MAD GUN

Match Results

2011-01-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Rifle Match Results

Remington 700 performance

Well, here I am finally! After the Holidays/minor surgery/drug reaction, I'm able to sit down & get to the chore of keying up my results.

It may well be that my new 700 & ammo loads are more accurate than this tired eyes shooter. Although I will say I am really pleased with how well I did do at our clubs final rifle match for 2010.

I had a friend expert rifleshooter BK, give some really handy pointers on loading for accuracy with a rifle. I thought I could just bang out reloads and that would be enough. Boy, did I find that to be all wrong. Now I understand why my 223 rnds were inaccurate! That, I'll make another post on. Rifle and pistol reloading are similar, but really different!!!

I prepped for a week before the match by going out every day for practice on my Benchrest technique (OUCH, was I baaaaad, or what?), learned quite a bit about that also!

On the day of the match, we all showed up early (0830), and secured a spot that was available. We had 12 shooters for the match and 2/3 observers.
Out of the 12, I was real lucky and shot a 387*18x which placed me 4th overall, which I found to be outstanding being I had not shot a rifle match in over a year. The scores were as follows:

1. 400*23x , 2. 396*20x , 3.396*16x , 4 .387*18x , 5. 387*11x , 6. 383*12x , 7. 383*7x

8. 382*10x , 9. 379*15x , 10. 372*4x , 11. 363*4x , 12. 297*1x .

I've not included names to protect the innocent ! A good time was had by all and it was a very enjoyable day at the range, especially for me.

This is one of 4 targets shot at the match.

'Nuff for now,
LouG

Time Runs on!

2010-08-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are! First week of August & I wonder where all the time has gone. Summer(?) is all but over & it doesn't seem like we've really had any. Did get some stuff taken care of, along with having my G'Son come to visit.

We had a great time, going out to the Range & shooting. Took him to meet MrCompletely & KiWi, and to get some pointers on the fine art of 22 Pistol shooting. He took to it like a Duck to water. I'm sure he had a good time here on Whidbey and enjoyed participating in one of our Speed Steel matchs.

I had hoped to get my 'NEW' rifle while he was here, but it didn't happen. I have since recieved it, taken it out to the Range & started break-in & sight-in with it. It's amazing for a commercial firearm. I've always leaned toward Military Collectibles & this is my 1st commercial centerfire rifle. And SO FAR, I am quite pleased with it. Have it sighted @ 200yds and am looking forward to getting a handload worked up for it.

I put a Weaver Scope on it & an HS Precision stock along with a Bi-Pod and expect to be able to compete in our Rifle Matchs with it. I've a 223 Savage that I've been competing with, but in a X wind 55gr bullets just don't get it. I would like to see some scores in the 390's or so. The best I've done with the 223 is in the 375/380 range. NOT what I want.

So there you are folks, been competing in some of the Steel & Bowling Pin Matchs recently. Took 1st place in one B/P & 2nd in another. Gotten my Speed Steel time down to110sec,'s which pleases me. So I guess I can't whine about my wrist being a drag on my shooting abilities any longer. I'll just have to take my lumps when I have a bad day & say, "Well, dangit, I'll do better next time"!

That's about it for the present. I need to get to work out in the yard & get my garden spot ready for next year.

'Nuff for the moment.................................

LouG

Blogging

2010-05-20T17:29:00.000-07:00

Blog will be on on hold/vacation while I update my yard & home. The only things I'm doing at present are yard work & home maintenance projects which I'm sure is not all that interesting to most everyone.
I'll update this when I get active in recreational activities once more. I am anticipating the purchase of a "NEW" rifle, which will be a 308 cal bolt gun. Then I'll probably blog on shooting.

LouG

2010-01-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

Journey's Drawing to a Close

Well, here it is the last days of January. I was prepared to leave & head South to Arkansas where my son lives, but Mother Nature decided to play the SNOW/SLEET/ICE Storm game & left me at my Daughters in Wisconsin for about an additional week.

Here I am all packed & ready to roll with no ability to navigate on ice. I called my son & he said they had gotten 10" of snow with an underlayment of @ .5 to1.5" of ice under it. NO Thanks, don't want to have to try & deal with that kind of stuff, so I'll just hang out & wait 'til next Friday to head down that way.

After I get there & stay for a few days, I'll have to head out for home. I have a couple of Dr's apps in mid month & have to make them. I want to not have to take anymore of these darn drugs they put you on after Angioplasty. Gets real tiresome, besides being pretty expensive. I don't want to support BigPharma any longer than necessary.

The way the weather looks across the country I'll probably have to head West into the great Golden State of CA. Really don't like even travelling through there although I'm a Native Son. The place is just NOT like it was when I grew up there & spent most of my adult life. They don't seem to like people who believe in the Constitution & especially the 2nd Amendment! Like the guys song on YouTube says, "I LOVE GUNS"!!! And I don't like it when they tell me, "You can't have that!" It's got more than 10 rnds capacity & it looks "EVIL"!!!

Actually I'm kind of lookingt forward to getting back home to Whidbey Isle. Sort of miss the quiet & solitude of the rural atmosphere there. All the hustle & bustle of living in & close to a larger town somewhat wears me down.

I guess that's my story for the present, I'll be posting next from either my sons or from home.
'Nuff for now....................................

LOUG

2010-01-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

Hey All,

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Well, been here at my kids for a couple months now, just really getting in the groove of the shovelling the snow thing. Seriously, my Son-in-Law has a snowblower but theres still some hand work that needs be done. It's not bad except when the wind is blowing @10-15mph & the temp is around 10/12 F. But I guess you can get used to anything. Can't wait to get headed South to my Sons. It'll at least be in the 30's there.
Here it is the 1st day of 2010, WOW!!!! Surprise, surprise! It has been a rather personally rewarding year for me, much better than I had anticipated. Healthwise I'm right up there on par with all those people that take health & fitness seriously. I walk @ 3-5 miles per day, and work out here at the local fitness center in Elkhorn, WI.@1-1/2hrs three times a week. Really enjoy it.
Although I can say I'm looking forward to get back home to Whidbey Isle. Paradise awaits!!! It's been a good trip & great visit here @ my kids, but I'm also looking to see the others too. I'm watching the weather prediction for the next month real closely. I'm NOT too keen on being stranded on the road in Illinois, 'specially with the cargo I've got in my van. All I'd need would be to get pulled over with an arsenal in the car by some Ill State Representative of the Law. I'm not sure how they'd react to someone from a state that doesn't restrict peoples firearms choices.
Well, enough for the present, I'll probably blog some again before I head off to Arkansas.

LouG

TREKKING

2009-10-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

TREKKING

Day One.
Well, here it is, departure day is upon me. Hope I've done all I should before leaving, but I'm sure I'll find something missing when I arrive at my daughters. But you always hope for the best.
Left home just before 4:00am headed to the Clinton/Mukulteo Ferry landing. Arrived just as the 4:40am ferry was pulling out, and thought what took so long for me to get here. Oh Well, the 5:10 is just a few minutes away. And sure enough, about 10min's later it was pulling in to the ferry slip. We got loaded up and departed Whidbey Island right on time. About 20min's or so later, we arrived on the mainland & I headed down the 405 to head East on the 90.
Things went along very smoothly and I passed through Spokane & Couer de Alene by noon headed on toward Bozeman Montana. Arrived in Bozeman about 5:15pmMDST and decided I had had enough for the 1st day. Stopped, got a motel room, fed & watered GunR, took him out to take care of business, climbed in the van & headed for a resteraunt. Had a fair dinner, and then headed back to good old Motel6 and got ready for bed & crashed. Thought I would Blog my 1st day, check the weather ahead, and then retire for the nite. UhOh, no wireless modem in the bag, DANG! Went off and left it on the desk at home. Oh well, I'll work on it & post it later on. Would like to check weather ahead, so I'll have to rely on the weather channel. Whoa, not looking good, possible snow showers ahead tomorrow. Well, I'll just deal as I go along.

Day Two.
Awoke at 5:00am Wed. and got everything together & packed back up. Took GunR out to do his duty and dangit if I didn't find snow on the ground & blowing all around. Better get stuff loaded and on the road! headed on East on 90 and had light rain, rain/snow mix, sleet, more rain/snow mix & foggy at times. WONDERFUL ! ! !
As I drove along toward Billings, I thought to myself, "What would the road conditions be going through the mountains on the 212 through the Indian Reservations"? I stopped in a rest area & looked at weather conditions ahead, asked the people staffing it what they knew, and was disappointed to learn there was blowing snow/rain & fog on ahead, although they told me the 212 was open & didn't expect it would be too bad. Hit Billings, gassed, got some stuff to eat, and headed on down to Hardin where I would pick up the 212 at the Custer Memorial where I had planned to stop & peruse the Monument as I had never done that in the past. Turned off on the 212, (stiil snowing/raning intermittantly) stopped at the Monument, paid homage to my relatives that had taken on the US Cavalry and won the battle, although the war was lost before they even began. Headed on east, ran into some really nasty blowing snow where visibility was about 50/60yds if that! kept truckin' on toward Spearfish SD, arrived there about 3:30pm and found that I90 was only about 9miles ahead. I rejoiced in that, hoping weather would improve, it did! I arrived in Rapid City SD about 20min's later, and it being not quite 4:00pm, I decided that it was too early to stop & continued on. As I was leaving RC, I saw that the temp was dropping, tuned the radio to a local station and they said SNOW was expected overnite, possibly up to 2/3in's. Great!!!
I arrived in Wall, SD and decided it was time to whoa it for the nite. Did the now usual routine with the GunR bud & Motel6 was again quite accomodating to us. I then got dinner & headed back to the motel, ran through my evening routine & again hit the sack at about 8:30 or so.

Day Three.
Awoke at 5:30, took GunR boy out to take care of business & found 3in's of snow blanketing everything around. OH BOY, what lay in store ahead? Got packed up again, got on the road at 6:00am, and found road conditions all right. The weather front that I travelled in all the previous day had passed on during the nite, leaving it white blanket everywhere except on the roads. Not too bad I reasoned and upped my speed to 75mph. Truckin' on down the road. Things are cool so far. The sun came up and I could see the clouds on off to the SE, but nothing directly ahead. I stopped in a couple of places (rest stops) and let GunR do his thing, stretched my legs and rested for about 10/15min's and then continued on. I also decided this would be my last day on the road. I had driven 13hrs on Tuesday, 11 1/2 on Wed, but this was looking to be @ 13/14hrs. But, it would be worth it! Kept on & stopped in Plankinton MN for gas (Last time), and continued on my way.
Called my daughter, and told her I would be at her place @ 8:00pm, and that she should have my G'son (who didn't know I was coming) answer the door when I rang the bell. I said I would stand with my back to the door & wait 'til he opened it before turning around & surprising him. Went on, and passed through Madison WI, where I found the drivers to be as crazy as those in Seattle. It must be some sort of Liberal thing where they all have to be, ME 1ST!!! What a bunch of rude drivers as any I've seen on the roads in Seattle. All must be thinking with their backsides up around their ears! Got on down to Janesville where I called my kid & told her where I was, and that I was getting off the highway onto the back country roads and arrival would be about like I thought, 8:00pm.
I rolled into their driveway just as the clock came up on 8;00 and went to the door. I rang the bell, turned my back to the door & waited. My G'son opened the door & I turned around & said, "HI Josh"! He was stunned! He stammered & stuttered for a moment then hollered, "Granpa"! We hugged, and the look on his face was priceless. Needless to say, he is my favorite boy, even though I have other G'kids.
Went on in & greeted my daughter & son-in-law. Had to relate my road adventures, had some dinner, visited a little, brought in my stuff to do me for the nite, and went on to bed.
I AM HERE!!! Wonderful. It was great to have the road trek behind me.

So, there you have it. My trek to WI went very well. My visit here will be a lengthy one as I haven't been able to visit in 3 years, and don't know if I'll be able to do it again in the future.
All my blog readers, I apologize for not posting very often in the last couple of years, but I've had some health issues I've had to deal with & find that I'm now a Super Senior Citizen. That's one that's 70+ for all you younger people. Get ready, you too are headed into the SSC category in your future, if you're lucky!
LouG

2009-10-01T20:29:00.000-07:00

Well guys, here ya are, I'm gonna add a verse or two to my almost defunct blogging log.

Been sorta busy, had a medical problem the first of the year, and recovery time & shooting kept me away from the mad computer monster. I just really had a bad time trying to just sit down & key anything in at all. At times I wondered if all the hassle & bullshit I was going through was worth it.

Well, I do have to say YES to that! It has been pretty well worth it, and has led me off in somewhat of a different direction. I no longer live to go to the range. It's just one of many activities that I'm involved in at the present. I never figured that I would enjoy getting out & just walking. I step out to the tune of about 18/20 miles a week. Then I got really out in orbit & began working out on a Bow-Flex which I find I really enjoy. So that is what occupies me most of the time along with taking my DoggieDogBoy GunR to the Bark Park so he can get some exercise & socialization time with all his dog friends. Takes up a lot of my time. I've gotten to where shooting the match on a weekend is my practice time so I've not done real well in the shooting arena this year. I bypassed Ephrata & Couer de Alene matchs this year and have just shot our locals as I could. There was nothing really exciting in any of my shoots, I just sort of putted along & said "Oh Well", next time I might do better, but it was fun anyway.

I'm getting GunR & myself ready for a trip to the Midwest & then on down through Arkansas to my sons, & end up in Texas at my older daughters in late January or early Feb. I probably won't be back on the Island until the first to mid part of March. I'm going to make a real "TREK" out of it, spend some time with my kids, Grandkids & yes, GGKids too. Damn!!! Time has a way of just slipping out from under you, and you end up just another OlFart puttsin down the last days of time.

I will do more to get some "Blog" time in for those that still check my page now & again. I haven't been real motivated toward computer time this past year, it seems I didn't even check my EMail at times & would end up with 75/80 'New" ems evary time I did look to see what was there. Pain in the butt from all those "SPAMMERS" out there.

'Nuff for the moment, ScottS shamed me into doing this one tonite, but it could be another week or so when I've hit my kids place in Wisconsin.

SeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeYa
LouG

Couer d'Alene (finally)

2008-10-25T10:32:00.000-07:00

I really thought I had posted this long ago, but then realized I was waiting for my camera to arrive for pix of the shooters, courtesy of Bill Sahlsberg. I had walked off & left it @ the range.

EBMMM
Eddy Brown Memorial Metal Match
Coeur d'Alene, ID

Hi Folks,
well, the weekend is done, and what a FUN one it was! TonyC. and I left his house at 10:00am & drove down & got on the Ferry, crossed the water & headed down 405 to 90 and on east to CdA. We made pretty good time, got into CdA right at 5:00pm, checked into the Motel & then hooked up with MrAl, Rainy & MsKimmee for dinner. Talked about the upcoming match & all the particulars on that, and then headed off to get some sleep and be READY for the match.

TonyC. and I met up with MrAl, RainyL and MsKimmee from Custer Gun Club to have a really fun time at the match. As I recall it, there were 73 shooters in various class's in center fire, and @ 8-10 22 shooters.

The match was run under Steel Challenge Rules this year, which standardizes the format of the match from location to location. Makes it a lot easier when you go to a strange area in that you KNOW the rules right off. We all got to the Fernan ID gun club about 8:30 on Saturday, got signed in and had the shooters meeting, then squaded up & began the match.

Being we were squad 5, we started on range 5, with @ ten shooters in our squad. There were some really good shooters with us, sadly, me not being one of them. I finished 44th overall out of about 60 shooters. But, there's next year, when I hope to be in better shooting shape & healed from all the 'stuff' I've had to deal with this year. It doesn't help if you only have 2/3 months to get up to speed & practice. But I had good FUN ! Look out next year
MrCompleted & KeeWee were already there, as they came in the day before, after a truly adventurous trip from the Isle of Whidbey. Keewee told me all about their midnite excursion, but you'll have to read MrC.'s blog to hear the masterful storytelling of it, from himself. It's quite a tale.

I think everyone from Whidbey Island got some placement, 1st or 2nd in all class's ( Can't include myself in that.). If there were an award for the most miss's I would probably have taken 1st place. But, you know what, at least I was there, shooting with great people & having a really good time. I could be sittin' in a rockin' chair on somebody's porch, not knowing who I am, or what it's all about.

I do feel really lucky!
Well, I give up, I know I have some pics, but can't find them!!!! FOUND ONE!!!

Weekend Shoots

2008-07-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

Hey All,

been a while since I've posted, but it's Summer time & there's tooooooooo much going on! I've been to physical therapy & am done with that. I now run through the exercise routine on my own & seem to be doing pretty well with it. I've also added in some BowFlex routines to build back the strength & mobility that I had lost,and seem to be doing OK with that.

Went to our clubs Speed Steel match a week ago, timed out with a 146.78 sec's! WHOOOOAAAA, poop city ! Last man on the totem pole, but............ I was there, and I shot, not well, but I shot. I went to the range every other day during the week & cranked off 50/100 rnds at steel, and felt OK. Then this past Saturday, went to HHRGC for their "Dirty Harry" match. Shot my 6" Mdl 29 & had a blast! Didn't do real good, but had one helluva lot of fun. Not having fun is not being able to shoot for a couple 3+ months. I find my muscles have forgotten what they're supposed to be doing when brain says "SHOOOT Dammit"!!!
But that'll come back. On Sunday, we had another Speed Steel match & I realized I shouldn't have shot "Dirty Harry" ! My shoulder was sooooo SORE I wondered if I could even unholster my "Racer" to shoot. Did my exercises, took 4 aspirin & went to the match. Had a helluva good time & shot a 112.62 time for it. Only 2 sec's behind Ms. Rainey which made me feel pretty good in that she shot in the $$$ @ Montrose down in Colorado this year. So now this week I'm back out to the range every other, crankin' out my 50/100 rounds & getting muscle memory built back. This week I'm going to the Silhouette match @ HHRGC saturday, and on Sunday we have a 22rimfire Falling plate round robin match. I'll be doing that one too. All in preparation for going to Couer de Alene & the Eddy Brown Memorial Metal match the last weekend of this month. I may not do real good, but I know darn well I'll be having some fun times.

