Sink or swim

[220]

After having shot the small bore cowboy lever action match twice the young bloke and I decided we would jump in the deep end and put entries in for the Nationals. After having thought for a few days we then decided to also enter the pistol calibre & rifle calibre events.
We pulled the scopes of my marlins and we had a play in the paddock over the school holidays to get some rough sight settings for the factory open sights. Worked up a load for the 30/30 with 125gr sierras and ordered some more brass and supplies.
Murphys law came into play as it always does and the day before we were due to leave nothing had arrived. Digging through the shed I came up with 80+ 30/30 brass of mixed manufacture to load (enough for one of us to shoot the rifle match). Lucky we did work some rough sight settings for the 45/70 so I loaded up 90 with my home cast projectiles for myself to use in the rifle event.
Managed to shorten a screw I had in my spares kit to replace the missing front sight screw on the 30/30 but we would have to live with the 8lb trigger on the 357.

We arrived at Rankin Springs after an uneventful trip just before dark, set up camp and introduced ourselves to a few people. We managed to resist the temptation of accompanying some of our fellow competitiors to the local watering hole and had an early night.

3 days of shooting followed along with nightly trips to the local watering hole for a feed and a few refreshments followed by a bullshit session around the campfire back at the range. It was good to catch up with some Ausvarminters, Daisy and Curran were both in attendance.
I know some people don't like the atmosphere at their local range but having been to open state and even international pistol comps and now a few different rifle comps I have to say I've never had a bad experience at a competition.
Have a look at what ever discipline takes your fancy find a comp and put an entry in you will have a heap of fun.

[daisy]

Good to catch up with you and the young bloke. Also it was good to meet Curran and a few more new faces. It was a good shoot, only draw back was I shot like shit, you get that at times.
Now just get your scope rifles sorted out for the Snowball shoot at Canberra June long weekend. I think the format will be Fri 80 shot air rifle. Sat 80 shot center fire, Sun 80 shot rimfire, Mon Hunter class 40 center fire & 40 rimfire.

Daisy

[220]

It was a good shoot, only draw back was I shot like shit, you get that at times.

Wouldn't have anything to do with where you were staying and your willingness to participate in the off range activities
I think you've got the right attitude, go away to enjoy yourself and socialise with like minded people, if you happen to shoot well its a bonus.
If I go away with the aim of trying to win medals then the fun goes out of it. Haven't been to enough rifle shoots to say but I know in other disciplines the ones enjoying the experience and having the most fun are often not those at the top of the score board.

[daisy]

Good to catch up with you and the young bloke. Also it was good to meet Curran and a few more new faces. It was a good shoot, only draw back was I shot like shit, you get that at times.
Now just get your scope rifles sorted out for the Snowball shoot at Canberra June long weekend. I think the format will be Fri 80 shot air rifle. Sat 80 shot center fire, Sun 80 shot rimfire, Mon Hunter class 40 center fire & 40 rimfire.

Daisy

Just saw the Australian Shooter that it's a different format this year. No comp on the Fri. Sat will be 40 rim , 40 center , 40 air. Sun 40 rim , 40 center. Mon hunter class 40 rim , 40 center