The Firearms MagEzine

The Firearms MagEzine

A publication of

CenterFire Central

http://www.centerfirecentral.com

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The Firearms MagEzine is no longer published

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VOL. 1 ISSUE 6 OCTOBER 1998

Circulation 900

IN THIS ISSUE

THE EDITOR'S NOTES

Interesting Site

CHANGES TO CENTERFIRE CENTRAL

Magazine Database and Load Data Section

FEATURE ARTICLE - RIFLE TOURNAMENTS OUTLINE

By Gregory Garland Part II

PRODUCT REVIEW - TASCO SPOTTING SCOPE

By Bill Wade

RELOADING CLASSES

RESOURCES

Other resources for related information

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A WORD OF CAUTION

CenterFire Central and contributing writers are not responsible for mishaps of any kind which may occur from use or misuse of data or information published, electronically or otherwise by CenterFire Central. Activities involving firearms, ammunition, components and equipment require strict safety precautions and training which are not detailed herein.

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EDITOR'S NOTES

While doing some searching on the net recently, I ran across a website that caught me off guard.

It is a site dedicated to medical pathology. Stay with me a minute. There was a tutorial section and one of the topics was Firearms.

The site discussion includes a section on "Statistics, Gun Control Issues, and Safety". We received one small merit award, and I quote "Hunting accidents with firearms, despite the large gun ownership in this country and numerous game seasons in most states, remain relatively rare and do not appear to be increasing." You have to take them where you can get them.

Anyway, I wanted to mention this site because it had an extensive section on ballistics and patterns of tissue damage.

The tissue damage section was upsetting. Let me rephrase that, the pictures were horrifying. I am reluctant to share the site URL with you because I do not know the ages of all of the subscribers. However, by the same token, anyone who shoots a firearm should be aware of the potency of a single round of ammunition. Driver education classes show some graphic examples, maybe Firearms Safety should too.

What came to mind as I went through this section is the value of shooting practice. No one wants to wound an animal and the discussion and pictures of the tissue damage re-enforce this. Our respect for life and our sport dictate that we take our sport seriously and that we do everything in our power to insure a clean humane kill.

The Ballistics section I found interesting because of the in depth discussion which in a nutshell, from our point of view, boiled down to load/bullet performance.

http://www-medlib.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/GUNS/GUNINTRO.html

Bill Wade

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CHANGES TO CENTERFIRE CENTRAL

Magazine Database

Hopefully, you have had a chance to visit the site and see the changes to the

magazine database.

It now has over 900 articles listed and where to find them. You simply select

a category and press the Get Articles Button. The is of course some overlap on

categories but I am working to eliminate that. I also added a feature that allows

you to view all work by a specific author.

I am currently trying to track down a source for back issues and or find out if they

will work with me on re-printing articles that you might want to see by request.

Pet Loads Database

The Pet Loads Database is structured much like the Magazine database. You simply

select a caliber and it pulls up all pet loads submitted by viewers in that specific

caliber. This is much faster and more accurate than scrolling through all of the

loads that have been submitted.

Give both of these new features a try and let me know what you think.

Magazine Database http://centerfirecentral.com/resources.html

Load Data http://centerfirecentral.com/viewer.html

Bill Wade

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THIS MONTH'S FEATURE ARTICLE

OUTLINE FOR COMPETITIVE HIGH POWER RIFLE TOURNAMENTS

Part II

By Gregory Garland

POSITIONS

There are three positions one must learn in high power rifle competition. They are

1) standing, 2) seated, and 3) prone.

RATES OF FIRE

There are two rates of fire, 1) single loaded, or slow fire, and 2) rapid fire.

SAFETY FIRST!!!

The single most important consideration about this sport is safety. Remember the rules of safe gun handling. Always follow the commands of the range officer. Remember to keep your "open bolt indicator" (OBI) in the chamber when not actually firing. Do not handle your weapon behind the firing line.

DISCLAIMER: The author built the positions he uses, and describes them below. You may find that a completely different technique works for you. Every individual will find a better position for himself than the author describes, but the following is a starting point.

NATURAL POINT OF AIM

Before detailing any specific position, the shooter must understand a vital concept common to all of them: "NPA", or "natural point of aim". In any given position, when the body has the proper tension or relaxation in it, the rifle will naturally point in a pretty much given direction. This consistency in one's position is referred to as the NPA. In a given position the rifle properly held and the sights properly aligned, if one were to close his eyes, and let his body assume a natural position, and then open his eyes, his rifle would be pointing in a "natural" direction. Even if this direction is not "on target", it is the NPA for this day and this position. All the rifleman has to do is to re-orient his body so that the NPA and the aiming black are coincidental to assure the best scores possible for that day. The first and most important element of shooting which a competitor must master is NPA.