Well. "Nuff for the moment, gotta take the GunR bud to the "BarkPark" so he can run & have some fun himself.

Laters.....................................
LouG

Tanfoglio Race Guns

2008-05-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well, here we go Folks,
the looooong promised treatise on the Tanfoglio Race guns functionality & accuracy.

The Limited gun is extremely accurate and functions very well right out of the box! Any ammo, factory or handload, it seems to just eat it right up & spit it out no problem whatsoever, EXCEPT for the magazine feed problem I discussed in a previous post. I have gone through all my mags (8) & no longer have the problem !! The trigger pull is @ 4.25lbs and crisp!

Now, the Open Class Gun is another story ! I think I ran through probably six (6) different powders and I have NO idea how many different load varieties with each one. The best powder I found was Alliants Power Pistol. With the 8 barrel ports & a three chamber compensator, it seemed to work the best. In 2nd standing was IMR 7625, and the reason for that is the amount of powder to case size and 125power factor that I wished to achieve. With P/P I can load 5.4gr with either a 124gr bullet (PF135) or a 115grbullet (PF125) with an COL of 1.120 and Win Small Pistol Primers & brass. I had a trigger job done on the OCP and brought it down to 2.25lbs, that seems to help considerably. I also am using a 10lb recoil spring & 13lb hammer spring in it, and it functions flawlessly!

Yesterday, I participated in a Speed Steel Match @ CWSA and had absolutely no malfunctions of any kind with the open class gun. I realized this after the match was completed and was extremely pleased by the fact. Now, all I need do, is to get myself back to normal function with my left arm & right shoulder working as best as possible.

Last week I saw the Orthopedics Doctor, who told me I had a torn rotator cuff & tendon in my right shoulder. I knew something not too cool was going on because it kept getting more & more sore and immovable without extreme discomfort & tryng to work it enough to shoot. I can't pick up my gun with my right arm, and I can't grip much of anything with my left hand, so I'm sorta up the creek with almost no paddle. I was told I needed surgery, but have opted to not do so until November, when we're done with the shoot schedule. Besides, three surgeries are enough for the present. I did consent to a Cortisone shot into the joint to alleviate the pain & discomfort and to help with mobility.

As for the functioning of both my Tanfoglios, I am well pleased. Another shooter in my group yesterday, was asking how I liked them, I told him they are a great buy for the money. I let him shoot both after the match, and he has decided to buy a Limited Class gun and abandon his S&W Sigma. Although he seemed to do well with it. I think he liked the heft & the feel of the Tanfoglios grip in his hand. Also the fact that they both drop the brass right in front of you in a nice little pile. Other shooters were chasing brass everywhere & all I had to do was to bend down & gather it up.

Well, there you go, If there are any questions about either gun, leave a comment with your E/M.
'Nuff for now................................
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
LouG

Bowling Pins 4/20

2008-04-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,

Here we are post weekend matchs, and it's sort of a let down. Saturdays match at HHRGC wasn't. It was soooo cold & sleety/snowy/haily/rainy that we by passed the match and stayed home, warm & snug & prepped for the pinmatch on Sunday.

Well, it was still cooold, rainy/haily/sleety/snowy at times & coooold! We had about nine hearty souls come out for the match, but most wiser people stayed home out of the blustery cold weather. I entered Open Class centerfire, revolver & 22rimfire. here were no shooters for the C/F iron sight class when I signed in, and I was the only one there that had a BigBore revolver, so we didn't shoot that class, nor did we shoot iron sight 22's. So it was sort of a limited class match.

I timed in 2nd fastest in OS/CF, and don't remember who I shot off against 1st up, but I think it was TonyC. My 2nd round was against Ms. Rainy, she tookj the 1st table, I took the 2nd, and then won the shootoff to face MrAl for the top spot. He took one, I took the 2nd, and then on the shootoff I had a misfeed & he took the class with me 2nd & MsRainy 3rd.

Then in Revolver class, it was ChrisC. & MrAl 1st round with MrAl taking it, then TonyC. and I 2nd round with him eliminating me (NO surprise there) then ScottS & AlanV. had their shootoff & it ended up with ScottS. as the winner. The class finals were TonyC. 1st, with ScottS. 2nd & ChrisC. in 3rd.

LarrieF showed up at shoot time & entered 2 guns in I/S class, he took 1st(9mm) & 2nd(45) over ChrisC. with his 45.
weren't a lot of people in the class. Then it came time for Rimfire pintops.

I timed in fairly decently, and went off against MsRainy who promptly retired me in the shoot (Revenge is 'Sweet', so they say.). And then goes on to beat out everyone for the class win (HoooooRah!)! But, there'll be next time. One way or another we always seem to shoot against one another. MrC. and MsKeeWee didn't make the match. MrC. had some construction going on ( a Tennis court or some such endeavor) and MsKeeWee said, "I'm NO Dummie, I'm not going out in the cold & wet & freeze my little bum off". So as you can see it was a rather limited match. Oh well, there's always the next one.

ScottS. took some videos, so I'll post those of me timing in.

'Nuff for now, got to see the MD on the morrow about my shoulder to see what the "HELL" now...............

Ta Taaaaaaaaa...............................

LouG

Two Match Weekend

2008-04-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here we go again.........................

There are 2 matchs coming up on the weekend. A Silhouette Match @ HHRGC on Saturday, & a Bowling Pin Match @ CWSA, on Sunday!!!

I'm going to shoot the Silhouette Steel Match @ HH with MrPicuda & possibly my Henry 22Lever Carbine. Don't know how well the carbine might do, but between now & the weekend I'll find out. Silhouette Matchs are shot at 40, 50, 75 & 100yds with a rimfire or centerfire pistol & the same for rifles. I shoot the rimfire class's. Shortly I'll have a load worked up for my 22Hornet Contender & will shoot centerfire also. Looking forward to this one. MrPicuda seems to running good (FINALLY)!

I plan to shoot about 5 class's at the Bowling Pin Match. Open Centerfire, Iron sight Centerfire, Revolver, Big Bore Revolver & 22rimfire for pintops. Hope everything works well, I'm getting tired of NOT placing better than 3rd , or, being eliminated in the 1st round because I can shoot a good qualifying time, but not quick enough in the matchup against MrAl, or TonyC, or MissedHer Completely!
We'll see just how well it all comes out.

I'll give you all the Gory Details next post.

Ta Taaaaaaaaaa.......
LouG

KItsap Match Plus

2008-04-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Well hey folks,
here it is another week gone by with a FUN weekend in the past. WE (MrC.,WayneF.,TonyC., and I ,) all made the trek to Kitsap Rifle & Revolver Clubs Fun Steel match on Saturday.

They put on this match the 2nd Saturday every month. It's really a fun match, but the Ferry ride over, ( You need to be at the Ferry Station by 6:15/6:30 to insure getting a ride) to Port Townsend, the hour ride on down to Kitsap, the Match, and return trip works out to a 12 to 13 hour endeavor. But still fun to shoot the match & meet some new people that are gun enthusiasts like me.

We started off the match at 10:00am and by the end of the 2nd round I had to retire both my TRG & Picuda and resort to the old tried & true Ruger22/45 to finish out the match. Had a 'squib' load in the TRG, and didn't have a rod with me to knock the bullet back out to continue. OH well.................. I broke it down & just put it back in the case & figured I'd just shoot MrPicuda. Guess what!!!! The dang thing began hanging up on the 2nd round in every magazine I had with me. Can't compete that way. So, MrP goes back in the case too. I dragged out the Ruger & had a fun match despite all the other mechanical woes of the day. Haven't heard from JohnD., the Match Director, on what the results are, but I had fun & that's what's important.

TonyC. used my S&W22A & had a really GOOD day. I think with the scores I saw, he may have taken the 22rimfire class. We put a new target grip on it before we went down & he said it handled much better than with the skinny squishy standard grips. Can't wait to get it back & try it myself. He said he was going to buy the Target Model with bull barrel & bells & whistles this week. I guess he must like it the way he was shooting!

Then on Sunday, we had a Hanging Plate Match, which MrC. has elucidated the particulars on his blog, so I won't go into the details here. Again, I thought I'd try MrP out after cleaning & working it over somewhat. But...... to NO avail, same thing. Hanging up on feeding the 2nd round. What the HECK??????? So, I again dragged out the Ruger, shot the match, & ended up dead last! Guess I was somewhat disconcerted about the malfunctioning Picuda. We have two class's, Iron sight & Optic sight. MrC. took 1st place in optic & MrAl. ( Evil Al as MrC. likes to say) took 1st in Iron sights. The results are up on CWSAonline.org, if your interested.

After the match, I took the Picuda & MrAl over to the pin range so he could watch the function of this wonderful looking pistol. The conclusion that he reached after watching several malfunctions & looking into the bottom of the mag well, was that the bolt was dragging on the ejector. KEWL!!!! I headed for the house, broke it down, & YEP, the ejector had a shiny ridge running right across the middle of it. Out comes trusty Dremel tool, a few minutes work, some blue marker pen & re-assemble, work the bolt & break it down again to look. Yep! Needed more, so I ended up after @ 3/4 teardowns & polishing trick, finally achieving success! No more drag marks, and a resounding 'CLACK' when the bolt was released. HOOORAH, now to try it out.!!!

Being that there's a Silhouette Match next Saturday, I re-mounted my Simmons 3X10 scope back on it & headed out to the range. The only malfunctions I had were with Federal bulk cheapie ammo. I tried some AutoMatch ( Perfect), and also some CCI MiniMags( again PERFECT function). Set out a couple of targets at 25 & 50 yards & proceeded to check sightin. At 25yds, I shot a 1" group of ten rnds, & at 50yds, a 1.5" group of ten rnds. SOOOOPER! So I figured as long as I'm here, I can get in some practice time.
What a joke! I find that with my left hand, still not real strong, and my right shoulder giving me a pain, (right where I sit) I have a real hard time just holding on target. HAYSUS CREESPO !
Well, gotta get the old exercises going cuz there's lotsa shoots & fun to be had, & I sure don't want to embarrass myself with really poor scores. So break out the weights, unhinge the Bowflex & get back into routine exercising!

'Nuff for the moment, more shoots coming up this weekend..........................................
LouG

2008-04-01T16:14:00.000-07:00

Well, Here we are again Folks,

  Been recuperating with my arm stuff, so not alot
has been going on gunwise.
I have shot a couple of Silhouette practice matchs,
and a Bowling Pin, tried a rifle but absolutely no
go on that!
Last Saturday, CWSA had it's 2nd Bowling Pin Match
& I was in full participation. I shot the 1st B/P
Match in Optic Revolver only.  This time, I did
almost every class.  I wasn't real good at it, but
I was there & shooting!  I didn't do too bad time
wise, but got eliminated in the 1st round in each
class.
NO biggy !!!   I WAS THERE ~!
I had FUN & that is what is the most important
aspect of the whole idea of shooting. I had sent my
SooperDooper 1st Class Open Race Gun (Mr T) off to
a guy to have a trigger job done on it & WOW, is it
ever GREAT.  Trigger pull is now 2.25lbs & slick
as can be !  I Love it !  Full report to be done
shortly.  But I can tell you, it's worlds different
from before.  I can now shoot almost any loading
without it doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.
I also unlimbered MrPicuda with an L/G red dot sight
on it and participated in one of Mr.Completlys
E-Postal matchs.
What a blast, that thing is really accurate, much
more so than yours truly.  Although, I did hit
8 out of ten of the Fly targets as supplied by Mr. C.
Here's that Target.


Mr C & I, and various & sundry other characterizations
of CWSA shooters are going to Trek to Kitsap
Peninsula Gun Club in Silverdale on the 12th of
April to shoot a Fun Steel match there. After that
match is when I'll do the report on Mr T's all around
performance in competiton.
We have a Falling Plate Match coming up this next
Saturday, the 5th, at CWSA & I plan on shooting
the Picuda barracuda in that. Gotta get in some
practice time with it for sure. I was really
pleased that I was able to shoot the BPM last
Saturday, even if I did "pay the price" the next
couple days with a sore, stiff & tingly hand from it.
That didn't stop the grin though!
Really enjoyed myself as I hadn't done very much
shooting since last October.
GOOD TIMES are ahead though, and I am looking
forward to doing as much shooting as possible.

'Nuff for the moment, will keep
things going as much as possible

LouG

I'm a BAD American ?

2008-03-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

YES, I'M A BAD AMERICAN

I Am the Liberal-Progressives Worst Nightmare. I am an American.

I believe the money I make belongs to me and my family, not some Liberal governmental functionary be it Democratic or Republican!

I'm in touch with my feelings and I like it that way!

I think owning a gun doesn't make you a killer, it makes you a smart American.

I think being a minority does not make you noble or victimized, and does not entitle you to anything.

I believe that if you are selling me a Big Mac, do it in English.

I believe everyone has a right to pray to his or her God when and where they want to.

My heroes are John Wayne, Babe Ruth, Roy Rogers, and whoever canceled Jerry Springer.

I know wrestling is fake and I don't waste my time watching or arguing about it.

I've never owned a slave, or was a slave, I haven't burned any witches or been persecuted by the Turks and neither have you! So, shut up already.

I believe if you don't like the way things are here, go back to where you came from and change your own country! This is AMERICA.

If you were born here and don't like it you are free to move to any Socialist country that will have you.

I want to know which church is it exactly where the Reverend Jesse Jackson preaches, where he gets his money, and why he is always part of the problem and not the solution. Can I get an AMEN on that one?

I think the cops have every right to shoot your sorry ass if you're running from them..

I also think they have the right to pull you over if you're breaking the law, regardless of what color you are.

And, no, I don't mind having my face shown on my drivers license. I think it's good..... And I'm proud that 'God' is written on my money.

I think if you are too stupid to know how a ballot works, I don't want you deciding who should be running the most powerful nation in the world for the next four years.

I dislike those people standing in the intersections trying to sell me stuff or trying to guilt me into making 'donations' to their cause.

I believe that it doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes two parents.

I believe 'illegal' is illegal no matter what the lawyers think.

I believe the American flag should be the only one allowed in AMERICA!

If this makes me a BAD American, then yes, I'm a BAD American.

If you are a BAD American too, please pass it on.

We want our country back!

Shooting Season Begins!

2008-03-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks
been a bit since I've posted, I've been busy......... really, I have.

First of all. Shooting Season has begun ! Had our 1st Bowling Pin Match, & I imagine MrC. is still dancing. If I remember rightly, he took everything except Big Bore Revolver, and I think MrAl took that.

In the revolver class, I somehow timed out into 3rd place. MrAl & TonyC. were matched up in the 1st shootoff, which TonyC. handily walked away with. Well, that put me up against TonyC. in the #2 shootoff & guess what, I went down like "Lotties Drawer's"! Not that I didn't have fun, I did. My 1st shoot where I could feel like I wasn't under pressure & where I could just do my best & be happy to be there shooting!

I got the hardware off & out of my arm last week & "Boy", what an experience it's been. I thought doing things with that stuff on my arm was hard! I had no idea I was as weak handed as I am. It'll be a while until I can rack a semi-auto, so I'll just be shooting revolver in 38 & 22.

Now, for the really BIG news!!!!! Construction has begun on our speed steel ranges @ CWSA. One of our club members who owns a construction company, said he had a 'free' schedule for about a week & he would like to go ahead with the project. I was ecstatic !!!!

They came in on Thursday, did some minor prepping, moving our mower shed & Rendezvous Porta-Potties etc. Then began the serious earth moving on Friday. Yes, I got some pics of it. I'll post a couple, & when it's completed, do a whole post on it.

Also, our website is going through a redesign & will be comprehensively BETTER! Hope to mget it up in @ a month or so!

There's the 'teaser'!

'Nuff for now......................................
LouG

Getting back to it !

2008-02-17T15:56:00.000-08:00

Hey "HI" Folks,
here I am, on the 17th of Feb., and Friday afternoon, I went to OPS @ Whidbey General & had another surgery. This time to take off the 'tinkertoy' restrainer, and remove the hardware from my wrist. I am really pleased, as it's ten (10) days ahead of schedule. WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!

The Dr of course admonished me to not pickup anything, or to push on my hand/wrist & just try to take it easy over the weekend until I see him on Monday. Then, (I hope) he'll give me a wrist brace & get me setup for physical therapy. I told him I needed PT more on my right shoulder than I do for my wrist. He laughed & said "I didn't operate on your shoulder"! So I explained to him how the throat surgery had affected me & that I needed more than just wrist exercises. He checked me out I said I was right, & that he make proper arrangements for me. KOOOOOL !

I finally feel like things are starting to move along, it's been ten Looooooooong weeks ! Been out to a couple of Silhouette matchs though, didn't do real well, but it was the intent to just get out & shoot some.

Gotta get my T/C 22Hornet sighted in, ands also try to figure out what I'llbe able to shoot at our Bowling Pin Match on the 1st of March. Gotta get crackin' times been draggin' on, and I'm waaaaaaaaay outta shootin' expertise!

'Nuff for now, I'll post more as the week moves along, and I have more info from the powers that be.

SeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeYa
LouG

Here I am

2007-12-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

Well, here we are! I'm down to two finger, one hand typing(?). Had a bit of an accident, which is setting me back in a lot of ways in different areas, but, I'm muddling through it (I think). I slipped on a wet/icey spot on my front steps & went splat on the cement walkway @ 4' down. Broke (shattered) my wrist, knocked myself out, cut my eyebrow plus miscellaneous owees. Then @ the ER, they also found I had a 95% blocked artery in my neck. And I'm going, "Well, let's get the show on the road & do what's necessary to take care of it & my arm!"

