Nicely done!!!
It started out windy and switchy and nobody got enough hits on the record target to move back from the 2054 yard line. [This match will be carried over to the next event – should have been decided with a Sudden Death shoot off (between Jason and Hoffer).]
As the day progressed the winds dropped down to a more manageable speed and the hit rates rose quickly so we held 3 matches.
In match 2 we had Focus and WhiteMamba both get enough hits (i.e., 4 in 10 or better) to move back to 2586 yards.
In the 3rd match the wind kept dropping and we had Hoffer, WhiteMamba, and 707FreedomFan all move back to 2586 yards (i.e., each had 4 in 10 or better).
By this time of the day the winds dropped down to almost calm and Focus and Hoffer each took home a win at 2586 yards - Focus won the continuation of Match 2, shooting his 375 CT, and Hoffer won the continuation of Match 3, shooting his .338 Lapua Magnum Ackley Improved. Focus shot a 5 in 10 for his win - being already an URSA “Novice”, he only needed one more hit at 2586 to score his first Achievement target at “Shooter” level.
Focus won the final match, also at 2586 yards (the carry-over match from the November event), getting 5 hits out of 10 shots. Very nice shooting Focus!!!!!!!! [Again, here, he only needed one more hit to score an Achievement targets at “Shooter” level.]
Hoffer’s 5 in 10 was his 5th Novice Achievement target, so a green shirt will be headed his way shortly. 707FreedomFan’s 5 in 10 qualified him for the 2018 3K Challenge (Hoffer qualified in November).
Ken Eng was shooting his .50 DTC and the photo (on CalGuns) shows one of his hits at 2054 yards. Definitely not what you want to see when shooting unlimited range (hit dead sideways).
17 Dec 2017 - Recap of the SoCal Dec ‘17 event (by SoCal MD, Fred, and Facilitator)
Terrible, terrible, terrible conditions (winds starting at 22 mph and ending at about 30; with wind chill, well below freezing)!!! [If my memory isn’t failing me, the worst weather we have ever had in the last 2.5 years.] After losing two shooters at the last minute (extractor failure and no time to reload for the back-up rifle – for the commute driver, of course), and thus being down to the minimum for an event (5), the weather just had to slam those hearty souls that came to compete (Bill, Fred, Kurt, Lisa, and Robert). On the up side, everyone got hits, including Lisa shooting her 6.5 Creedmoor (2 hits).
As in November, the Vegas crew took the event, shooting extremely well in these conditions – Bill the winner and Robert the Runner-Up. Bill also scored another Achievement target (surprisingly only his second), in the process qualifying for the “2018 URSA 3000 Yard Challenge”. Bill was shooting his .375 CT Desert Tech HTI with factory barrel, Nightforce optics, MOAB 150 MOA “adapter”, AB on Kestrel, and Warner bullets. Robert was also shooting a .375 CT, this one smithed by Vestal’s Gunsmithing & Custom Rifles in Virginia with Stiller TAC 408 action, Rock Creek barrel, Mirage ULR chassis, Schmidt & Bender optics in Ivey 0-175 MOA base/rings on a 45 MOA rail, AB on Kestrel, and Cutting Edge MTAC bullets. Bill and Robert will be shooting the ELRC World Record event (in Nevada), which is coincident with the January URSA SoCal event. Good shooting, guys! …so non-Vegas shooters will be unopposed for our URSA event.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to Fred, our new Match Director/MD for URSA SoCal! He really came through under fire – his extra “joy” was that the two shooters that fell out were going to be his “helpers” in hanging the steel. He managed anyway and still got hits after trailering in all the URSA gear from Paso Robles. Thanks again, Fred…and Lisa who helped with the paperwork. The new online forms solved the legibility problem – but not their completeness. Step by step. [Pics in the Gallery.]
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