STANDING

The standing position is shot slow fire, at 200 yards distance. The shooter has 22 minutes to shoot 2 sighters and 20 shots for record. The standing position is perhaps the most difficult position in which to score well. It is inherently unstable, as the person has only two points of contact with the ground, his feet. His entire body is exposed to wind. The nature of the position tends to have the rifleman wobbling. It has been said, "a match is won in standing, and lost in the prone position". Every point one earns standing is a difficult point. Due to the stability of the prone position it is easier to shoot a very high score in prone, only losing a point to a lapse of concentration, or to a misread wind change.

Initially, the competitor will load his rifle with one round, and close the bolt. He will hold the rifle at about the balance point in his left hand, and place the butt in his shoulder. Most competitors will then rest the left arm on the left hip, so that the skeleton bears the weight of the rifle. This forces a rather unnatural stance with the left hip sort of pushed out in the direction of the target. The competitor will typically then rotate his spine to orient the rifle towards the target, and relax his shoulders into a pretty solid position. Sight alignment is verified, a proper sight picture is realized, and the competitor fires his shot. While it is possible to go "clean" in any position, it is most difficult to do so in standing.

There are basically two methods used to shoot standing. One is the "approach" method, the other is the "hold" method. Each has its advantages and drawbacks. The best shots tend to employ the approach method.

Assuming that NPA has been established, if one employs the approach method of shooting, one will shoulder his rifle, align his sights and then bring his rifle to bear slightly to one side of the aiming black. For most right handed shooters, the left side of the aiming black is the proper choice. This action sort of twists a little tension in the spine and muscles supporting the back, which is slowly released, bringing the rifle to bear on the aiming black. As the sights cross the black, at the NPA, one squeezes off a shot. The reason to start of the left side of the target for the right handed rifleman is because it is easier in this position to release the tension in the back than it is to attempt to add on the correct amount of muscular tension in bringing the muzzle of the rifle to bear on the aiming black from the right side of the target.

The second, and possibly the most frequently used method of shooting standing is the hold method. Once NPA has been established, one holds his rifle on target center while loosing a shot. This method is a more "natural" method than the approach method, but its inherent weakness is that it works against the body's natural tremors. What is meant by this is that inherent in any person's standing position is a given amount of wobble. It may be minimized, but it cannot be avoided. This body wobble translates into the sight appearing to wobble all over the target as well. For the rifleman who is able to limit his tremors, this method of shooting standing may work well. There are shooting jackets available on the market which enhance one's ability to shoot by holding on the target.

Although it is counterintuitive to use, the method recommended by the better shots is the approach method.

SEATED

The seated position is shot rapid fire, from standing to seated, in sixty seconds, at 200 yards distance. The seated position is probably the easiest position in which to go "clean". The distance is relatively short, and the position is quite stable for those who practice often.

After a three minute preparation period, two sighter shots are fired in a two minute period. Then the scoring shots are fired. A competitor is required to do one reload in any rapid fire position, seated included. For the service rifle shooter, his first clip, or magazine - as the case may be - contains two rounds, the second the remaining 8 rounds for the 10 shot string of fire2. The match rifle shooter shoots five rounds followed by a reload of another five rounds. There are two strings of ten shots, each one sixty seconds long, with an intermission or scoring period after each string in which the competitors' scores are reported.

There are many variations on the seated position which shooters use. Some use the cross legged position, others an open-legged stance, still others a hybrid. The author has found that the deeper the position which the shooter's anatomy can comfortably accommodate, the more stable the position, and the better the scores. The author assumes a seated position in which his left leg is outstretched, and the right leg crossed under the left leg midway down the calf. The left elbow is placed immediately above the right foot on the left lower leg. The right elbow is placed similarly on the right lower leg. This position is very low, and allows a high plane for the rifle, and easier sighting.

The sling is in a relatively short position, and securely fastened above the left biceps muscle. The body is relaxed "into the sling" - that is the tension of the body is held in check not by the musculature, but by the firmly planted elbows, and the sling. One can sit in this position for quite a long time if necessary.

NPA in this position is established in much the same way as for standing. The shooter assumes the proper position during the preparation period, and relaxes into the position, with the sling taking up the tension. He gets sight alignment, and then takes one or two deep breaths, and closes his eyes. Once the position stabilizes, he opens his eyes, and sees how far off target center he is. He slides his rear end around on the ground until the NPA and the aiming black center coincide. Once satisfied with this position, he may dry fire a couple of times to be certain that he is prepared.