So, the next thing I know, I'm in an ambulance headed for a hospital on the mainland. OH Whooooopeeeee! I get there & they do all sorts of tests to determine just exactly what to do. Next morning they take me to surgery & play the slit your throat & scrape the crap out of my artery routine. They also gave me the GOOD news that I was saved from stroking out by just weeks, if not days! So that parts taken care of, now to get the arm straightened out & on the way to healing. That surgery was on friday the 7th. Saturday I get to go home, but what a rude awakening. My neck is soooooo sore, and I'm on the verge of throwing up on a constant basis! What a drag!!!

So on monday I go to see the bone Doc & he says, " We have you scheduled Thursday to fix your arm"! Yaaaay, I say to myself. Not realizing what lay ahead. Went in for OPS, on thursday, got that done.

My friend "Evil Al", had taken & picked me up afterwards, which turned out to be the best thing. I spent the next ten days at his house, just sicker than believable, in recovery from surgery. And now I'm home.

The GunRbud & I are making out OK, but there are some (lots of) things I have difficulty doing. But it'll all work out one way or another. At least I'm not sitting in a wheelchair looking at bullets wondering what they're for!!!

The afternoon that this all happened, I had plans to go to the range & sight in my new Magnum Research Picuda pistol for the upcoming Silhouette practice & matchs. That didn't happen until Friday the 21st. Which was also the anniversary of my CA motorcycle accident in '81. Got it sighted with help from Al, and on Saturday we went to HHRGClub for the practice match. I had to shoot one handed benchrest, but I was there & shooting!!! I didn't do too bad considering the one handed hold & a 5-6lb trigger pull. I have since gotten a Jard trigger installed which is 1.5lb pull. Ought to be pretty good even one handed. And I've got a 3X12 -44 scope mounted on it.

It looks like I'm going to be limited to 22 shooting for a while. I don't get the robot device off my arm until the 1st week of March, then, physical therapy to get the use of it & strength back. Somewhat of a disappointment, but, you do what you have to.

My blog time may be limited only by the amount of time it takes me to poke the keys on the computer, but I'll at least do short ones on my progress!

LouG

2007-12-12T08:57:00.000-08:00

CENTRAL WHIDBEY SPORTSMEN’S ASSOCIATION

Match and Class Schedule 2008

January

Tuesday Rifle Match 100yds. 0900

February

Saturday 2nd Bowling Pin Shooting Class 0900 (Clubhouse & Pin Range)

Saturday 9th Speed Steel Shooting Class 0900 (Clubhouse & Range)

Saturday 16th Rifle Match 200yds 0900

March

Saturday 1st Bowling Pins 0900

Sunday 2nd Trap 1130

Sunday 9th Falling Plates 0900

Sunday 16th Rifle Match 100 yds. 0900

Saturday 29th Bowling Pins 0900

April

Saturday 5th Falling Plates 0900

Saturday 12th Blackpowder Shooting Class 0900 (Clubhouse & Range)

Sunday 13th Hanging Plates 0900

Sunday 13th Trap 1130

Saturday 19th Rifle Match 200yds. 0900

Saturday 19th Womens Firearms Safety Class 0900-1500 (*Clubhouse & Range)Sunday 20th Bowling Pins 0900

Saturday 26th Youth Firearms Safety Class 0900-1500 (Clubhouse & Range)

Sunday 27th Speed Steel 0900

May
7th,8th, Hunter Education 1800-2100 (Registration required)

9th,10th Hunter Education 0900-1200 (cont.)

Sunday 11th Falling Plates 0900

Saturday 17th Trap 1130

Sunday 18th Hanging Plates 0900

Sunday 18th Rifle Match 100yds. 0900

Saturday 24th Speed Steel 0900

Sunday 25th Trap 1130

Saturday 31st Bowling Pins 0900

June

Thursday 5th Trap 1800

Saturday 7th Hanging Plates 0900

Sunday 8th Speed Steel 0900

Saturday 14th Rifle Match 200yds. 0900

Sunday 22nd Bowling Pins 0900

Thursday 26th Trap 1800

Saturday 28th Hanging Plates 0900

July

Saturday 5th Bowling Pins 0900

Sunday 6th Speed Steel 0900

Thursday 10th Trap 1800

Sunday 13th Rifle Match 100yds 0900

Sunday 20th Falling Plates 0900

Thursday 24th Trap 1800

Saturday 26th Speed Steel 0900

Sunday 27th Hanging Plates 0900

30th,31st ,Aug,1 Hunter Education 1800-2100 (Registration required)

August

2nd Hunter Education 0900-1200 (cont.)

Saturday 2nd Bowling Pins 0900

Sunday 3rd Falling Plates 0900

Thursday 7th Trap 1800

Saturday 9th Rifle Match 200yds. 0900

Sunday 10th Speed Steel 0900

14th, 15th, RENDEZVOUS All Day

16th, 17th RENDEZVOUS All Day

20th thru 22nd Hunter Education 1800-2100 (Registration required)23rd Hunter Education 0900-1200 (cont.)

Sunday 24th Bowling Pins 0900

Thursday 28th Trap 1800

Saturday 30th Falling Plates 0900

September

Thursday 4th Trap 1800

Saturday 6th Speed Steel 0900

9th thru 12th Hunter Education 1800-2100 (Registration required)

13th Hunter Education 0900-1200 (cont.)

Saturday 13th Bowling Pins 0900

Sunday 14th Rifle Match 100yds. 0900

Thursday 18th Trap 1800

Sunday 21st Falling Plates 0900

24th thru 26th Hunter Education 1800-2100 (Registration required)

27th Hunter Education 0900-1200 (cont.)

Saturday 27th Island Clubs Challenge Match @ North Whidbey Range 0900

Sunday 28th Hanging Plates 0900

October

Saturday 4th Speed Steel 0900

Sunday 5th Trap 1130

Saturday 11th Falling Plates 0900

Saturday 18th Rifle Match 200yds 0900

Sunday 19th Bowling Pins 0900

Saturday 25th Trap 1130

Sunday 26th Falling Plates 0900

November

Saturday 1st Bowling Pins 0900

Saturday 8th Falling Plates 0900

Sunday 9th Bowling Pins 0900

Sunday 16th Falling Plates 0900

Saturday 22 Presidents Turkey Shoot 0900-1300

December

NO SCHEDULED EVENTS

****************************************************************************************

WATCH THE NEWSLETTER FOR ADDITIONS/CHANGES/CANCELLATIONS

Womens Firearms Safety Class – NO Registration – NO Charge – Open to the Public

Youths Firearms Safety Class – call 678-0960 to Register – NO Charge – Open to the Public

Hunter Education Classes – Call 969-2400 for Registration – No Charge for classes,
Donations accepted to cover materials - All four classes must be attended!

Bowling Pin/ Speed Steel classes – NO registration NO charge!

Registration for Falling Plate Matchs closes @ 0930 – NO ONE will be allowed to enter after that time due to the format of the match which is Round Robin style.

If it should rain on a Speed Steel or Hanging Plate match, bring a lot of 22 ammo as it will be a Falling Plate Match instead!

Tanfoglio Race Guns

2007-10-17T10:30:00.000-07:00

Here we go:

I ordered a Tanfoglio Gold Trophy semi-auto in 9mm just before the end of 2006. I was informed by the distributor that delivery times were from ninety (90) to one hundred eighty (180) days. I said OK, as I wasn't too concerned about it 'til the first week of june. That's when the Eddy Brown Memorial Metal Match was going to be held, and that's what I wanted the gun for.

The last week of May, the distributor called me and said they had a Limited Trophy in 9mm, did I want that??? YES! Instead of the Gold Trophy model???? NO ! I wanted that & the Gold Trophy as soon as available. Well, I recieved the Limited Pistol & used it @ Couer de Alene for the match, and still anticipated the Gold Trophy arrival.

That happpened 172 days after the order was placed. I think they had to get the steel from the smelter and start making the pistol for my order.

The two pistols share a commen lower, which has all the modifications possible. Checkered grip, 20 lines per inch front & back on the grip. Beavertail, beveled magwell, square trigger guard, single action, with a trigger pull of @ 4.25lbs & nice & crisp. It is also drilled and tapped for a scope mount. The scope mounts come in 3 pieces, so that you can set it up for your personal tastes. single side mount, right or left, or dual side mount. I use the left sided single mount so that I can break down the pistol without having to take the mount off each time I clean it, and to accommodate the slide racker. Not easy to rack the slide without it. They come with 3 different weight recoil springs, all calibrated in Kg., don't ask me to translate 'em.

The difference in the Limited & Open class guns are the upper assemblies. The Limited & Open have a bushingless coned brrl with the Limited having slide serrations front & rear. While the Open class gun has a coned, 8 port Brrl, with a 3 port compensator and lightening slots both in the top and lower portion of the slide. It's really a pretty firearm as race guns go. They both point very nicely, and both seem to be extremely accurrate. The biggest problem that I have had with them is magazine feed problems. What I discovered is that the pistol & mags are 38super size, and with a 9mm round, they have a tendency to drop the point of the bullet, especially with hollow points. I use Rainier 124gr. HP's and they seem to feed OK. The 115gr Hp's didn't want to feed at all, due to the shorter length ogive.

The magazine problem had me at my wits end until I found they were S/38's with a different follower. I pulled them apart, spread the feet on the followers, used Magslick on all parts & also put in Wolf Mag springs which are much beefier than the stock ones. It seems to have fixed the problem.

If not, I've another idea which may be a better solution if that doesn't work, and that is to shim the back of the magazine to keep the follower from tipping forward and allowing the nose of the round to drop down.
Both firearms come in a very nice hardcase each with its own cleaning kit and spare recoil springs and magazines, which are extra as is the scope mount. So if you want a really nice racegun, at half the price of an STI or Custom built, maybe you'd like to look into these. They are available through EAA Witness.
I've included pics of both, but only the breakdown on the open class upper. and only one lower as they are the same.

If anyone has questions about these fine firearms, I'll be more than happy to respond with an EMail on the question.

There it is.....................................

LouG

Arrival Day

2007-10-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Well here I am finally getting down to posting the final trip blog. Got here on Friday @ 2:30pm CST, and was extremely pleased that the trek has ended. I haven’t spent that much time on the road since I moved to Whidbey Isle in 2001. Hope to never do so again either!
Dropped off the Corvette at the mechanics in Janesville so he can check it out for the girl kid ( 45 last b’day)! That way any thing can be taken care of before she takes off in anywhere. Daughter met me there & we dumped off the van & trailer @ U-Haul ! Thank the Lord I don’t have to drive that anymore, not quite as nice as driving my own. She told me we were going ‘camping’ up north of Madison for the weekend, OK ! Got to the house with the GunRbud & he met Missy mr kids doggy girl Boxer. WOW ! They really hit it off! It was like they already knew each other & it was non-stop play tussle until we sent them to bed.
My g’son Josh has grown so much in the last 2 years it’s hard to believe. He’s @ 4”s taller &10-15lbs heavier. What a boy! Kids new house is really nice in a real far out of town area, makes it really nice & quiet. Farms all around with a golf course on the edge of town between us & town. There’s about 20-25 houses in the area with all of them fairly well dispersed, so you feel like you have a little elbow room. They seem to have plenty of space, 3 b’rooms a large living/family area and a full basement. Really nice.
We got up early on Saturday & headed off to Fairhaven, the campout area. They had rented a cabin for the weekend and there was fishing, small arms firing range of @ 40yds, baseball, soccer, Clubhouse, (Where we had some really GOOD meals), with hayrides & all sorts of things for the kids & grownups to do. I hooked up with a couple of shooters & we headed off the range area in the afternoon for some informal target/plinking practice. It was great fun. My g’son Josh had his 1st inkling that I had brought him a 22rifle of his own (my daughter asked him how he liked his new rifle, and I hadn’t yet told him).
We got up on Sunday & headed up to the clubhouse for breakfast (biscuits & gravy, YUM!), fruit, scrambled eggs ( or however you liked ‘em), biscuits & gravy (did I already mention that?). It was super. We then wandered about, Jeff, (son-in-law) joined a group for an early morning short hike, Josh wanted to go back to the shooting area, (we were out of ammo), but we had to defer that. Then early afternoon we packed up & headed back to Elkhorn. It was @ a 2 hour ride, but since I wasn’t driving I didn’t mind it.
Well folks, that about catch’s me up to Monday, everyone headed off to work & school & I’m here with the doggy dogs playin’ around & hangin’ out. Sure is nice to not be too responsible for ‘stuff’ and just be able to indulge myself with the doggies. They’re like they’ve always been together, it’s amazing.
Now maybe I’ll have some time to get my Tanfoglio racers article up to snuff and get it posted with pics.

‘Nuff for now…………….
LouG

RoadieBoys D4

2007-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll,
It's Thursday evening & GunRboy & I are in Souix Falls South Dakota. All the way from Gillete WY, and I think EVERYONE should visit SD sometime in their life! This is truly the Heartland of America. I have never met nicer people, other than those on Whidbey Isle, that are as down to earth, friendly, go out of their way to help you, and then thank you for coming to SD. What a place, what people! If I didn't like
Whidbey Island so much, I'd probably live somewhere in western SD. beautiful country, with miles & miles of corn, sunflowers, wheat, sorghum and stuff I wasn't sure what it was. Saw a flock (@ 25-30) wild Turkeys sitting in the median west of Rapid City. What a sight, more deer, antelope & lots of cattle & horses. Really farm country!
Had a very boring day driving, except for the sideshow going on as I travelled. Talked to people in the rest stops & all seemed really nice, talked @ where were we headed. And how BIG doggyboy GunR is for his age. "Course he had to put on his "Jumpin' Jack Flash" show for them. One trucker lady was laffin' so hard at his antics I thought she was gonna choke! Real good day even if it was long and arduous behind the wheel.
Tomorrow, I should get to my daughters in Elkhorn, and she says she has a "camping trip all planned for the weekend'!!! That'll be fine
as far as I'm concerned. Means I can "NapOut" and not feel guilty! Then too, my Grandson Josh & I will have to have a few lessons in gun safety & handling so he can begin to learn marksmanship. Yeah boy!
Well folks, it's nearing sack time & I'm ready for it. GunRboy is already sawing off zzzzzzzz's at my feet so he won't even notice when I go to bed.
'Nuff for now..............
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
LouG

Roadie Boys D3

2007-09-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hi Ya'll,

Here it is Wednesday, @ 5:30pm & I'm in Gillette Wyoming! WoooF !!! I've seen some real Awesome Scenery coming through Montana & now eastern Wyoming! Unbelievable mountans, gorges, rivers and fields & filds of grain and cattle. Not to mention Elk, Deer, and hundreds of Antelope. I thought I'd crackup at how the Antelope intermingled themselves into the fields with cattle. LIke they belonged, &
who would know the difference?

The Crow Indian Reservation runs from Billings, almost all the way down into Wyoming. Of course theres the Little Big Horn Battlefield Monument & just absolutely the most Colorful fall foilage along the canyon streams. WOW! I had never seen Southwest Montana, the only ugly place was Butte, and that was because of all the mining & construction going on there. I drove along the freeway for 5 miles past some big "RESTRICTED AREA" project, that when I asked about it in a gas station, no one seemed like they wanted to say anything. GOT ME !!!

My foray into eastern Wyoming was somewhat disappointing as I thought a lot of the country looked just like it does in interior SoCal. Seen enough of that!

Well, I'll have to post this later as it seems Microsoft Internet Explorer is having a nightmare & doesn't want to respond today.
"Nuff for now..........
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..........
LouG&GunR

Roadie Boys Day2

2007-09-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Here it is Tuesday afternoon the 25th @ 4:30pm & we're in Missoula ! Left Whidbey @ 3:30am, in the rain, couldn't see the inside of a papersack it was so misty & foggy, so we just kept on rollin'! Ran into Roadwork & heavy traffic in Everett (of all places), took about 45m-hour to get thru that, and then it was pretty clear sailin' all the way through Bellvue! I was all the way east of Cle Elum at sunrise & by 11:00am I was rollin through Spokane. COOL! Except for the construction in Spokane it was not bad.
Blazed on through Couer De Alene, and headed for Missoula, then the road Demons descended. They're repaving & repaing the road from C-D-E all the way to within about 10-12 mikes of Missoula. Soooooooooo, we got to drive at 45 per for about 80 miles or so. Wonderous !!! I had kinda thought I might be able to get all the way to Butte, but it just wasn't meant to be. So, when I saw Missoula popup, I said to myself, then remarked to GunRboy, that it's time for us to stop/eat/crash, and then resume it in the morning!
So there you have it folks, our 1st day on the road, trippin' to the big WI ! It's a real eye opener when you the gas stations! So far, I've filled up twice @ 75$s per. @ 3+$s to the gal.
That's all for now folks,
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaa..................LouG

Road Trip

2007-09-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

Gosh, here it is, the day of departure! Have no idea if I've taken care of everything, but I made two (2) lists. One of things to be done, and the other of things to take with me. Everything is lined out on both, so maybe things are cool! I'm going to leave @ 3:00am as to beat the morning commuter traffic through Seattle/Bellvue.

Towing my Corvette on a trailer through morning rush hour traffic with a bunch of fools going to work is not my idea of fun. I did enough of that in LA traffic when I worked down there. NEVER AGAIN!

So folks, I'm shuttin' down the lapper & crashin' for a couple of hours, the GunRbud & I are "Roadies"!

