War Rifle Match, 12/02/2018, Plus Egg Shoot
The day was a fun day all around. It began at about 44 degrees and damp, and end at about 3 p.m. at around 60 degrees and damp.
The essential rule for the War Rifle Match is that rifles must be a rifle that would have been issued to a soldier that enlisted in any war in any country. The rifle must be semi-auto, and must be of correct caliber, (for example the M14 has to be .308/7.62NATO caliber). The match is a 40-shot match similar to a standard, high power rifle silhouette match: Except, instead of 2, 5 shot banks of animals in a 2 ½ minute time limit, there were 2, 5 shots banks of animals shot continuously in a 5-minute time frame. Following the 10 shots, the relay would remove from the firing line, targets were reset by Victor Bolster, and the next relay was called to the line. There were 16 shooters, for a total 4 relays. A great Turnout!
The Egg Shoot
As usual, the Egg Shoot is what brings more shooters in. I mean, really, who can resist a relatively unseeable target, at extreme distance, shooting the gun of your choice, paying for the privilege shot for shot, and the winner take the purse! Well, apparently, nearly everyone that shot in the War Rifle match, not only shot at the Egg, but shot at it multiple times!
The rules for the Egg Shoot are that a single, raw egg is hung by a string, from a crosspiece at 200 meters. Each shot cost the shooter $1. The dollar is placed into a small dutch oven prior to shooting. This means that the egg swings if there is the slightest wind, so the shooter has to a) lift their gun, and find the egg in their scope, no small matter when you are looking for a single egg (even one that Walt Ivanjack was kind enough to place a smiley sticker on the egg for ease of sighting). (b) Next, the shooter has one minute per paid for shot to fire and hit the egg. There is a timer, and a spotter to determine if the egg was struck.
Today’s winners were Jeff Browning who killed the first egg after about $45 were housed inside the dutch oven to hold the money. A bit later, following the end of the War Rifle Match, Joe Iacobacci nailed the string just above the egg causing the internals of the egg to leak out. It was ruled that constituted a hit of the egg and Joe won around $44. The remainder of us that tried hard, but didn’t make it, left our dollars into the little dutch oven.
For next year, several suggestions have been forwarded which may be acted on.
This match is a fine ending of the rifle silhouette seasons. In fact, this was the sixth consecutive year of the War Rifle Match. I hope to see everyone again for rifle silhouette shooting next season. We will have our first high power and smallbore matches in March, 2019.
Any suggestions, or critiques of the matches address them to me.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Roger