The 2021 Wasserburger Mile and Creedmoor Match
25 years ago I asked my Dad about building a Traditional Creedmoor Range on our family ranch. I was very enthusiastic after attending the Midrange National Championships at Raton and their inaugural 800 yard test match in 1996. Dad was willing and I began the expensive process to acquire the correct steel after our first test match in the fall of 1996.
By 1997 everything was in place and we shot on new improved targets. This continued till 2005. A few matches were held through 2009, in 2007 with a great deal of help from a great group of people and my Dad and the use of tractors to drill holes plow ground for berms and to drag Lucy our Armored bunker to the mile target.
Those intrepid souls that helped in the initial Mile effort were the following: Randy and Loyce Ellingrod, Jeff Williamson a long time friend from my Highpower days, Harlin and Woody Sage, two guys from Pringle SD, Dave DeJaeger, my pard Jimbo (James Terry) and my dad Jim Wasserburger. And my long time Friend Bryan Youngberg who helped GPS in the distance.
This years match included Dave DeJaeger who has never missed a mile match, Randy and Loyce Ellingrod, Jeff Williamson, Bryan Youngberg and myself many of the original crew. We had new shooters to the mile this year. Well known Long Range shooter and top gun in Silhouette, Mr Steve Farringer traveled considerable distance to shoot the mile. Kody Outland of Rocky Mnt Cartridge and Mr Ed Himelhoch. Returning shooter from last year which was his first, was Gary Millhouse.
Practice was shot on Friday, Thursday morning, early arrival Steve Farringer, who showed up before I did on Wednesday, got a bit of and adventure. My Dad had advised me of a hole in the fence line and cows had got into the mile impact area. Steve and I found the hole in a draw were my dad had located it, and with some posts driven and broken wire spliced, plus a old truck to make an anchor in a low spot to pull the fence down and still keep it spaced correctly. Something I learned from our neighbor when I was about 8-9 years old. And I later watched and helped
my dad do the same thing. I told Steve it was a old Indian trick, but he doubts that, as Indians didn’t use barb wire. That afternoon, we played cowboy with a side by Side and worked about 65 head of cows and calves back into the correct pasture in some very rough and broken ground which highlights our ranch. It was rather wild at times. Steve got sort of quiet when things were a tad bit Western, but hung on and was a real trooper.
Saturday morning dawned after a loud and windy night with several storms blowing through the ranch, we received about .46 of an inch. Fog was heavy, something rare here and soon descended on the range, the fence line and our 600 Yard Traditional Creedmoor target disappeared. By 9am the fog had burned off and still heavy overcast, practice began. At 1030 we had a brief shooters meeting then I painted the 800-900-1000 yard Targets. Match started about 1038.
Two groups of shooters were squadded, first Relay was Brian Youngberg, Steve Farringer, Kody Outland, Dave DeJeger Randy Ellingrod, Ed Himelhoch.
Randy was off like gang busters with his Ballard Highwall. Randy set a new Range Record of 48/50 he shot a bull worth 5 points, then a outer worth 3 points, he then ran 8 bulls in a row on the 36 inch bullseye. This is incredible shooting and shows today’s shooters give up nothing compared to the shooters of old. Bryan and Steve Farringer were hot on Randy’s heels with 44/50 each. Bryan ran his last 5 shots which were all bullseyes.
Relay 2 was as follows: Gary Millhouse, myself, Jeff Williamson, Loyce Ellingrod, and our old friend of many years since 1998, and the 2005 Scope Creedmoor National Champion Michael Jackson. I was the top Gun in Relay 2 with a 44/50, 2 bulls then 2 outers 2 more bulls, a outer then 3 bulls in a row.
900 was next with brighter light and tons of mirage, Bryan set the pace in relay 1 with a 37/50, the rest of us struggled, with Michael and Ed doing 26s each, tied for second at 900. Randy Ellingrod struggled with only 2 outer hits for a total of 6 points
At 1000 yards the mirage was wicked, and conditions were changing rapidly. In relay 1 Bryan came out on top with a respectable 29/50, Steve Farringer was right on his heels with a 27/50. Randy Ellingrod shot a 17 Relay 2 came to the line after a repaint, Michael Jackson was second with a 25/50. A fella that hasn’t been around lately, showed up, a former National Champion, he ran 5 bullseyes in a row then a outer then a Bullseye, a condition change netted him 2 misses, then he finished with a Bullseye, score of 38/50 was the final tally. It felt good and I was most happy with my Dual Diameter PP bullet in Dora.
Final scores for the 2021 Wasserburger Traditional Creedmoor match were as follows.
Bryan Youngberg with 110/150 match winner.
Kenny Wasserburger with 104/150 2nd place.
Steve Farringer with 92/150 3rd place.
Ed Himelhoch with 87/150
Gary Millhouse with 78/150
Michael Jackson with 73/150
Randy Ellingrod with 71/150
Loyce Ellingrod with 58/150
Kody Outland with 57/150
Jeff Williamson with 56/150
Dave DeJaeger with 37/150.
It was apparent that Randy Ellingrod’s rifle had firing pin issues or the like, he was to use a different rifle for the mile.
Sunday dawned and about 9am we all were assembled at the mile firing line, cowboying was required with my trusty steed (Honda Rancher) to remove a bunch of cows that had to come visit us.
A major tail wind played havoc with us the whole day with ups and downs.
My old friend Dan Theodore called the Mile match, Extreme Long Range BPTR. He was correct in his assessment.
First string of fire was as follows:
Bryan, Steve, Kody, Dave and Ed. Kody proceed to give us veterans an education with his Shiloh 44-77 with the top score of 16 points with 2 bulls.
While painting I noticed several bulls with sideways bullet impacts.
Second group was as follows
Gary, Myself, Jeff, Randy and Michael Jackson both men were shooting 45-110’s with PP bullets. Michael was using my version of the 540 gr Money bullet. Michael and Randy tied with 14/50 right on Kody’s heels.
Second string first group. Ed ended with a 15/50 and Steve Farringer with 12/50, Kody had 8 points.
Second group, Gary Millhouse shot a 15/50, Jeff Williamson shot a 17/50, and Michael Jackson shot a 12/50. Myself was dismal irons and my eyes.
Mile match Winner was:
Ed Himelhoch with 28/100.
Jeff Williamson last year’s Mile match winner was 2nd 26/100
Michael Jackson was 3rd with 26/100
Kody Outland was 4th with 24/100
Steve Farringer was 5th with 23/100
Mile Ties were broken by most bulls, highest second string of fire.
Aggregate ties were broken by Highest Mile Agg, then highest 1000 yard Agg.
Final Aggregate was as follows:
Bryan Youngberg 125 total points Match Winner.
Kenny Wasserburger 119 total points 2nd Overall.
Ed Himelhoch 115 total points 3rd Overall.
Steve Farringer 115 total points
Michael Jackson 99 Total points
Gary Millhouse 99 Total points
Randy Ellingrod 88 total points
Jeff Williamson 82 total points
Kody Outland 81 total points
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