'Nuff for now, but I'll be bloggin' on the road!
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa............
LouG

Back To Bloggin'

2007-09-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
been away from bloggin' for a while, but now maybe I can catch up some. Have a couple of Info blogs waiting in the wings, but they still need a little more work & organization. They're on the two EAAWitness (Tanfoglio) racers that I purchased at the beginning of Summer (Which I can't believe has already disappeared into the past.). Been a really busy time for me in that I did a housesit for some friends for a couple of weeks, and then for the month of August for my sister & her husband. Believe me, it's a real chore sometimes when you're running back & forth between two houses & care thereof. And then of course, there's the DoggyBoy, GunR. He requires a lot of attention & time for play & just hanging out with Dad, Yes (!) he's my babyboy Teenage Mutant Monster at times, but wouldn't be without him.

I'm getting ready to leave this Tuesday for Wisconsin to visit my Daughter/Son-in-law & Grandson, and also to deliver her B'day present. I gave her my 1989 Corvette Coupe for her 45th. She had asked me to NOT get rid of it unless she had 1st chance at it when I purchased it back in '90. So I made her a 'gift"(?) of it. But I have to take it to her. Not a problem.

While I'm there I'll be able to catch up with some personal stuff online, as no one will be home during the day, except for myself, GunR & my daughters Boxer, Missy. (Oughta be a Real CIRCUS !) But I am looking forward to it.

There have been several matchs that I've been involved in & MrC has already reported on them. I've been working on different loads for my FancyA$$ racers. Been real frustrating at times. Lotsa going to the range & seeing how does this set of powder/bullet/cols work. NOPE ! That's NOT good enough yet, more research on powder burn rates & min/max volumes! OH DEAR GOD, please let me find a load that works without too much recoil & the right amount of power factor!

Well, enough for the moment, It's @ an hour or so 'til sunup, and we have a Steel Challenge Match today (need to get the gear together for that), that will be my last match of the year. We had our annual Island Club match yesterday where we (CWSA) took a very respectable 2nd! MrC will probably have a full report on that with pics. I did get some pics of it (still in the camera) that I will post after I get to WI. They're really good of MrC & crew. We did have a good time (burgers & stuff after the match). So all in all, things have been quite busy here. I'll welcome a little time away to relax (?) and enjoy the kids.
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..............................................
LouG

INDEPENDENCE DAY

2007-07-04T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is, the 4th of July! The day that our visionary ForeFathers brought forth a 'New" Country. One founded on Personal Freedom. Something that many people have no idea of, but think that they have Freedom!

There are a lot of people in our country & society which it is formed by, that want to do for YOU that which THEY think is what you NEED! To them, I say, HOW 'bout a long walk on a short pier, ar maybe a hike over the closest cliff ! !

I think you get where I'm coming from. We the PEOPLE know BEST what is GOOD for US, and the GOOD of the Country! The demise of the so-called Immigration Reform Legislation is the prime example of the Peoples power! TeddyK., and the elitest power grabbers were shown a lesson. Now, they need to be shown the door. They are truly out of touch with the People of America who are really the ones with the power of the electorate. We just need to exercise it more often ! ! ! ! When I heard that the legislation had died in the Senate, I rejoiced ! ! ! The country doesn't need to have a small group of Elitest Politicians telling us what is good & what is not!

I support the efforts of our country's gov't to keep those enemies of Freedom at bay. I truly support all those young Americans who make the sacrifice to keep us free, and to keep our country safe in spite of the C&R Democrats!

I don't usually run off at the mouth about the state of political affairs, but today is the day that we should ALL remember what sacrifices were made by a few, so that we can enjoy some small measure of Freedom!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

LouG

PS: I will in the near future post a

evaluation of the 2 Tanfoglio Race Guns

that I recently acquired. Limited & Open

class guns. Similar looks, different results.

Eddy Brown Memorial Metal Match

2007-06-13T08:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Well here it is, a couple of days after the match in Couer D'Alene ID. What a BLAST ! really had a lot of fun shooting steel there.

Chris & TonyC., myself, and Al&RainyL. made the trek to shoot steel there & we all had a really good time(least ways it appeared so).

Rainy took 2nd in the Ladies Class shooting her hotrod 9r, Tony won 2nd in revolver & 1st as Junior shooter. Quite an accomplishment!!! AlL. had some ammo prblems due to a lack of enough crimp, and I had some feed problems with my EAA standard mags & 124g Rainier HP's. The mags aren't the right ones for my Elite Limited pistol (an issue to be resolved with EAA)! But, after I changed ammo, down to a 115g roundnose, I could at least load 8rounds & not have any feed problems. After that I feel I did pretty good. I think I was 6th in my class which I'll have to remedy with LOTS of practice before next years match.

My 1st thoughts after the 2/3 misfeeds was that I should have shot my revolver with which I'm more comfortable. So next year it'll be a 2 gun endeavor, Revolver & S/A!

The pime motivating factor though, is to have FUN doing it, which we certainly did.
In the Man on Man Sunday, I used my CZ75 (which I'm pretty comfortable with). We all seemed to have a problem shooting the other guys stop plate, at least ChrisC. and I did. I didn't do too bad in this until we reached the weak hand firing stage. I'd NEVER fired a handgun weak hand! Quite a learing experiance! I did hit all the plates, but boy was I slow & fired @ 10rnds to get the 6 plates! Like I say, quite a learning experiance!

At least now I know what to practice for next year. And believe me I'll be out doing my best to get in shape for it. I'd only had my new gun for 2 weeks and still was sort of fumblehanded with it, and need just to do my handling drills & smooth out the proces of jam clearance & everything with it. It is a different handling gun from a revolver needles to say.

All in all, I'm pleased with how I did, and will do my best to do better next year!

'Nuff for now.......................................................
LouG

Bowling Pin & Falling Plates

2007-05-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks, let me start off with the BPM of last week.

I shot in 4 class's, C/F Optic, Revolver, BigBore Revolver & Rimfire Optic. Posted the 2nd fastest qulifying time right behind MrAl in C/F Optic, 14.7sec's with my 'new' 9r if I remember rightly. Naturally that matched me up with MrAl in the 1st shootoff & I was retired right off in that class. Next up for me was revolver, I did OK with the Mdl65 S&W(also new gun), but kept having a NO fire on one chamber with it & lost out in that class.

So, on to BBR ! I met up with Mr Deadly Dean & his 45S&W, and eked out a win, then on to CrisC. shooting my iron sight 44M with some GOOD loads in it! Worked my way past him to finally meet up with MrC. and our normal shootemup contest! Only this time, it came out with a different result! I was shooting a much hotter load & the pins went flying staright back off the tables ! YAAAHOOOOOOOOTIE, beat his buns BIGTIME ! Paybacks are FUN ! He's wasted me 2/3 times & I finally got past him without laying ONE pin down on the table !

Then, along comes the rimfire class! met one or more shooters & was doing really GOOD until along comes MsRainy & rains on my parade ! She retired me, but it was close, not quite close enough though! She then shot off with MrC. who took both 1st & 3rd in the class as he was shooting 2 guns. Lotsa FUN ! Look forward to the next one where I've gotten in a little more gun time with my 9r & the Mdl 65.

Yesterday, we had a Steel Challenge Match scheduled, but the weather wasn't being compliant & we ended up shooting Rimfire Falling Plates! What a BLAST!!!! We had 15 contestants and some REALLY good shooters! I shot (my new S&W22A) against all of the entrants as did all of us, and don't even remember most of those contests ( I was sightd for 25yds & had to hold @ the top of the plates)! MrAl dusted me as did MrC., and JohanD. from HHR&GC. But then I dusted some of the other shooters and ended up as 5th overall I think. 1 point behind JimP (Sledgehammer), and 1/2 point ahead of MsRainy!

AlL was in 1st spot, with JohanD. 2nd, MrC. in 3rd & on down the line. Results are posted on our website (www.cwsaonline.org) if anyones interested. So Folks, that's about the rundown of the last couple shoots, and that leaves me prepping for the regional steel match in Idaho. Taking my fancy new 9r and my CZ75 as a backup, just to be on the safe side. We have a 22r Hanging Plate Match next Saturday & a Steel Challenge on Sunday. Hopefully we'll have good weather for those. I need to practice for the Steel Match in Idaho.

'Nuff for now...........................................
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
LouG

A Couple of Blogs

2007-05-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

Well GOSH ! Time does seem to get away from us. I haven't really sat down & spent much computer time, but here goes.

I went to the NWSA Falling Plate & 22 Dueling Tree match a couple weeks ago. There weren't that many shooters, so I guess I really got "LUCKY"! It was head to head, draw from a holster, shoot 4 plates & then a 'stop' plate.

In my 1st matchup I went off against MsRainy shooting her Race9'er. I was lucky, I beat her on the 1st relay, she then trounced me on the 2nd, and I came back fullbore & took the 3rd relay. We would again meet up in another shootoff later on. Then I went against Mr. JimT., who seems to have always beat me. I beared down, dragged my trusty 6shooter out of the holster to take all three relays in jigtime! We too would meet again in another shootoff!

I then shot against a couple of other guys but as it came about, I eased past them without much problem. Then here's MsRainy again ! OH Crap! Am I going to be able to wring out another win, or will I get sent down like "Lotties Drawers"? WOOOO HOOOO, won all three relays, and next up is Mr. JimT again!!! Okee Dokee, bear down Lou, this is for the overall class win!!!! HOORAY ! I took the class ! Now on to the 22rimfire dueling tree!

WOW ! ! ! ! Same story! Couldn't seem to miss & eliminated all the others 2X over to take 1st in that also! MADE MA DAY ! Sure felt GOOD to make a win, and NOT be 2nd or 3rd ! But then MrAlL wasn't there to shoot so I had it somewhat easy.

Next day is a Steel Challenge, and as usual, there's MrAlL, and TonyC, "LighteningBoy", as my real competition! So..................... I come out 3rd in Revolver, what an EGO deflator! But, there's always another day, and more fun to had just shootin' !!!

Now for the "REAL" news!!!

It's arrived, the 1st installment on my fancy race gun purchase made back in December! My TZ-75 Limited came in, and I'm "WOWED" ! Really nice pistol, can't wait to take it to the range, get it sighted & get ready for tomorrows PinMatch!

Here's a Pic !

Also, MrC. has acquired a ChazDaley 45Auto. He tells me he's going to shoot it in 'Iron Sight" class @ the PinMatch. I may have to shoot my CZ9'er, to see how he does! That makes @ 4-5 guns I'm going to have to shoot tomorrow ! WAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOTIE, should be a "FUN" day !

Well Folks, Taa Taaaaaaaaaa for now ! Gotta go sight my M65S&W with a new reddot, and also (most importantly), my TZ75 that I'm taking to Idaho!

Hanging Plate Match 4/22/07

2007-04-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

Wow ! We had a GREAT turnout ! Seven shooters in Iron Sight Class & fifteen shooters in Optic Class. Although MrDeadlyDean & I both shot 2 guns. Each of us a S/A & a Revolver.

Natually MrC. (even with all his moanin' & groanin' @ not being able to see/shoot ) managed to 'squeeeeek' by all the rest of us to finish 1st in both class's! I managed to somehow come up with a score of 33 in S/A, and 22 with my revolver ( Practice would help ) !
The results were as follows:
Iron Sights
1. MikeeG 51
2. JimP 47
3. Al L. 40
4. Mike F.
LarrieF 34

Optic Sights
1. MikeeG 62
2. JenniferK
Al L. 58
3. JimP 55
4. JohnH 54

There you have it folks. Next Saturday is NWSC Falling Plates, drawing from a holster. Then on Sunday, we have a Steel Challenge Match at CWSA. Until then !

Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.................................
LouG

Bowling Pins 4/21/07

2007-04-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !
Did I say GRUESOME Details???? Boy ! Did I have precognition or what???? This had to be the most disastrous pin shoot I've ever seen! No one seemed to be shooting all that well this week. We had some shooters come down from Custer, and one of them remarked that they couldn't hit crap from the inside out!

I shot off with MrC. in the BigBore class, and all I could do was to lay the pins over on their sides & all of seem to stay right there! CrapiolaBola!! Next time, I'm loading up some 300gr. bullets & see what those do! In the Centerfire optic class, which usually belongs to MrAl & his 8shot S&W, went to GeraldR from Custer. In 2nd place, another Custer shooter, JanS., and 3rd falling to MsKimG. also from Custer.

Next up was Centerfire Iron sights. I don't remember the bloody details but, I somehow managed to eck out 2nd place ( With my CZ75 ) shooting against GeraldR ( 1911 45 ) from Custer, with our own LarrieF ( With his CZ85 ) taking 3rd. How that came about is beyond me the way I was shooting!

In Revolver class, I didn't do too bad until I went up against "Deadly"DeanH. who retired me & then faced off with the "Lightening Kid" TonyC., who took the class. MrDean was 2nd and another Custer shooter, ChrisR., who actually came down from Canada to shoot with us took 3rd.

Then we come to the Rimfire Pintops ! I don't know how any of us, (Except Kiwi ) managed to even hit the pintops we were shooting sooooooooooo BAD ! Ended up MrAl was 1st, MsJenniferK. ( Kiwi ) was 2nd and in the "Glory Spot" was MrC., who MrAl had eliminated in two shootoffs and I was eliminated by MsJennifer! All in all, I felt like, "How the HELL does THAT work" ???? Next match is the Hanging Plates tomorrow. Hope I can do somewhat better, as I'm shooting two new guns. My S&WK22 revolver & my S&W22A-1 S/A. We'll see !

'Nuff for the monent!
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..........................................
LouG

Shooters Weekend

2007-04-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hi All,
Here we are on the brink of the weekend and at CWSA we have a Bowling Pin Match on Saturday, and a Hanging Plate 22 Match on Sunday! Wooooooo Hoooooooooo ! ! ! !

Should be a really "FUN" weekend. I've outfittted my new S&W22a-1 with a Leupold/Gilmore Red Dot after tryng a Tru-Glo and a Bushnell Trophy. I decided I better stick with what I can see best with and what"Works for Me" ! !

I'm going to shoot both the S&W S/A and Revolver in Sundays match to see if I can't better myself in the rankings of finalists. Of course there's always MsRainy & the KeeeWeee Gal that I have to watch out for. They've both gotten really good in the 22 matchs.

Well, I'll post all the "Gruesome" details on Monday after I've recovered from shooting 4 class's in Bowling Pins ( Centerfire, Revolver, BigBore Revolver & 22 ) & two in Hanging Plates!

Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa...........................
LouG

Gun Free Victim Zones !

2007-04-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

The tragedy at Virginia Tech could possibly have been prevented by just one concealed carry permit holder who happened to be there when this deranged person began shooting innocent students and faulty members.

It is also worthwhile to note that Virginia Tech is -- because of deliberate policies set by its administration -- a victim disarmament zone, where even those with a state-issued concealed carry permit are denied their right of self-defense. In fact, pro-gun forces just last year tried to get the Virginia legislature to address the problem. The bill to allow permit holders to carry on state-supported college campuses died, due in no smallpart to rabid opposition from Virginia Tech itself.

VT spokesman Larry Hincker put it this way after it became obvious that the bill would not pass: "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

Well folks, there it is in black & white! Need there be more said?? Naturally the VPC people will go off on a tangent & rally 'round the bodies of the victims demanding more "Gun Control" legislation!

'Nuff said.........................
LouG

What kind of Man . . . . . . . .

2007-04-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD DO SUCH A THING?

Jack Tilley, a Sergeant Major of the Army, was with a group of people
who recently were visiting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington , DC .
He saw a Special Forces soldier who had lost his right hand and suffered severe wounds of his face and side of his body.
Sgt. Tilley wanted to honor him and show him respect without offending, but what can you say or do in such a situation that will encourage and uplift?
How do you shake the right hand of a soldier who has none?
He decided to act as though the hand was not missing and gripped the soldiers wrist while speaking words of comfort and encouragement to him.
However, there was another man in the group who knew exactly what to do.
This man reverently took the soldier's stump of a hand in both of his hands, bowed at the bedside, and prayed for him.
When he finished the prayer he stood up, bent over the soldier, kissed him on the head, and told him that he loved him.
Sgt. Tilley was awed by the powerful expression of love for one of our wounded heroes he was witnessing "What a beautiful Christ-like example!" he thought, moved to tears.

What kind of a man would do such a thing?

It was the wounded man's Commander-In-Chief, George W. Bush, President of the United States.

This eyewitness account was told by Sergeant Major Jack Tilley at a Soldiers Breakfast at Red Stone Arsenal, AL, and recorded by Chaplain James Henderson, who was stationed there.

Pass it on.... the PRESS WON'T

New S&W 22A-1

2007-04-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I 'jumped' the 'gun' just slightly and bought my BAG gun a couple days early! Saw one of the guys from another club at our Falling Plate Match with a S&W 22A. Picked it up, felt GOOD! Thought about it for maybe 2 seconds and said to myself, "Gotta shoot better than my Ruger with that damn skinny grip"! Another shooter from Custer gunclub said she had one of 'em for sale, was I interested? HAH! You betchum RedRyder! We struck the deal for $250 and she told me she had 5 mags for it. KEWL !!! I went to pick it up Wednesday & she told me she had made a mistake, there were six mags for it ! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO ! !

I brought it home & on Thursday went to the range & sighted it both iron sights and with a Bushnell Trophy reddot. AGAIN, SOOOOPERB ! Like the feel of it, the way it points and the seemingly reliability as I tried 4-5 different brands of ammo in it and they all worked flawlessly!!! SHAZZAM ! I opted for the deal as I'm a cheeeeepie when it comes to guns! It has the 51/2" brrl and works great! Now to see how I can do against the whizbang fella MrC. !!! Although KeeWee will sneak right on by you given even the slightest hint of hesitation on your part.

Here's a couple pics!

