Don McDowell
09-26-2013, 10:53 AM
Here's Dan Theodores take on the nationals at Raton last week. For those that might be interested, mark your calendars for Sept 14 next year, that's when the fun starts again at the Whittington Center. I highly recommend anybody and everybody that thinks they can shoot , get registered and attend these matches. It's a great time but even more better is the learning experience. I've said it before and will say it again, you'll learn more in just one days shooting in one of these matches than you will in a year of hiding out behind your own barn and shooting at home. Plus the Whittington Center is a great vacation destination.
NRA BPTR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ladies and Gents,
The 2013 NRA BPTR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS was a blast, pun-in-ten-did. The NRA crew headed by Barry Ranney, the new director, and Greg Connor did a splendid job of running the national championships. Skip did his usual spectacular job of building targets and running the pits. We had several "old timers" such a Dustin running the line with Kellen helping keep us old farts in line, on the line. Down in the pits Skip had another one of the “old timers,” from the Jonathan era, keeping the old farts on the job of pulling targets. Those of you that did not make it this year owe it to yourselves to attend the 2014 BPTR championships, again in September. The weather was much nicer than the typical heat of July; cooler, except for a single rain/hail delay that was well managed by the NRA staff.
Some spectacular scores were shot during the championships. To start with, Michael Rix shot an unbelievable 98-4X at 600-yds during the mid-range position match with his trusty 40-60 Maynard, in not so easy conditions to set a new national record. Ya, 40's with 16-twist barrels can shoot that far against the 45's don't ya know. :lol: :lol: :lol: Well done Michael! But, that tenacious Texan, Terry York, (without his sidekick John Moore) went one better by firing a 99-6X two days later at 600-yds during the last day of prone mid-range. I don't know what Terry was shooting, but a GREAT BIG ATA-BOY to Terry. Maybe someone can fill us in on the rifle/load details. The ever entertaining Rick Moritz won the mid-range position match shooting his "Killer Bee," a 12-twist, 38-50, to an aggregate score of 549/600. And, as can be expected, the ever irrepressible Doc Lay laid down the law during the prone mid-range matches. His back-to-back 291's did the trick whilst shooting his trusty Browning 40-65. It launches a super-secret bullet that doesn't know wind exists:-))) On the first day of the mid-range prone match Doc Lay came within the slimmest of distances of going 100-10X at 200 yards, but had to settle for a 100-9X. Man, did I feel bad about muffing his wind call. Oh, by the way, the current 200-yd record, 100-10X was set using a duplex load, which was allowed back then. Maybe we need an “*” for those records, kinda like setting batting records while taking anabolic steroids. So, maybe Doc’s 100-9X is the “TRUE BLACK” BPCR record. I know of a couple of guys that have done that with the “TRUE BLACK.” They should also be acknowledged. I’m thinking Gazaway and Colt Smoke have both gone 100-9X with the “True Black.”
On the last day of the long-range match the best was yet to come. I'm not certain of all the actual X-counts; but, Dave Gullo shot a mind-boggling 100-8X for a new national record at 800-yds. He followed that with a 98-4X at 900-yds. But, during the 1,000-yd relays we had the most difficult, easy-looking conditions Raton has yet thrown at the hardy bunch of long-range diehards. Due to a neck problem I didn't shoot my 1,000-yd relay, but did enjoy watching the shooting though my spotting scope along with Doc Lay. Man!!!...there were brake lights everywhere. The new "miss" marking is composed of two orange scoring markers, one in each lower corner of the target, hence the designation "brake lights." Our intrepid long-range Dave had as difficult a time at 1,000-yds as did everyone else, scoring only an 82. I think John V. (Dave's coach/spotter) was feeling the worse for wear and tear after that relay.
Doc Lay won the "Ironman" this year. The "Ironman" is the aggregate score for all three of the NRA BPTR events: mid-range position, mid-range prone and long-range. In the minds of many of us the "Ironman" winner is the true NRA BPTR champion. Way to go Doc Lay.
We are working (Michael Rix reports that he has been working on this for a few years) on having a perpetual trophy made along with smaller trophies for the top-three Ironman/Ironwoman...Ironperson???...how about NRA National BPTR Champion.
