Setting a benchmark

Seeing improvement is always motivating. Before any improvements can be recognized there must be a benchmark for reference. The shooting standard of biathlon is the sixty shot test. Six targets are hung at 50 meters and ten shots are fired at each target; thirty prone and thirty offhand. The scores are added up and you have a benchmark. I shot a 372 -1X. The X ring is a bullet diameter circle in the exact center of the target. It is worth 10 points and its value is a tie breaker. 372-2X would beat my score. The target used is the ISSF A-50 and for each string of shots, a full range procedure is used but the time is not a factor in scoring. As a comparison the US National team guys shoot in the high 400 to low 500 range.

I've also worked my way up to running 5k and decided to run a time trial on the standard run I use for training. The road is filled with rolling hills with very little flats. Time on May 1 was 24:15. Not great but another benchmark.

Just for grins I decided to enter a pure shooting match hosted by the Pemigiwassette Filed and Game club. This club also holds 4 run and shoot biathlons during the summer and is a great group of shooters. The facility is also very nice.

The event was a Mini Palma and simulated 1000yd. smallbore
match with all shooting from the prone position.
Interesting day. Temps were in the high 30 to low 40 range with
little wind and light rain. Targets were hung at 100 yards and the
bull was scaled to look like the bull at 800, 900 and 1000 yds. 15
shots for record at each "distance" for the Palma and 20 shots for
record on the 1000 yd. sim. My rifle is zeroed for 50 meters and it
took 40 clicks up to be on target at 100 yds. During the match we were
allowed to use the scope to make correction to the sights and it was
giving me fits. I had only shot maybe 50 rounds with my 7-4 at 100yds
prior to this match. My groups were pretty good and let's say 1" right
of the X-ring so I dialed in 4 clicks left, shot the next string and
the group was 1" top the left of the X-ring. What? It should be right
there as 1 click moves the POI 1/4" at 50 meters. Maybe 30 shots in I
realized what was happening. 1/4" at 50 is 1/2" at 100 and I was still
thinking 50 meters. The last 10 rounds at 1000 yds were much improved.
I finished 5th out of 8 shooters and my score was right up there. I
didn't get smoked; I actually held my own in a pure shooting match! I
was the only shooter w/o special shooting jackets, blinders and
purpose built "target" rifle. I dressed in a long sleeved thermal top,
T-shirt and fleece vest to shoot with and wore
the same gloves I ski in. I was the only shooter not single loading
and my pace was much closer to biathlon then that of the target
shooters. The goal was to learn and not deviate too far from biathlon
methodology.

For the 1000yd match I had the correction bit dialed in and had the
high X count (6 out of 20 rounds) and finished 3rd overall and I think
22 points off the win. The guy with the scores had to leave earlier
than I did and missed copying them. I spent a bit of time talking
biathlon, Fiocchi ammo and Izhmash rifles. With this crowd the action was super new.
The LH crossover makes these guys say "Wow" and I gave a demo of
how it worked shooting at the sighter targets used for the
"1000 yd." match. Even racing along I hit the bull and scored in the
black on each shot. A bit of luck for sure but not bad for 5 rounds in
15 seconds. I didn't fire live offhand as I didn't want to shank any rounds
into a scoring target potentially screwing up the results. Almost everyone
handled the rifle and was really impressed with it and how it held its own
against purpose built target guns with no other purpose or to handle the
requirements of biathlon.

What did I learn bout shooting at the match? I was hoping to find a bit of coaching but it didn't materialize. What I did learn was how important set-up is prior to pulling the trigger. Without any time pressures at the match and during the sixty shot test I made sure my position was the best it could be. I touched on this about my experience at the nationals. During the match and test I set up my position and closed my eyes which allowed the rifle to drift into the natural point-of-aim. The NPA is where the shooter and rifle combo points the rifle without any input. I took the time to reset the NPA so when I opened my eyes the sight alignment, sight picture and target were pretty well lined up. Now I wasn't using muscles to push the rifle where I want it and thus removed a lot of tension from my structure which results in much less imparted movement. It only takes a very small movement of the muzzle to miss the target.

Now that I have a referance point its time to work hard and keep raising the bar.