You Got IT!!!
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

LouG

Falling Plate Match 4/7/07

2007-04-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

WOOO HOOO ! What a SHOOTIN" MATCH !!
We had a GREAT turnout for our 2nd Falling Plate Match, 23 shooters if I recall correctly. And what a time we had ! I'll bet we shot more 22rounds than Carters got pills. We even had three of the top shooters from the Custer gunclub in Bellingham come down & participate. KimG., BruceL. & JanS.

Their range is apparently still flooded. I do know this, we all had a really fun time & got in a lot of shooting time. We were divided into 2 groups, one of eleven shooters & the other of twelve ! As expected, with Al L in one group and MrC. in the other, they ended up as the winners and had a shootoff to see who would be the overall match "Honcho". Then KimG & our own TonyC. had a shootoff for 3rd place 'braggin' rights, which MsKim outdid the "Lightnin' Kid" !

The scores for each group are as follows, but don't reflect the close matchs many of us had or the 'quick' times in which they were shot!

1st Group
Al L. 27
KimG 24.5 Custer
BruceL. 23.5 Custer
JanS 19.5 Custer
LouG 15
MikeF 14.5
JohanD 13.5
RainyL 13.5
SteveM 5
WayneF 3.5
RandyN. ?

2nd Group
MikeeG 32 (alias MrC. )
TonyC. 27
Jim Pfiefer 25.5
JenniferK 21 ( Kiwi )
JoeL 17
ChrisC 17
JimR 15
LarrieF 14.5
DeanH 14
Al S. 13.5
BrandiD. 5
LarryW. ~

1st MrC, ( alias MikeeG. )
2nd Al L.
3rd KimG.

LarryW. seemed to be having great "FUN" getting out & shooting with the younger guys & gals!

Like I say, the scores are no reflection of the times each relay were shot in. I do know this, MrC. needs to keep a close eye on MikeF, because he's already a real tough competitor with iron sights !
And, I feel rather privilaged to be able to shoot against the Custer shooters and come off not too bad a 2nd spot to them. I also 'squeeked' one past MrAl to only lose 2 points to him. And I don't feel I did all that bad against some of the other participants, who all seem to be getting real GOOD this early in the match season.

'Nuff for now, still have the results to post on our website!
TA Taaaaaaaaa
LouG

Steel Challenge Match 3/31

2007-04-04T18:11:00.000-07:00

These are great matchs, nothing like the clang of lead hitting steel to please your sense of accomplishment!
We had a really good turnout with over twenty shooters participating in the six classes. There were a few (6) shooters that came down from the Bellingham Club at Custer. KimG, GeraldR., Meghan (@14yrs old, and a crackshot!), Her Dad, and I think that was all the shooters.
Centerfire Open,( optic/reddot-compensated guns) Centerfire Limited (box stock, with only modified trigger pull & adjustable sights), Revolover, Limited & Optic, and then Rimfire Limited & Optic.
The format of the Match is when you're signed up in the class(s) that you want to shoot in, you're given a card which you fill out with your name, class and scenario that's to be shot. When you're ready to shoot, you give the proper card (one for each class & firearm) to the scorekeeper, who will record your shoot times. The R/O, will get you ready, for each string of 5 shots on that scenario. After you've run through your 5 relays, the scorekeeper gives you back your card for that event, you total the times, and then turn it in to the Scorekeeper for the Match.

At the end of all scenario relays, the scorer totals all the score for the various class's and then the winners are announced. The breakdown for the top three was as follows:
Centerfire - Limited
lst Johan Davis
2nd Gerald Rutgers
3rd Al Slader

Centerfire - Open
1st Kim Gorham
2nd Al Lindell
3rd Johan Davis

Revolver - Limited
1st Johan Davis
2nd Al Slader

Revolver - Open
1st Al Lindell
2nd Tony Ceci
3rd Lou Gunn

Rimfire - Limited
1st Jim Pfeiffer
2nd Randy Nollan
3rd Mike Gallion

Rimfire - Open
1st Al Lindell
2nd Mike Gallion
3rd Gerald Rutgers

Now those are just the top three in each class. Later on I will get the score sheets for the match, and post all contenders, with times, in order of ranking. I'm doing that because in the rimfire class's, there was only .01 sec's between 2nd & 3rd place. I think I was about 6th or 7th, but I'm not sure.
My overall time was somewhere in the mid 30's, so you can see how competitive it is.

'Nuff for the moment, will post all times/scores later on! The next match upcoming, is a Falling Plate Match on April 7th!
LouG

Hanging Plate Match 3/25

2007-04-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

Wowee Zowee folks, it was really a GOOD match! There were about 18+ shooters that turned out for the match, with several new ones that came for their first match ever! I wasn't sure whether it was going to be An HPM or FPM as to the weather had been REALLY nasty & wet. I was afraid the field on the 75 yd range would be real muddy, as we've had some construction going on there. But as it turned out, it was washed into really hard pack dirt! Great!
We shoot this match @ 10,15. 20 & 25yds. You've six plates, 4"@10yds, 5"@15yds, 6"@ 20yds & finally 7"ers @ 25yds. You have a 6 second limit in which to hit the 6 targets with only 6shots! Doesn't sound too challenging, until you try doing it. There were several shooters that ran past the 6 second limit, hitting the plates, but they weren't counted. Only those hits within the 6 second time period count!

I didn't start off real hot, but then got into the swing of things & pulled past MrAl in the final 2 stages by a couple plates in each one. I was astounded when I read off the scores & found I had come in 2nd to MrC. in the optic class, and just ahead of MrAl, who was 3rd. MsRainy & the Kiwi gal tied for 4th ! Those two, you really have to watch as they are truly competitive. I just had a GOOD day. I changed ammo, so I no longer have malfunctions to keep me from shooting consistantly & regularly on a timed basis. WHOOOPEEEE !

In the iron sight class, MrC. snuck by several shooters to garner 1st place, but there's a couple of up & comers that will bear watching! Mike Furber, son of a friend of MrC,'s, in his very first match took 2nd, only 4 points behind MikeeG, and another new shooter, KenH. was right behind him with a score of 41pts. That will bear some eyeballin' for sure! Be interesting to see how he shoots in the next match, which will be the 22nd of April I believe. Altho', we do have a Falling Plate Match between now & then.

Well Folks, that's a quick rundown on the match. The Scores etc. are up on our website CWSAonline.org, so if you're interested, check it out. Our next match is a Steel Challenge on Mar. 31st.
Ta Taaaaaaaaaaa
LouG

Falling Plate Match

2007-03-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here it is monday, and I'm just getting down to the update ! The match was a HUGE success !!
We had 21 participants, and everyone got in lots of shooting time! In the round robin style match with all the people who showed up, we ended up having two groups of shooters, with the overall winner of each group in a head to head shootoff, best 3 of 5 relays!

It had pretty much came out the way I expected with AlL being tops in one group, and MrC. the topgun of the 2nd group. MrC. & "EvilAl" as he likes to say, went head to head for the Match Champion. AlL took the first two relays, and then MrC. took the 2nd two, with the final going to AlL. Was it 'close'? You Betchum!!! Cliffhanger on both sides! But, AlL with his 'no holds barred' speedstyle took the day. It's amaaaaaazing how fast those guys can shoot at times. It seems as if they had full auto rimfire pistols from the sound of it.

Myself, I was somewhere back mid pack. But, I was pleased in that I won 15 of the relays, tied 3, and only 'lost' 7. pretty good for me, considering how much of a problem(s) I had in last years matchs. Hopefully I'll do better this year, and with the change of ammo, I think I'm off to a fair start. I also (finally) found a S&W K22 6shot revolver. Seems one of the club members who no longer shoots, had it stuck away, and through casual conversation came up with it & offered it for sale ! Needless to say I "pounced" on it & am pleased to be able to add it to my gun bag. Have to get out & practice with it too !

Being that I was one of the match range officers, I didn't get any picture of it, but there are some on MrC.'s blog & Miss KiWi's blog if you're interested. I have so many irons in the fire, I can almost meet myself coming or going when I'm doing some activity. I also need to get out (another weather related discourse) and work on my Workshop/Loading shed. Still need to finish up wiring & insulating it so I can put up interior wall panels. Need a little more warm weather so I can get outside & do the stuff. Kind of hard when it's raining, windy and just plain nasty!

Well Folks, I guess that brings things up to date for the moment. The next shoot is a Falling Plate Match at North Whidbey Gunclub on saturday, then sunday is our Hanging Plate Match at Central Whidbey! WooooHoooo, more shoot time & practice! Love it!

That's it for now
Ta Taaaaaaaaaa
LouG

Mar 10th Bowling Pins

2007-03-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
here we are post match and I'm lickin' my wounds! MrC. dusted me in the "Big Bore Class", but I made him 'work' for it! I posted a pretty good qualifier but just couldn't get all the pins off the table quicktime. So, next match I'll load up some 300gr bullets & be ready for the wipeout!

In centerfire iron sight class, I posted one of the fastest tables I've done with ironsights, shooting my CZ75 9er! 4.16 sec's and MsRainy goes, "WOW" ! Amazed myself with that one, now to get in some practice time. Been otherwise occupied with NO shoot time available. Did fairly well 1st matchup until the last table & I couldn't seem to get that 1st pin & ended up giving it away to RandyN shooting a Taurus 357. Oh well, there's next time.

In revolver class, TonyC. and I went off in the 1st matchup & he played boomboomboom with me & I became a spectator real fast!
Little speedy demon! Later when he went up against another shooter, he fired the 1st round, laid pin #1 down & prceedes to miss everything else on the table. I asked him, "Why don't you shoot that way when I shoot against you?" He told me, "I like to beat you!" Well HELL ! What can I say, except that he slows down a little when I shoot against him and he actually shoots faster!

Then in Pintops, MrC & I went off on the 1st matchup & he dusts me, but again, I made him work for it bigtime. I think I surprised him in that last year I couldn't hit squat with my Ruger22/45. But now I've gotten it sighted, found some ammo it likes, and with some more practice time, I'll be ready to "RocknRoll"!!! I'm still waiting for my TZ75 Gold Trophy to arrive, supposedly in a couple weeks. But I've heard that before & am not relying on what they say, only in when I see it in my gunbox!

Well folks, that's a brief rundown, MrC. has ALL the gory details on his 'blog', so pick it up there !

laters
LouG

Mar 13th

2007-03-13T10:48:00.000-07:00

Here we go again! Started this yesterday & got it all ready to post and 'lost' it. Soooo I get to do it all over again. First things first, Puppy Report!
he's 3 mos, 25+lbs, and n18" tall, and into everything! he's really pretty good. He comes when I call him, sits, stays (Mostly), and tells me emphatically when he needs to go out! Here's a recent Pic.
he would like to think that He's the "Boss"! But to his dismay, he knows who really is, and grouses about it regularly. He "talks back" when he doesn't want to do what I tell him to. But that's OK, it's actually kin of funny.

I spent the last 2 weeks of February and the 1st few days of March @ EvilAL & Rainys house. They were away on a Carribean Cruise & needed someone to take of the TAZ guy. He too is a character. GunR would try to get him to play, and all he could would be to run & bark over his shoulder like "Leave ME alone!" It was a riot! During that time, we had RAIN, SNOW and essentially just 'crummy' weather! MrC. and I went to a TOOL Sale" in Langley & I outfitted my workshop/Loading shed with the necessary power tools so I can remodel my house on the inside. I also played telephone tag and had numerous conversations with the contractors that were supposed to upgrading our range facilities. Mostly their excuses were weather related & very valid.

Finally, the week that MrAl & MsRainy got back, the weather improved (only slightly) enough for things to get moving at the gunclub. I was supposed to meet the PinRange cover contractor on Monday morning so they could be let in the gate. I got there & waited for the Crew all day, but NO one showed up. I called that afternoon, got a profuse apology & a promise they would be there in the morning. They showed up & started in constructing the metasl roof shed (12'X40') for the actual range cover. WOW ! did it go up fast, it was really quicktime. When I saw what the ground was like where the two other ones were going, I thought we better gravel that NOW, rather than after they were up. So I had the tree removal contractor bring in 10yds of gravel & had that taken care of. Then the shed contractor had a days delay & I thought, "Oh crap, they aren't going to be finsihed for the saturday PinMatch"! But, wonder of wonders, they came in with two crews on friday, finished it up & we were all happy with the results. Hooooooooooooooooray ! PinMatch ready !!!! I took a few pics of the construction and here they are:

Well, here you have it folks. Now you have an idea of what I've had going on & why the lack of 'Blogging' for the last couple three weeks. Been kind of BUSY!

Ta Taaaaaaaaaa

LouG

FLASH FLASH FLASH

2007-02-03T07:01:00.000-08:00

The anti's in Olympia are at it again! The Lib's in King & Snohomish counties are trying their best to institute another anti-FREEDOM peice of Legislatiuon.

This from the NRA's Alert that I recieved!

Senate Bill 5197 will be up for a hearing in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on Thursday, February 8 at 3:30 P.M. in the John A. Cherberg Building, Hearing Room #4. SB 5197 is a measure aimed directly at private firearm sales, which would mandate that all firearms sold at gun shows be transferred through a federally licensed dealer, thereby imposing dealer restrictions on private individuals who are not dealers. This will establish a gun tax on firearms, expand the growing government database of law-abiding handgun owners, and effectively halt handgun sales at gun shows.Your attendance at this hearing is critical. Washington Ceasefire is planning on packing the hearing with supporters of the gun show/gun registration bill, so it's vital that NRA-supporters show a strong turnout as well. Attendees should plan on being at the Capitol by noon. Please visit your legislators, even if they are not on the Committee.
If you are unable to attend, please contact your State Senator at (800) 562-6000 and respectfully ask that he or she oppose this ill-conceived and restrictive measure.

I know how hard it is to travel to Olympia to thwart these "Liberal Thugs" ( who are really anything but liberal, they want to impose their will on the rest of us!) who would rejoice in making the average Joe defenseless !
LET THEM HEAR OUR VOICE!

LouG

New resident at My House

2007-01-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

well, I've gone & done it ! I was going through the classified ads the other day & an ad for Boxer puppies caught my eye. I have watched the ads just sort of out of curiosity as I in a 'previous' life had raised Boxers for about 12-15 years.

A few days went by, and I picked up the paper & was again looking in the ads and thought, "I wonder what their like"? So I called the 'phone number & talked to a very pleasant younger woman who is the owner/breeder. We had a conversation that ran on for about 30-45 minutes & I asked if she had any pics of the puppies she could send to me. OH Yeah, so I recieved the E/M and looked at this Brindle male & said to myself, "Gosh ! He looks just like my "Spanky" boy did back when I bought him in the late '60's.

I didn't reply to the E/M. I mulled it over, and thought to myself, you can't have a dog! You're going to Wisconsin for 2 or 3 months in the Fall & there's no one you should go off & leave him with. So I called my daughter & told her I was going to have to cut my visit somewhat short. She asked how long are you going to stay then. I said a week ! She "HIT" the fan & told me that was un-acceptable as she & my son-in-law & Grandson had plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years & our birthdays, and Why was I not going to stay.

I told her I was thinking of getting a Boxer puppie & didn't want to go off & leave him for that length of time. Even though MrAl & MsRainy said they would take care of him for me. I don't want to have him away from me for that long. She immediately said, "Bring him with you"! Missy (Her Boxer) will 'LOVE' having a playmate, even if it's only for a while. I told he rno, but she was insistant. I finally agreed and we talked a little more.

After talking to my daughter, I called the lady & told her, "That's MY Doggie Boy" ! I made arrangements to meet with her & acquire said pup. Can't wait !!! I won't get him until the 7th, but I have preparations to do to make a secure & homey place for the guy.

OH! I almost forgot, here's a pic of the beautiful little guy!

Well Folks, it's just another adventure in life!

Taa Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....................

LouG

Pin Match Seminar

2007-01-27T14:50:00.000-08:00

Here we are post P/M Seminar, and all seems to have gone well. We had about 16-18 people come out and maybe, just maybe we'll have 3-4 of them show up and compete in the matchs. Seems like when we have a seminar, and the first match comes around, we only have maybe one (1) new person come out. Although this time there were quite a few more participants than in the past.

MrAl gave his show & tell on what equipment is needed, and the general procedure for how we operate & score the participants. There were a few procedural questions from the group and a lot of what kind of gun is the 'best' for pinmatchs and the usual. He also pointed out that we're going to add a "Big Bore" revolver shoot. Babies in the class will 44Caliber, that's so MrC. can shoot his new 480Ruger & feel like competition. It should be a REALLY "FUN" shoot.

Then we all got semi-organized & proceeded to the Pin Range, where MrAl gave some hands on instruction of stance, handhold tracking etc. There were a few of the people that just wanted to watch, but several were real interested in getting some "pin time in"! I did snag a few Pix of the event, and caught MrC., all agog at the proceedings!

Check this !

And I also caught some pix of the participants getting some pointers from MrAL. Here's a couple of them.

So there you have it folks, I think the pic of MrC. is one of those once in a lifetime "Classics" ! I'll probabley never get that opportunity again!

Taa Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

LouG

PinMatch Prepping

2007-01-21T12:04:00.000-08:00

The shooting season begins with a PINMATCH SEMINAR on January 27th. MrAl is going to give all the interested new pinshooters the details on what the procedure is, ammo to be used, and rules of the road. He does this on an annual basis for people new to the gunclub and interested in shooting bowling pins. We also do the same sort of thing for those interested in Steel Plate Matchs. That will come about the following week on Feb. 3rd.

What I have done is to pick up a new 'niner' pin/steel match gun. I purchased a CZ75b. So far it seems to be a really nice accurate gun. MrC. and I were out after the workparty yesterday checking it out. He said the long trigger pull would take some getting used to, but I didn't even notice it because I shoot revolver most of the time in double action! Here's a couple pics of the little beauty!