Feedback from Herr KLAUS SCHATTLEITNER suggested that the coach (spotter sounds way to demeaning and belittling to me) should also be named on the perpetual trophy. The matches are, after all, a team sport.
NRA BPTR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ladies and Gents,
The 2013 NRA BPTR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS was a blast, pun-in-ten-did. The NRA crew headed by Barry Ranney, the new director, and Greg Connor did a splendid job of running the national championships. Skip did his usual spectacular job of building targets and running the pits. We had several "old timers" such a Dustin running the line with Kellen helping keep us old farts in line, on the line. Down in the pits Skip had another one of the “old timers,” from the Jonathan era, keeping the old farts on the job of pulling targets. Those of you that did not make it this year owe it to yourselves to attend the 2014 BPTR championships, again in September. The weather was much nicer than the typical heat of July; cooler, except for a single rain/hail delay that was well managed by the NRA staff.
Some spectacular scores were shot during the championships. To start with, Michael Rix shot an unbelievable 98-4X at 600-yds during the mid-range position match with his trusty 40-60 Maynard, in not so easy conditions to set a new national record. Ya, 40's with 16-twist barrels can shoot that far against the 45's don't ya know. :lol: :lol: :lol: Well done Michael! But, that tenacious Texan, Terry York, (without his sidekick John Moore) went one better by firing a 99-6X two days later at 600-yds during the last day of prone mid-range. I don't know what Terry was shooting, but a GREAT BIG ATA-BOY to Terry. Maybe someone can fill us in on the rifle/load details. The ever entertaining Rick Moritz won the mid-range position match shooting his "Killer Bee," a 12-twist, 38-50, to an aggregate score of 549/600. And, as can be expected, the ever irrepressible Doc Lay laid down the law during the prone mid-range matches. His back-to-back 291's did the trick whilst shooting his trusty Browning 40-65. It launches a super-secret bullet that doesn't know wind exists:-))) On the first day of the mid-range prone match Doc Lay came within the slimmest of distances of going 100-10X at 200 yards, but had to settle for a 100-9X. Man, did I feel bad about muffing his wind call. Oh, by the way, the current 200-yd record, 100-10X was set using a duplex load, which was allowed back then. Maybe we need an “*” for those records, kinda like setting batting records while taking anabolic steroids. So, maybe Doc’s 100-9X is the “TRUE BLACK” BPCR record. I know of a couple of guys that have done that with the “TRUE BLACK.” They should also be acknowledged. I’m thinking Gazaway and Colt Smoke have both gone 100-9X with the “True Black.”
On the last day of the long-range match the best was yet to come. I'm not certain of all the actual X-counts; but, Dave Gullo shot a mind-boggling 100-8X for a new national record at 800-yds. He followed that with a 98-4X at 900-yds. But, during the 1,000-yd relays we had the most difficult, easy-looking conditions Raton has yet thrown at the hardy bunch of long-range diehards. Due to a neck problem I didn't shoot my 1,000-yd relay, but did enjoy watching the shooting though my spotting scope along with Doc Lay. Man!!!...there were brake lights everywhere. The new "miss" marking is composed of two orange scoring markers, one in each lower corner of the target, hence the designation "brake lights." Our intrepid long-range Dave had as difficult a time at 1,000-yds as did everyone else, scoring only an 82. I think John V. (Dave's coach/spotter) was feeling the worse for wear and tear after that relay.
Doc Lay won the "Ironman" this year. The "Ironman" is the aggregate score for all three of the NRA BPTR events: mid-range position, mid-range prone and long-range. In the minds of many of us the "Ironman" winner is the true NRA BPTR champion. Way to go Doc Lay.
We are working (Michael Rix reports that he has been working on this for a few years) on having a perpetual trophy made along with smaller trophies for the top-three Ironman/Ironwoman...Ironperson???...how about NRA National BPTR Champion.
Feedback from Herr KLAUS SCHATTLEITNER suggested that the coach (spotter sounds way to demeaning and belittling to me) should also be named on the perpetual trophy. The matches are, after all, a team sport.