I really need to get out and practice with it as both MrC. and MsRainy shoot the same type of gun. MrC. has his Taurus PT92 Mini-Race gun, and MsRainy shoots a MrAl custom niner that is really "NICE" !! I just don't want to look like "MrBeginner" when we get there to compete. I'm also going to acquire an "Open Class" niner to shoot in the Steel Plate Matchs that will be compensated with a reddot sight & all the "Bells & Whistles", hope it does me some good !

Well folks, I guess that's all for now.............................................

LouG

'Phone Rules!

2007-01-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

Rules for the phone.

How ALL business phones SHOULD be answered!

GOOD MORNING,
WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Press "1" for English.

Press "2" to disconnect until you learn to speak English

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you,
Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET BOTH OF THEM

MidMonth January

2007-01-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

Gosh, here it is midJanuary & it seems like MrWinter is really wreaking havoc with us here on Whidbey Isle. I was out to the range shooting my birthday presents and having a high time. The detraction to being there was the 'dangit' coooold! I think the temp was @26d and luckily NO wind. I tried out my new little RedRyder 22carbine and was carried back to the days of my youth in how much fun it was.

I also recieved a new CZ75 stainless and was 'WOWed by how nice a 'shooter' it is. Found that at 15yds it was 2" low & left. After I got home I broke out the manual to see what I needed to do to adjust the sight. Teeny tiny Allen wrench, drift punch & tapper hammer. Headed back to the range & proceeded to get sighted windage wise, and the went to the Pin area to see what my impact point would be on a bowling pin. Right dead center but just a little low from point of aim. ACCEPTABLE for pinshootin'!!! HEH HEH Heeee MrC's gonna have some competition in the niner class now! Although we'll both have to watch out for MsRainy! She's getting better & better all the time.

We're having a Bowling Pin Seminar next saturday, and a Steel Match Seminar the following week, but NO matchs until March. It's OK, it'll give me time to get 9er ammo loaded & workup an accuracey acceptable load for both steel & for pins.

Well folks, here's hopin' it warms up a little & the Icey/Snow melts off & goes away! I sure have had enough to do me for this winter I'll say that!

Taaaaaaa Ta
LouG

CWSA Match Schedule 2007

2007-01-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

CWSA Match & Class Schedule 2007

January
Monday 1st Rifle Centerfire 0900
Rimfire 1100 100yd. Any Sights
Saturday 27th Bowling Pin Seminar 0900 (Clubhouse & Pin Range)

February
Saturday 3rd Steel Challenge Seminar 0900 (Clubhouse & Pistol Range)
Saturday 17th Rifle Centerfire 1100
Rimfire 0900 100yd. Metallic Sights

March
Saturday 10th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 11th Rifle Centerfire 0900 200 yd. Any Sights
Saturday 17th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900
Saturday 24th Trap 1130
Sunday 25th Rimfire Hanging Plate 0900
Saturday 31st Steel Challenge 0900

April
Sunday 1st Trap 1130
Saturday 7th Rimfire Falling Plate 0900
Saturday 14th Rifle Rimfire 0900
Centerfire 1100 100 yds. Any Sights
Saturday 21st Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 22nd Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Trap 1130
Saturday 28th Womens Firearms Safety Class 0900 (Clubhouse & Pistol Range)
Sunday 29th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Monday 30th Hunter Education 1800 - 2100 (Registration Required)

May
3rd, 4th Hunter Education 1800 - 2100 (Continued)
5th Hunter Education 0900 - 1200 (Continued)
Saturday 5th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 6th Youth Firearms Safety Class 0900 - 1500 (Registration Required)
Saturday 12th Trap 1130
Sunday 13th Rifle Centerfire 0900
Rimfire 1100 100yds Metallic Sights
Saturday 19th Bowling Pins 0900
Thursday 24th Trap 1800
Sunday 27th Steel Challenge Match 0900

June
Saturday 2nd Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Trap 1130
Sunday 3rd Steel Challenge Match 0900
Thursday 14th Trap 1800
Saturday 16th Rifle Centerfire 0900 200yds Any Sights
Saturday 23rd Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Sunday 24th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Thursday 28th Trap 1800
Saturday 30th Bowling Pins 0900

July
Sunday 1st Steel Challenge Match 0900
Saturday 7th Trap 1130
Sunday 8th Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Thursday 12th Trap 1800
Saturday 14th Rifle Rimfire 0900
Centerfire 1100 100yds Any Sights
Saturday 21st Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Sunday 22nd Bowling Pins 0900
Thursday 26th Trap 1800
Saturday 28th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Sunday 29th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900

August
Thursday 2nd Trap 1800
Saturday 4th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 5th Steel Challenge Match 0900
6th, 9th, 10th, Hunter Education 1800 - 2100 (Registration Required)
11th Hunter Education 0900 - 1200
Saturday 11th Rifle Centerfire 0900
Rimfire 1100 100yds Metallic Sights
Sunday 12th Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Trap 1130
17th, 18th,
19th, RENDEZVOUS ALL DAY (3 day event)
20th, 23rd 24th Hunter Education 1800 - 2100
25th Hunter Education 0900 - 1200
Saturday 25th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 26th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Thursday 30th Trap 1800

September
Saturday 1st Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Trap 1130
Sunday 2nd Bowling Pins 0900
3rd, 6th,7th Hunter Education 1800 - 2100 (Registration Required)
8th Hunter Education 0900 - 1200
Saturday 8th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900
Sunday 9th Rifle Centerfire 0900 200yds Any Sights
Thursday 13th Trap 1800
Saturday 15th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Sunday 16th Trap 1130
17th, 20th, 21st Hunter Education 1800 - 2100 (Registration Required)
22nd Hunter Education 0900 - 1200
Sunday 23rd Steel Challenge Match 0900
Saturday 29th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 30th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900

October
Saturday 6th Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Trap 1130
Sunday 7th Bowling Pins 0900
Saturday 13th Rifle Rimfire 0900
Centerfire 1100 100yds Metallic Sights
Sunday 14th Steel Challenge Match 0900
Saturday 20th Bowling Pins 0900
Sunday 28th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900

November
Sunday 4th Rimfire Hanging Plates 0900
Saturday 10th Rimfire Falling Plates 0900
Saturday 17th Presidents Turkey Match 0900 - 1300 (Club Charity Event)

December
No Events Scheduled !

Please contact Match Co-Ordinators for any changes!

Jan. 1, 2007 Rifle Match

2007-01-06T08:20:00.000-08:00

Here it is, the start of the New Year and we've had our 1st match at CWSA. Granted, the weather was cold & blustery with wind gust up to 30-35mph. But it was fun!

Our Rifle Match Co-Ordinator likes to start the new year off right, so we have a match every 1st of January. Maybe he thinks it brings him luck. I didn't participate in the center fire match, but did in the 100 yd rimfire class.

Somehow, even in all the wind & occasional sprinkle, I managed to eck out a 1st place win with a 311-4x score. I didn't expect to even hit the paper with the windy gusty day that it was. Several times our wind speed/direction flag was knocked over & had to be placed back upright during the match. It was REALLY blowing something fierce at times.

All in all I was rather pleased as I beat the match master who had a score of 266 really well. It always pleases me to out score him as he always says something like, "OH! Lous been practicing again!" Somewhat of a derogatory dig I feel, so you can understand my jubilation at scoring better than he.

That's the story of our January rifle match. "Nuff for now...................................

LouG

Custer Steel Plate Match Results

2006-12-28T11:35:00.000-08:00

Well here we go ! I thought I could deliver some pictures of the match on saturday, but I didn't have the resolution & brightness/contrast set correctly on my "NEW" camera 'phone. Sooooo, you get text only, that's because I can't find my image processing software to load on this computer, and what I do have is inadequate!

We, MrAl, MzRainy & myself, along with the Razz-a-maTAZ (MrAls German shorthair) arrived at the Custer range about 9:30 or so. There was only one vehicle there & I thought to myself, "OH NO, there's NO match because of the weather." Not true, we were just early. We got signed in and added into the shooters matrix and then sat around waiting for people to arrive. Well, as it turned out, there were only six of us hardy souls that would brave the rain & cold to come out & shoot.

We started the match at @10:00am & ran 3 relays against all other participants. In this RoundRobin match, you shoot against everyone, and there's no qualifying. I did OK against my 1st opponent, but then it was sorta downhill after that. Altho' I did beat MrAl in one relay. He won both sets that we shot as top winner for the day. MzRainy & I were pretty evenly matched in the 1st relay we shot, but then the magazine fell out of my gun on the 3rd relay so she put me to rest! Couldn't figure what happened as I got off 3 rounds before the mag dropped out. We continued to shoot, & I won a couple relays, but went down like "Lotties" drawers on most.
We then decided to shoot another complete set of relays cuz it was still early & it's a loooooooooong drive from Whidbey Isle to the Canadian border. I didn't do any better in the 2nd set than I did in the 1st one, but it sure was "FUN" ! ! ! !

MrAl again took overall winner, and once more I was shooting away in one relay & the damn magazine fell out of my Ruger again! WHAT THE HECK!!!!! I have my mags #rd so I noted which it was & stuck it in my pocket. We completed that set & cleaned up the range, put everything away & departed for Whidbey Isle & home, about a 2-2 1/2 hour ride. Not bad for the amount of fun & the 250-300 rnds expended.

I got home about 2:30, pulled the drop free magazine out & proceeded to check it out. I found that the detent on the mag had rounded off some & woudn't securely lock into the mag well. DANG! little things like that can sure aggravate you. OH well, we're going to institute that same style 22 match at our range this year so I can look forward to lots more fun shooting 22's in the future. If I can find my I/P software & rescue the pics I took, I'll post them at a later time.

That's all folks, good shootin'...............................

LouG

Saturday SHOOT Day !

2006-12-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't deal with it any longer! I've been out to the Range, which has been decimated by the recent windstorms, practicing with my revolver. The only thing is, there is no real thrill in just practice. MrAl just informed me that there's a 22 Falling Plate round robin match up at Custer Range this saturday. I AM GOING and I'M GONNA SHOOT ALL I CAN ! ! ! ! I don't care if I end up with the "BooBie" Prize, ( Depends on whose) or what ! I just want to shoot rapid fire competition!

I'll let you all know how it comes out after the match!

'Nuff for the moment

LouG

RECAP OF THE LAST 3 MATCHS

2006-11-28T11:08:00.000-08:00

GOSH, I've looked everywhere for the files I knew I had deleted in the hopes of finding a draft copy of them. No luck ! Oh well, it's all history anyway.

The gist of it was I took a 1st in the next to last Steel Plate match, got blown outta town by MrAl in the pinmatch Revolver class. Gave it to MsKeeWee in the PinTop Match, but made her work for it. She took me on the 1st table, I laid waste to her on the 2nd, which gave us a tie. And on the tie breaker, MrRuger decides to fall in love with a fired case & jam up, so that gave it away to MsKeeWee, who went on to take 2nd against MsRainy for the overall years end PinTop Match. Then I took a 2nd( I think) in the last S/P/M which is probably about normal.

So folks, there it is, the windup to the shoot season was our Presidents Charity Match, with the proceeds going to a worthy cause. I shot 2 targets in 22rifle & 6 in Iron sight handgun (What a joke that is!) I ended up in a shootoff for the JugHead match, but deferred because I couldn't figure what to do with a Turkey( I'm not married, and my kids all live in the midwest.)! So I came home, cleaned the brass from my 44S&W, and got it ready to reload.

That's ALL folks....................................... Now you'll get to here of my re-modeling plans & progress on my kitchen & bathroom. WHOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

LouG

Non shooting Sunday on Whidbey Isle

2006-11-26T15:56:00.000-08:00

As you can see, it isn't a day that's conducive to much outside activity. Besides, it's colder'n you know what! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............................
I posted my last 3 matchs the other day & must have done something in error, they're NOT here! ! ! So I'll have to go back & see if I can't re-create them & re-post.

Sundays Pin Match

2006-10-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

Well DAAAANG ! here it is Monday am & I'm ruminating on yesterdays pin shoot. What a damn DISASTER ! Talk about WET, COLD, NASTY, WINDY UGLY day for a match, this was IT ! I got to the range before anyone else & started to get things ready & "OH DAAAANG IT", here came the rain. Thought to myself, well, it won't last long 'cuz I can see blue sky, right over there ! WRONG ! It rained HARD for about 45 min's & then tapered off to a drizzle. MrAl & Ms Rainy had come in during this, so we began to get things ready(?), for the match. I'm not real fond of a wet match but oh well, we're here.

We got started on qualifying times & it seemed like everyone but MrAl was having a problem getting the pins on the ground. Everyone was reloading, some a couple of times. When it came time for me to qualify, I think there was one pin I hit 4-5 times before it finally hit the ground. It didn't seem like the hits packed any power. What the HECK??? I finally qualified mid pack with a time of @ 34sec's for 3 table average. That put me in 4th place just ahead of TonyC. I got a bye, as there weren't many shooters, Al & ChrisC. were the 1st up in revolver with me to face the winner. In the meantime I realized that I was shooting my steel loads & swapped ammo REAL quick ! Well, we all know how that came about & I was up against MrAl in my shootoff. The rain started coming down, and the WIND HOWLING in from the NW, the canvas cover on our pin range began flapping & slapping soooo hard I couldn't hear the timer. We had to restart the 1st table because when it went off, MrAl began shooting & I was standing there like a rock, wondering what the hell is he doing ! Well, MsRainy then asked me, "Didn't you hear that?" NOPE ! Restart ! Didn't get any better either. MrAl got me bigtime, by the time I started to pull the trigger, he was already on the 3rd pin. SHEEEEEEEESH ! Next table, MsRainy beats me on the shoulder so I know the timers gone off, but it wasn't much better. I heard the 1st shot from MrAl & went into action! I got 4 pins down & laid #5 down on it's side & had to shoot it again, but it was already too late ! OK ! Retired early, that's what happens.

Then when it came time for the pintops 22 match, qualifying was was again a practice in how many rounds do you have??? I think I hit one of those little sukkas 4 times before it went off the table. I was 4th again in qualifying which matched me up with MrC. We got up & ready, the timer goes off, and I get one shot off on the 1st pintop & JAM !!! Had a sideways smokestack in behind the 2nd round. That put me outta commission on the 1st table & MrC walked away with it. He offered to re-do it, but I said NO, that's just what happens. On our 2nd table I did a little better, but his last pin hit the ground before mine, so I'm retired again! What a PILE ! Still fun tho' !

We have a Steel Challenge Match next week, and the week after that the last pin match, and that ends our shooting "Season" ! With the weather getting cold & nasty wet I don't mind. I can hunker down & load ammo & dry fire the targets on the wall for practice. On those days when it's NOT too cold & nasty, the range is close enough for some live fire & ammo testing. Not to mention some good old practice time. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up the "Hot Rod Niner" during that time & be able to work up some loads for it & be ready for next year!

So in the meantime, I'll blog the more mundane aspects of my everyday happenings (BOOOOORRRRIIINNNGGGG !) Like working on the house & in the workshop/storage shed. Which I still have to get insulated & interior walls up in. That's so it'll be warm & toasty while I'm out there cranking out more ammo to expend in my endeavor of pleasure.

'Nuff for now...................................
LouG

Sunday Bowling Pin Match

2006-10-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Well, Sundays BPM is gonna be a real dogfight ! MrC. told me after I beat him him in the last revolver class, he was gonna "whup ma buns" next time ! HEHEHEEE. We'll just have to see about that. He may surprise me, but I'm going to get in some "practice" between now & then, so I'll be READY ! It's always fun to go out & do your best when you know you're gonna be shooting against some formidable competitors. Of course theres always MrAl, who shoots a good second faster in times than I do per table. I thought it was really interesting that MrC & I both shot exactly the same qualifying time to the hundredth of a second at the last match. We'll just have to see how things go at this one. I'll be "ReadY" MrC.

I'll post, & I know MrC. will be posting the results, especially if he "Whups MA Buns" as promised.

LouG

Weekend FUN Fest

2006-10-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

Gosh here it is Wednesday already & I'm way behind. Saturdays Steel Challenge was somewhat of a surprise to me as I wasn't feeling quite up to "Snuff'! I didn't really feel like shooting, or anything else for that matter, but I was there & figured, " What the heck" ! I only shot in the open revolver class & spent most of the match running the timer.
When it came for me to shoot the first scenario (Showdown), I thought, "Well, just shoot it & get it over with"! One of the shooters from HHRGC had heard my remark to MrC. that I wasn't feeling good. After my first run he said "Damn, I hope I shoot that good when I feel bad "! I didn't really think about what time I had shot, but I knew I hit all the targets & felt good about that. So I finished out the five relays & went back to running times for other shooters.
Then it was time for me to shoot the second scenario (Smoke & Hope), and I thought, OK, here we go, just do it ! I posted from 4.8 to 4.95, 4.96, 4.96 & then a 5.2 with the 5.2 being thrown out. I thought to myself OK, we finally be in the consistant mode, COOOOOOL !
I then continued timing out the rest of the shooters feeling OK that I had done fairly well. As we were finishing a club member told me I had won the open revolver class. I thought to myself, "Yeah , right"! Then at the end of the match MrC & MsRainy both told me I was really smokin' 'em. MrAl then told me the total of my times & I thought "WOW, Cool"! He also told me he had fired a 7th shot in the revolver class that gave him a 3sec. penalty for procedure. That put me ahead of him by about a 1.8 sec's. But then he went on to say that I also beat him in the Showdown, and that was really the deciding factor. WOOOOO HOOOOO, I'll take a "WIN" like that anyday. It was a good feeling. Then I went home & took a bigtime napper, as I was still feeling kinda puny.

On Sunday, we had my fun match, RIMFIRE HANGING PLATES. MrC loves this one, it's always fun, but really more of a social hangout time & shoot the breeze about gunstuff. I still am having a hard time getting on target with MrRuger, but oh well, it's all for braggin' rights anyway. MrC took 1st in both Iron & Optic sight class's with MrAl 2nd in both & in optic class MsRainy 3rd with me a poor 4th. Oh well, just gonna have to get a S&W 6 shooter in 22 so I can feel like I'm doin' OK with 22s. MrRuger just doesn't seem to have the right grip feel after shooting revolvers. Going to have to remedy that this winter & see if I can't find a decent one @ a fair price. Next year, I think that I'll be competing with MrC & his Mini-Race Taurus 9mm in the open class semi-auto. I'm going to buy a 5" brrl niner to compete with. I sold the S&W6906 that I had because it was only a 3"brrl & not suitable for competition. So MrC., Lookout for the rise of the "HotRod Niner" !

'Nuff for the moment, gotta get my act together for a Drs visit tomorrow. Finally found the cause of my ongoing health problem & it's time to get it taken care of....................................

LouG

Weekend Matchs Coming up!

2006-10-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

Here it is Friday already & I need to get ready for the Steel Challenge & Hanging Plate matchs. I went out to the range and re-sighted MrRugers L/G reddot. I found I was shooting (still) @ 5-6" high ! Damn !!! I had brought the POI down @ 8-10" the last time I sighted it! Now I understand why my last hanger was such a damn disaster! I was sorely bent out of shape about it. Hopefully I'll do better in Suindays match.
Tomorrow, (Saturday) is the Steel Challenge. I'll probably get to set up & run most of it as I think EVERYONE is getting tired from shooting every weekend. It's not the shoot part, it's getting everything set & ready, keeping track of, and then breaking it all down & putting all the targets away. I know after the last couple of matchs I've come home & just absolutely crashed out. But, we've only got 4 more shoots this year & then it'll be wind down time, clean everything really GOOD & load ammo for the next seasons matchs. I didn't get to do that last year as I was off on a trek to So. Carolina to see my sister, I also visited all my kids in the midwest along with grandkids. What an adventure.
This wintwer I'm going to pretty much hibernate & load ammo. I've got @ 8K of 38 to load & if I acquire a 9MM S/A for next season I'll load around 3-4K for that.
I'll post results for the weekend matchs as I have time. Might be mid week as I have a Treadmill to test to on Monday for an on-going health problem I've been trying to cope with along with the every days of just living.
'Nuff for now.......................................
LouG

Bowling Pin Match

2006-10-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday PM ! Back from the match, and I was 3rd in revolver ! MrC. and I posted the exact same time to qualify, 16.46sec.'s for 3 tables of pins. AlL posted a 17.59 due to some reload problems on a couple of time tables. That put MrC & myself up in the 1st shootoff !

The timer went off & both of us fired rapidly & left a pin or 2 sitting there, quick reload ( I was faster) and I dusted MrC on the 1st table. YAaaaahOOOOOO ! Now I only have to do it one more time & He'll be lookin' for a rematch with me. MsRainy gets us all ready & the timer goes off again & "WHAM, BAM, POW, CRASH & BANG ! " I got him !!! He even left a couple pins on the table !!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYY the shootoff is mine & "OH, NO" ! Ms Rainy tells me to go to table 1 & get ready to shoot against AlL! OH HELL, success is so fleeting, I made him work for it, but he "Dusted MA ASS" GOOD ! So, that retires me for the day! Next AlL shoots off with ChrisC., "Lightening Boys" dad & sends him to the dustbin too ! OHO, next up is "Lightening Boy" himself, & he also goes down like the rest of us. So AlL takes the 1st spot, TonyC. ("Lightening Boy") takes 2nd & that puts me into 3rd. Sooooooooooo, it wasn't totally a "BUST" ! I did dust MrC. and now I can look for that re-match ! Can't wait, gotta get out & practice that 1st pin so I'm sure to get it & go on down the line & knock'em ALL off the table in 5 shots !

Gotcha covered,
LouG
PS: I posted all 3 today, even tho' I had worked them up in W/P beforehand. Just no time.

Rifle Match 10/14/06

2006-10-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Heck, here it is Saturday again & I'm wondering what happened to the week! Been busy runnin' around, working on the Load/Workbench & interior of the shed ( electrical, insulation etrc.) and just generally trying to keep up with the everydays of life.

Have a rifle match to put on & track for those who like to shoot rifle. Altho' it's being souper foggy the last couple days, I wonder if we'll be able to see the 100yd targets. I'll soon find out I guess.

Back from the match, and what a "HOOT" !! You could see the target, but you couldn't see any lines on it or any hits from a 22rf. We went ahead & fired it off, (all 3 of us, EvilAl, myself & TedP.) . Great turnout huh?? I usually take the rimfire by outscoring the other shooters on offhand. But, NOT today ! I could hardly see the target let alone know if I was hitting it. Benchrest, we could only put the crosshairs somewhere on what we thought was center mass & fire away. Well, wasn't so hot ! AlL took 1st with a +7.22above his ave. of 335.84 & I was 2nd with a +4.62 over my ave. of 261.38, and TedP pulled 3rd with a score -1.75 under his ave. of262.25. So as you see, we were all at somewhat of a dis-advantage in the blowing FOG that at times obscured the targets almost totally!

OK, enufff of this drivel, we have a Bowling Pin Match tomorrow & I hope to wreak Havoc on MrC.'s endeavor in the revolver class. Hold onto your hats tho', anything can & does happen !

LouG

STEEL CHALLENGE 10/08/06

2006-10-15T15:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is post shoot time & don't even know how I did in it. I guess that's the breaks of the game when you both run & shoot in a match. Unless you win that is ! We tried out a "new" paper system for the steel matchs. Each shooter gets a card with his name to be filled in, the scenario that's being shot & after the shoot adds up his times. You place the card in the appropriate scenario shoot box & when the scorekeeper calls you on deck, you're ready & 'rarin' to go for it. Leastways I think ! I was running the timer for most shooters so I have no idea how well or poorly people are doing unless it's really a gross time shoot !

I came away after the shoot so wiped out all I wanted to do was snag some "NAPTIME" ! Which was exactly what I did. Guess I'll have to look in the newsletter to see where I placed. Oh well, I know it wasn't in the $$$ ! I don't even know who placed where in what categories, I do know that we all had "FUN" & it was a pretty good match!

So that's how it ended & I'll keep an eye out for who did what I get that posted when available !

'Nuff for now,

LouG

STEEL CHALLENGE 10/08/06

2006-10-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are with another match Sunday ! I'm really looking forward to shooting some steel tomorrow. Attended the Gunshow/Sale @ HHRGC and it turned out to be quite lucrative for me. Reduced my inventory slightly, got rid of some excess ammo ( how can anyone have excess ammo???) and replenished my rather diminished bank account after the purchase of 15K in bullets for next years shooting events.

I'll post the results of the match either when I get home or in the evening when I'm wound down!

'Nuff for now...........................
LOUG

Basic Training

2006-10-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here is an article by an instructor friend, that is always a timely reminder.

Basic Training

Everything in life starts with the basics. Just like you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. You need to start with the basics, and perfect them if you will; in order tobuild a strong foundation before you move to more advanced techniques. When I started to study martial arts, the very first thing I needed before I could even start training was some sort martial arts gear (i.e. Uniform or proper clothing, mouth guard, protective gear, etc.) well, before you even think about carrying a concealed weapon you need to get the right gear that will fit your needs (i.e. Belt, holster, spare magazine pouch or speed loader.) Once you have that you can start practicing the basics with the gear you will wear and the way you would carry in the streets. Continuing with the martial arts school analogy, you start to learn how to deflect punches and kicks (high, medium and low blocks), how to punch correctly, how to kick correctly, etc. In the weapons craft art, you start by learning about safety, how to load and unload a weapon safely, how to grip a handgun, and you learn about posture rather than stance and the fundamentals of marksmanship. After you have a good grasp of these important fundamentals and after a lot of dry fire, you put them in practice by doing live fire. Then you learn how present your weapon from your holster towards your adversary, you also learn how to perform a proactive and reactive reload, how to clear unexpected malfunctions and so on and so forth. You practice all of these techniques dry and then with live fire. But the idea here is not to just learn a technique half way and move on, the key is to master the technique first and then move on to the next one. And in order to do that, we need to learn the correct way of doing certain technique and practice them repeatedly so we create what we call muscle memory, just like in martial arts you practice a specific technique hundreds of time, same here. Muscle memory is nothing more than a term used by athletes and muscle physiologist to describe a skeletal-muscle activity that you learn and becomes automatic with practice. By practicing a certain technique over and over, your neurological system and motor neuron/muscle group pathways get faster and it takes them less effort to perform a skeletal-muscle activity (technique or drill) to the point that it doesn't require you conscious thinking to achieve smoothness in the execution in other words, you become faster at that activity. That is why when you practice a technique or drill you should do it slow because the speed will come on its own. We have a saying in the Marine Corps that goes “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” So don't focus so much on speed but rather on perfection of the execution, nice and slow. What will make you fast is not doing it fast but continuous correct practice. Now, something else as important as to continuously practice is to keep practicing. One of my martial arts master once told me “Llegar a la cima de la montana no es dificil, lo dificil es mantenerse en la cima” “Is not difficult to get to the top of a mountain, to stay on it is more difficult.” In this case what I mean by this, is that just like if you stop practicing any discipline for a long period of time you will loose some of your skills, if you don't practice your basic fundamentals every so often, you will loose some of those fine motor skills and therefore speed. If you have had any accident in your low extremities that put you out of commission for a while (broken leg, surgery, etc.) you know what I am talking about, you had to re-learn how to walk and it took a lot of effort, concentration and dedication. So, even if you are at the beginners level, intermediate level or advance level, don't forget to revisit the fundamentals in every practice session that you have, like Gabe says “Revert back to the basics” on anything that you do. So, when practicing the basics of marksmanship do it correctly, slowly, repeatedly and don't focus on speed but on perfect execution. Well that is it for now, I will talk more about other factors related to muscle memory, perfection in execution, precession and more in the upcoming newsletter.

“Semper Fi, Do or Die”
Kelvin Rincon-Galue
S.I. Staff Instructor

WEEKEND RESULTS

2006-10-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a REAL bust ! Posted some really GOOD times in the revolver class trials and went up against MrAlL. in the 1st round & went down like "Lotties Drawers" ! Tough to beat someone when you post 4.5 to 5.8 sec's & they're posting high 2s to low 4s. OH well, there'll be another day ! Then MrAl gives it up to MrCompletely, who gave it away to ChrisC., "Lightening Boys" dad. WHAT A BUST !!! Chris ws shootin' pretty darn good tho'.

Then, to add insult to injury, I posted some pretty fair times, in the 22 Optic class time trials, trying to shoot slow & NOT go up against MrAl in the 1st round again, I draw MsRainy, who is NO slouch as a shooter. She 'whuuups ma butt", but I did make her work for it. She took the 1st table, I took the 2nd. That made for a shoot off, and DANGIT, she beat me again! So, I was totally retired for the day having shot less than a 100 rnds in both revolver class & 22Optic class. DAMMM !

On Sunday, we had our Rimfire Hanging Plate Match. MrAL took both Iron sight & Optic sight class's with MrC close on his heels. I thought the 3rd place spot would be a contest between MsRainy, KeeeWeee and myself ! Didn't come off that way at all ! MsRainy took the 3rd spot with NO contest from either myself or MsKeeWee. I placed ahead of the Keewee Gal, but only by 2 points ! I felt like throwing my beautiful little Ruger with the Fancy Butt Leupold/Gilmore sight I just put on it, right over the berm ! I was, and am disgusted with how I did!!! OK, OK, back to the range for some practice with that little Turkey! OH, maybe I'm the Turkey @ shootin' 22pistol ! Have to get in some practice. Next match's are 2 weeks away, so maybe, just maybe, I can make some improvement!

This next weekend there's a GunShow/Sale @ Holmes Harbor Gun Club which I hope to dispose of some un-wanted items. Shotshell reloaders (2), a few old nasty Collector Rifles, and maybe a couple pistols that haven't seen the light of day in more than a couple years ! Why keep something that you don't want to shoot or feel it's too valuable as a "Collector" to put rounds through it !

Well, enuff for the moment. Need to get out & finish my loading bench & re-arrange everything ( trip to the dump), so that I have the room to maneuver in the Shed/Workshop. Will post more later on when I'm caught up.

LouG

Shooting Weekend Upcoming

2006-09-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here we are another Friday! Where the heck does the time go? That's OK, weekend time & the shoot schedule is full ! We have a Bowling Pin Match on Saturday & a 22 Hanging Plate Match on Sunday. Woooo Hooooo, it's going to be another FUN weekend.
received an EM from Ms. PegiT and she & Jere may be over from the mainland for the HPM. Be GOOD to see my shootin' partner again. Sure hated it when she said they were moving OFF Island, OH WELL. That means the HPM will have a 4 way shootout for the 3rd spot behind MrAL & MrC, who will undoubtedly take 1st & 2nd spots. So that leaves me, Ms RainyL, KeeWee & Pegit to battle it out for the (HONOR OF ) 3rd spot. Ought to be real fun.
Tomorrow, is the BPM and it's gonna be a real blast. I may be able to wreak a little vengeance on MrC in revolver class (finally, since I've gotten my Pin load spiffed up), although I know that "Evil" AL will more than likely be the front runner in that. You never know tho' it could be much different results wise than anyone could imagine. Anyone can be beaten on a given day when you consider all factors. They may have a BAD shooting day, and you could have a GOOD one.
Well, I'll post the reults on Monday. Right now it's time to get ready to paint the trim on the 'NEW' shed/workshop and get to work on my loading/workbench!

LouG

Two Weeks of Enduring Effort!

2006-09-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are post Island Intra-Club Challenge Match ! it was a real endeavor getting ready for this years match as our club hosted it. It rotates from club to club each year. I thought that I had everything all set and planned out! NOT So ! Al got a chronograph & we went out to the range & chroney'd our loads. OH, woe is me ! My plate loads were OK, but my bowling pin loads only had a power factor of @ 112 to 115 or so. No wonder my hits on the pins were somewhat on the order of WIMP CITY ! So I came home, had a few days of rain so no outside stuff, I broke down & reloaded @ 500 rnds of 38spl in 125g plate loads & 148g DEWCs for the pins. Loaded the pin ammo @ 5.0g of Unique with a 148g WC @1.440 oal. WORKS GREAT!

Saturday comes & we all get to range for the match, and I can tell, everyone is a little uptight. Not too bad but drawn. We, as hosts, were the last to shoot in the 1st event of pins. The Holmes Harbor guys were doing real good. I figured we wouldn't beat North Whidbey, but might have a chance to get HH. I was the 1st to from our club. Didn't miss a pin on the 1st three tables, no reloads. Not spectacular times, but OK. With three pretty good tables I figured that I could go for broke & try & speed it up some. DAMN! Missed a pin 2X & had to reload, OK, that's the throw away.
Next comes Lightening Boy Tony, who's definetly uptight! He blows through the tables & has to reload every one of them and ends up with @ a 12sec time. Then it just continues with reloads on each table & his average time is around eleven seconds. OH well.
Here comes "Speedy" MrC.! He'll blow the pins away & move us up some in time. WHOOOOPS, he miss's pins & reloads on the 1st table, the 2nd table the 3rd table & OHMAGAWD, the 4th one too. Ends up with lotsa time. AW POOOOOPERS !
Well, here comes Al. He'll do the J- O- B !~ Al pretty much shoots his normal way, but has a reload & we end up at the bottom of the stack in pins. Alrighty, we'll make it in steel( I HOPE)!

We get out on the pistol range & get started & HH guys are shootin' pretty damn good. OHGAWD! Then the NW team is up & they're "SMOKIN'" ! They posted some pretty good times.
OHSHIT, now I'm up ! Well, let's NOT lose it, and blow the whole thing. Posted some fair times & we all ended up doing much better in the 1st scenario. Only 3 sec's behind the leaders (NW) in this one & ahead of the guys from HH. YAAY ! ! ! I hope we can beat them!
Next scenario & NW takes it again with us only 5 sec's behind them & almost 10 sec's ahead of the HH guys ! WE BE DOIN" OK !
Last chance for redemption & low & behold, we come out less than 5sec's behind the NW guys & 10 sec's more ahead of the HH team ! YAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO ! ! !

The final tally puts US in 2nd place & HH team in 3rd ! WE BEAT "EM ! It wasn't a win, but at least we weren't SKUNKERS either. It was lotsa FUN ! Now we have a Steel Challenge Club Match tomorrow to get ready for, KOOOOOOOL !

Sunday morning, Al & I show up & get the Steel Plates & stuff set up & get everyone signed in & on & awaaaaaaay we go !
I shot 2nd to Al in rewvolver Open class & @ 6th in the 22rimfire class which is extremely competitive. Last time @ this I was next to last in a field of 12 or so, so I having finally gotten around to getting my Ruger 22/45 sighted felt like OK. Moved up, now to get some practice time & see if I can get closer to the front runners. That's what makes it soo much fun. Trying different things & working on technique & timing to better yourself as a shooter. One thing for sure folks, it's the most fun thing I know of to do.
I'd like to insert the tally sheet from the Club Match, but don't quite know how to cut & paste it from Excel to the blog, Oh Well.
That's the sum total of it folks !

Hanging Plate & Bowling Pin Matchs 9/2&9/3

2006-09-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Well hey folks,
I figured I better get some new "INFO" up, or you'd all think I went into 'retirement' from blogging too. I've been playing "Construction King" with a new storage shed & walkway along the side of it from the back gate to the driveway. I've had to take up @ 60sq." of grass & dig into the rocks & gravel to lay some cement pavers. Bigger job than I thought. It took me @ 8-9 days to build the 10'X10'X8' storage/workshop/reloading space, which was not too bad, but then for some unknown crazy reason I decided to do the walkway too ! Never start something without assessing what you have to move & get rid of 1st. I took down a 6'X8' tin shack that was @ 25yrs or more old & worthless. That was the easy part, then the layout & floor frame for the new one, and the rest went like 'GangBusters" ! Actually had fun doing it. Well, on to the real stuff now that I've let you in on why I've been less than communicative.

Yesterday, we had our Rimfire Hanging Plate match at Central Whidbey Range, and while there wasn't an overwhelming turnout, those of that did had fun! There were seven shooters in optical class and only three in ironsight. It was sort of anti-climactic when Al L. wasn't shooting per his 'normal SpeedDemon" style and let MrC, take the class with him second.

In the optic class things were a little different with the real battle for 2nd, 3rd & 4th places. MrC. once again cleaned us all out & took 1st place with Al L. 2nd, and WONDER of WONDERS, myself in 3rd place just one point ahead of Als wife Rainy. I'll probably NEVER hear the end of, "You beat me by ONE plate" , but IT was sweet! I have had so many sight problems with my Ruger 22/45 red dot sighted gun, I was almost ready to heave it over the berm & forget 22Rimfire. I put a NEW Leupold/Gilmore reddot (LG35-8moa dot) on it & it's changed my thinking. I immediately jumped 20 points in score & have yet to sight it in @ 25yds. I did sight it for PinTops (21') but hadn't found the time to get to the range & sight it @ the longer distance!~ WAS I "STOKED"!!!!! I couldn't believe how much better I did. Next, is the Bowling Pin & Pintops on Sunday.

Well, here I am back from the B/P Match & not feelin' all that bad at how I did. I shot in centerfire optic class, revolver, and of course the MrC.'s Specialty, "PINTOPS"!! In cenetrfire class MrC. 'dusted' me with his niner minie race gun & I just figured "OK SUKKA" there's more to go yet! In revolver class I again seemed to have a hard time finding the pins in the qualifier, and ended up shooting against the "Deadly" Dean guy. It was sorta close but I 'squeeeeeeked' past him to shoot again. In the end, it was "Lightening Boy" (Tony C.) & myself for winner take all. I plastered him on the 1st table, he plastered me on the 2nd one & then just barely squeeked by me for the #1 spot! It's OK, he's faster'n brownstuff & can reload like lightening. I don't feel bad being beaten by a 16yr old with good eyes & quick reflexs. I did make him work for the win though.
That's it for now fols, it was lotsa "FUN"!
LouG

pINmATCH ETC.

2006-08-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

Well gosh, been a bit since I've been here & just lotsa 'stuff' has been goin' on.
Most recent was the Hanging Plate Match ( See MrCompletleys writeup on how it's staged.), and our wonderous Bowling Pin Match. We started off with the qualifying tables for shoot order. I posted some really good times in iron sight class but just couldn't seem to hang it all together for the revolver class & ended up shooting late in the lineup. MrC & "Evil" AlL went off 1st & MrC took the 1st table. Then AlL bears down hard & dusts him on the next two, so that ended MrC's revolver shoot. I shot 1st against "Deadly" DeanH. and squeeked by him by a hair. Then I shot against ChrisC.( Father of the Lightening Kid, Tony), and got by him fairly easily because he's new to revolver shooting. That put me up against AlL., and we all know the outcome of that, I took a humble 2nd but don't feel all that bad about it.
Next we shot Iron sight class & Ist right out of the box I go up against BillB. shooting his 45 auto. Normally he shoots a 586 like myself, but then he wanted an advantage this time. He dusted me in no time at all & then went on to take the match by beating all in the I/S class. He felt real GOOD ! Then there was the Optic Class which I didn't shoot in & I believe AlL also took that. Althouh his Grandson Derrick (13yrs) was giving everyone a run for their $$$ shooting Ms Rainys new 9mm-s/a with a red dot. He even beat grandmom.
Then we got down to brass tacks & started the Rimfire Pintops. MrC & JimP. went at it tooth & nail & Mr Jim took the I/S class. Then we started into the Optics class & again, little Derrick was whuppin' buns. He beat Grandmom, GrandDad & me to end up goin' off with MrC who had a run for his money but squeeked past him to take the class.
GOOD SHOOTIN" Derrick !
That's about the size of it folks. We have a "Rendezvous" coming up on the 18th, 19th & 20th with a Rifle Match @ 200yds this weekend. I won't be shootin' no Iron Sight Rifle in THAT one. Not even my scope sighted CZ in 22lr. Sooooooooooo, I'll just work 0on my new storage shed I'm building & get myself psyched up for the next Steel Challenge & Bowling Pin matchs
That's all folks.

Matchs on 6/17, 6/18 & 6/25 Bowling Pin

2006-06-26T17:54:00.000-07:00

Gosh, I guess better late than never. Had some pressing personal issues to deal with. Sure would rather just 'play shoot' than to deal with some of those people that you hate to even think of ! What it was, was the Lawyer Fella for the settlement of my Moms estate. She passed away in Dec. of '04, and we're still hasslin' out the division of her personal property & Estate Trust. Sooooooon, it'll be all over & I won't need to even let 'poooooop' cross my mind ever again.

As for the Matchs: on the 17th we had a 100yd centerfire & then rimfire rifle match. I used my AR15 with a 4x12 scope on it & had one heck of a time trying to shoot that sucka offhand. Off the bench, not a problem, out of 7-8 shooters I think I was 3rd, which is ok, but not really !
In the rimfire match, there were just 3 of us, the other 2 shooters beat the pants off of me B/R. I think one of my targets was a 95, and the 2nd was 99 out of a possible 100, with 5X's. On the Offhand targets, I 'wupped their buns' bigtime ! On the 1st target I scored an 82 & I think they each scored in the 50's & 60's. On the 2nd o/h target I again scored an 82 with the other 2 shooting again in the high 40s in one case & the low 60's in the other. So I think I ended up with an overall score of 348- 7X. Better than I had w=expected. FUN!

On the 18th, we had our Rimfire Hanging Steel Plate Match. Had a real good turnout with about 18-20 shooters in the 2 classes, Optic & Iron sight. There I was, runnin' around trying to get it all set up & ready to go and 'EvilAl & Ms. Rainy' show up to lend a hand. I didn't expect anyone at that time. All went well, with MrC taking the Optic class & AlL the ironsighters category.
Here I am still shootin' that damn Ruger with a Tru-Glo reddot that I never got there to sight it in properly but figured "OH Well, I'll just shoot it as is." Point of Impact was about 5-6"s low and right of the point of aim. I thought I could hold off enuff to get a few hits, and that was what it was!!! I came in dead last, but had a lot of fun anyway.

Then this past Sunday, we had our usual pinshoot. I ran the time tables for the 3 classes, I/S, O/S & revolver any sights ! I shoot a 357S&W 586 with a Leupold/Gilmore red dot. during my time tables I thought my ammo was being just a hair wimpy, but figured that's just me today. Well, I beat one shooter, then shot against the "Lightning Kid", TonyC. I beat him with his 45 revolver pretty much hands down, and then turned right around & shot off with him again, with his 686 38spl. I took the 1st table & then TonyC took the 2nd, by a hair. We then had a shootoff, and I'm layin' the pins down on the table & wondering, "What the HELL am I doin'"! Lost, no biggeeeee, there's the next one where retribution is a b----h!
Then today, I'm talkin' on the 'phone to "EvilAl" , and he menbtions that his crimp on his plate ammo was not enough. That set me to thinking about how had I crimped my Pin Ammo. I went & pulled it outta the drybox, and found @ 400 rounds with virtually NO crimp! And I'm wondering about wimpy hits & light feelin' recoil!!!! I reset my crimp die & ran all 400 rounds through it. Packed up the gunstuff & headed out to the range. Hit them pins & they went into the dirt like virtual Gangbusters !!!! Lesson learned, CHECK, DoubleCheck, and then Check'em again! I had run that 400rnds with my steelplate lite crimp, no recoil 125gr target loads! You can just imagine my self-cursing when I realized just what.

All 'n all, it was a good time, had to leave early for a barbie party, but eating is almost as good as shooting. Enjoy that time you have doin' what you love to do, cuz it's never gonna come back to do again!

LouG

Weekend Matchs

2006-06-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is Tuesday & I'm finally recovered from a hellacious weekend. I didn't get to go to the HHGC "Carnival Match" on saturday due to the fact that my allergies were bouncing me off the walls bigtime.

But Sunday, it was a different story. Al & Rainy and myself got to the range @ 8am, it was overcast, but the weather wizards said it would not rain & probably clear up by noontime. Surprise, surprise, for once they were pretty accurate.

We set up two scenarios consisting of a left to right. 4 plates 10" and a 12" stop plate, equally spaced, but receding by about 5 yards between plates. It was pretty active & fast to shoot. The other scenario was the "Speed Shoot" ! It was 4 plates with a center stop plate all at the same distance with two plates on either side of the stop plate. Several people shot sub 3 sec times and a couple of the rimfire gtuys & one, maybe two of the semi-auto centerfire guys were sub 2 sec. times. Phenomenal. Couldn't believe it.

I get to run the matchs most of the time so I get a birds eye view of how well some people can do. "Evil" Al is really a 'quick-time' shooter. Most of his times were in the 3 second bracket with his slowest on this onew @ 4.21 secs, and his fastest at @ 2.29 sec's! Blew me out !!! I shoot about twice that time, although some of my times were just over 4 sec's. I was having a problem with my optic sighted revolver mis-firing. I thought I might be short stroking the trigger, but found that not to be so. I took it up on the pin range & found that my mainspring trigger tension screw had backed out some. I tightened it back up a 1/4 turn & had no more problems with it. And when I got home & cleaned it, the tensioner got some locktite applied. That way it won't do it again. My first turn @ shooting turned out to be a real disaster, thank God we throw out the longest time. I think with the 3 reloads I had on that run, I was around 17 - 18 seconds. Made the remark to Al that wasn't a very good start. But, I got the problem corrected and ended up doing pretty well in the other scenarios.

The 3rd scenario that we shot was another real "SPEED SHOOT" ! There were 5 plates, arranged in a diamond pattern with the stop plate at top, in the back. The #1 plate was @ 18" off the ground, with a 2nd & 3rd to the right & left being just above it, then another to the left @ 18" to 24" and just above the lower left plate, and the stop plate directly behind plate #1, but about 4' higher. So, you got to work your way from front to back, and upwards. I chose to start @ the right center plate & work my way from right to left in a circle. I think I posted my best times with that strategy. Anyway, it seemed to "work for me." All in all, i didn't do too bad, I ended up taking 2nd spot behind Mr Al in both revolver class's.

This coming weekend, we have a rifle, R/F & C/F match that I'll get to host. No excitement there in shootin' paper at a 100yds, but good practice. Then on Sunday, we have MrC's favorite match. 22Rimfire Hanging Steel Plate, and I know he'll be just gleeful again if "BadAss" TomS doesn't show for it.

Well, that's it for the moment ! Everyone who cares for "BofR", get out & exercise your "Right to Keep and Bear Arms", and have a lot of fun in cranking off those rounds! Think of the "Far Left Progressive Liberals" when you do so. It sharpens your aim !

LouG

Carnival Match @ Holmes Harbor

2006-06-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah, Friday night & I'm finally ready for the weekend matchs. Tomorrow, Saturday, "Evil Al" and I are going to HHGC on the South end of the Island for their Carnival(?) shoot.

What it consists of is 5 events that are a 25yd Dart Board, centerfire pistol, a 15yd Poker Hand (any gun/sights), a 25yd Wheel of Fortune (spinning)22rf, a 15yd speed shoot cf pistol, any sights & a 25yd sliding down a cable 22rf target shoot. Sounds like fun huh? Everytime I go there & compete, I come away with the thought that "I didn't bring the right gun/sight/ammo combination" to even compete with this group of Bullseye style shooters. I don't do bad, 4th-5th sometimes but........................ They're tough competitors. And, you don't get to be a better shooter if you don't shoot against guys that can outshoot you in all modes ! I AM READY ! I just would like to at least place tomorrow.

Then on Sunday, "Evil Al" and myself will host the Steel Challenge Match @ CWSA. I know that's going to be a fun time. I told TonyC to be ready, because I've adapted my holster to fit both my iron sighted 586 & my Optic sighted 586. I'm ready to beat him with a NO PENALTY for NO Holster Draw in the optic class. Last time I won the I/S class but it wasn't much fun because I was 10sec's faster than the #2 shooter. Nice, but not real exciting ! I like it when I have to really work for it.

MrC & the KeeeWeeee tell me their going off to go fishing this weekend, so I won't get to wreak REVENGE on him with his lefthanded, woodgripped giantkillin' 38sooperhotload Taurus. But it'll come around ! I'll be 'gunnin'' for him @ the next pinmatch. Maybe I can even talk him into draggin out his M29 in 44Mag for a real shootoff !

Well, enough for the moment. I'll post results of tomorrows match & the Sunday Steel challenge when they're done. Off to the Boobytube time.

CWSA PinMatch

2006-06-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

We had a really GOOD day for a pinmatch, weather was partly cloudy, warm (mid 50's@ 8:am) and lotsa good help getting the match setup. MrCompletely & KeeWee came early, as did BillB and TonyC and our venerable senior MrDeadly DeanH, to give me a hand. Let me say a Great Thanks for everyone helping out !

There wasn't an overwhelming turnout, but those that did had a good time. We always start with the centerfire qualifyer time tables & work on through to the revolver class. Surprise, surprise, Mr Completely brought his left-handed, walnut grippped Taurus M66 that he shoots single action. Very self-deprecating fella, but look out, he is as fast as a Cobra in the grass with that thing. And he shoots +P 38's that are loud enough to scare the P---P outta you when he lights it off. Hurts my teeth & ears every time he fires.

One of our better shooters, DennisS took 1st in the centerfire class, but he had to work for it. He shoots both 45 & 9mm, so he was pretty much guarenteed either a 1st or second, but almost took both. His daughter, Andrea showed up for the 1st time this year & was in pretty good form for not doing a lot of shooting.

In the revolver class, I posted the fastest qualifier, with Mr Completely right behind me. So that meant we would be the 1st shoot off. I won the 1st table, the 2nd was a tie, and he won the 3rd by a hair. Due to a misread of the setup, we stopped there, but should have shot one more table to decide the winner. But........ didn't come off that way & it wasn't discovered until BillB and MrC were on their 2nd shootoff table. It wouldn't have been fair to anyone to go back & redo MrC and myself, so we let it ride. There will be another day, and MrC, be prepped my friend, I'm out to knock ya off.

We all had a really good time, and when it came down to the rimfire pintops, Miss Keewee dusted me right off the block. Seems my Tru-Glo I've mounted on my Ruger 22/45, to me has a dot(?) that looks like a figure eight laying down on it's side. A couple other shooters took a look, but said it was OK. I think I may need to get my eyes checked, because it seems a little weird to me. Although MrC says he can't se s--t, beyond 6', I kinda wonder at that as he knocks pins off like GangBusters. It's in good fun & that's what it's all about. HAVING a GOOD time & enjoying the company of like-minded people.

So, be aware MrC, I'm going to get in some practice time & be laying in wait to take back some pins!

Our next match is another Steel Challenge, that's on Sunday the 11th of June. There's no way of getting in practice for that except to shoot paper plates on the target boards on the pistol range. I'll be out there, and have modified my Blade-Tech holster to accept my Optic sighted 586, so I won't be getting penalized for not drawing from a holster. WoooooooHooooooooo

LouG

Steel Challenge

2006-06-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

Well here we are post Memorial Day Steel Challenge. It was a great day for shooting, and we had a pretty good turn out at CWSA. The match was held on the pistol range and we shot 3 scenarios as setup by Al (EVIL AL, as Mr Completely says) and myself. I'm just the goat & Al is the brains behind the scenario layout. There were probably 16 to 18 particpants in Centerfire Optical & Iron Sight class's and 6 to 8 in the Revolver Optic & Iron sight class's. Then there were the Rimfire guys where it was justa gang of 'em. That's MrCompletleys Class. Usually Optic & Iron Sights , but only in Optics for this match.

We each had 5 runs of 5 targets. In revolver class ( I shoot both revolver class's) , you only have 6 rounds & in Centerfire the S'Auto guys have a magazine of whatever capacity. You shoot the 5 runs, then the loooooongest timed run is discarded, and your time is totaled for that particular event. You then proceed to the next scene and do it all over again with a different target setup! Lotsa FUN ! At our range, due to space limitations, after everyone has fired the 2 scenarios, we break, and setup a 3rd one and everyone goes on to shoot that one. Some of shooters had quite a time incorporating the move from one shoot box to the next in this particular event. It's kinda easy to get your mindset on, and then when the timer goes off, everything you're thinking about goes out the window & you blow one run or another. I know I forgot to catch the 'ping' on the 2nd target in this event, and had to back up to the #1 spot & hit it again. Ended up with about a 17 second dance time on that one. But Mr Completely took the prize for the most exotic dance of the day. It was pretty hilarious to see him dancing back & forth & trying to empty his gun simultaneously.

Tomorrow, Saturday, we have one of our infamous "Bowling Pin Matchs". 'Evil' AL won't be with us so I get to play match co-ordinator for the day! I'll post the outcome of it as as I can, but social obligations &" gunstuff" always have to come first. And then on the 11th of June, we have another "Steel Challenge" Match. So it should be quite a festive event again.

Well, enough of the rambling, it's late & I have a BIG day tomorrow at the club range.

Al and LouG at a plate shoot

2005-10-02T12:14:00.000-07:00

A new side bar picture to try!

Al and LouG