Generally in the author's experience, this exercise just about exhausts the three minute preparation period. Then the range officer issues the "shooters rise" command. At this point the rifle is taken out of the shoulder, but held securely in the left hand. The shooter rises, leaving his legs in a crossed position, and steadies himself on his stool with his right hand. I look down to see the impression my buttocks left in the mat, and just barely look at the targets. When the targets rise from the pits, I see them through my peripheral vision, but my concentration is on the butt-cheek dents in the shooting mat, and I sit down very rapidly, assuring that I go into exactly the same orientation relative to the mat so that my rear end and feet maintain the same relationship they did while I was establishing NPA during the preparation period. This assures that one maintains NPA when returning to position to fire his shots for record.

After having seated myself, I place my left elbow into position, and, using my right thumb, place the buttstock into the proper position in my right shoulder. I then place my right elbow into position, and get sight alignment. As my focus shifts to the front sight, I verify NPA, and make whatever slight shifts may be necessary to assure it is "spot on". I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and again verify NPA. Then I close the bolt, and fire the first round, breathe out, breathe in, hold my breath, and fire the second round. Now I press the magazine release, change magazines, close the bolt, and verify through my spotting scope whether the wind has changed, or where on the target my shots are hitting, and make whatever sight correction is necessary. Then I fire the remaining 8 shots in the magazine.

The pace of fire in rapids is quick, but it is not too fast. There is time between shots to take a deep breath, and still finish with no saved rounds. I try to close my eyes when I take a breath, so that the sight picture doesn't get burned into my retina, and thereby give me a false return.

PRONE RAPID (Rule 4.3 and 4.4)

Just like in the seated position, the rate of fire here is also rapid fire. The time allotted for this stage is a little longer than for seated, 70 seconds for 10 shots as opposed to sixty seconds, and the range is greater, at 300 yards distance. Many of the same principals apply here as do to the seated position, only thing is the position is a little more stable. The 300 yard target has a larger aiming black, as the "8" ring is included in the black, and so appears to be about the same size as the 200 yard target, but in fact the scoring rings are a little smaller. To get as good a score at 300 as one does at 200 requires a tighter group, with little room for dispersal from target center. So too does wind have a greater effect on the rifleman's group as the distance between himself and the target increases.

In prone rapid, I do not let the sling out any from the seated position setting. I do increase length of pull moderately, perhaps an inch or so more than for seated for a more snug fit of the rifle to my shoulder. My shooting jacket is fastened all the way down, but not cinched down, as I want no restrictions on my ability to breathe. I tighten it down so that it doesn't slip about on me once I am in position. My prone rapid position is a little higher off the mat than it is in slowfire prone. The sling is attached again, at just above the biceps muscle.

I have installed a bubble on my front sight, and I use it at 300 and 600 yards, but rarely at the 200 yard stages.

Prone is in some respects the least comfortable position I have, especially with respect to the left arm. Imagine a vertical plane drawn down the length of the rifle barrel from the left hand on the forearm, to the buttstock in the shoulder pocket of the right. As that plane drops vertically to the mat, I attempt to have my left elbow on the right side of that imaginary plane. This stresses the rotator cuff in the left shoulder quite a bit, but the rifle is essentially now on a tripod consisting of the left hand, right shoulder and left elbow. This is very stable, albeit quite uncomfortable at first. The sling tension is the key to this position, and may take some experimentation to perfect. Once the position is established, I relax into the sling, and no muscles in my left arm are tensed at all, except perhaps the gripping muscles of the left fingers and wrist if necessary. In this position, as in slowfire prone, a straight left wrist is essential. If you relax the wrist so that the force of the sling tension down the left arm is held by the wrist muscles, you will fatigue very rapidly, your hand will be starved of blood flow, and will go numb. If you must over correct, do so by rotating your left hand towards your left biceps, do not allow sling tension to rotate your hand over the wrist towards the elbow, or you will suffer.

The string of fire is again two strings of ten shots each, with a magazine change in each ten shot string. Either 2 and 8 or 5 and 5 shots comprise each string of fire. Once in position on the mat, I establish my NPA by moving the point of contact between my pelvis and the mat to get on target. Minor shifts from left to right may be accomplished by pulling the right leg up towards the right shoulder, or by straightening it out somewhat, and minor elevation shifts may be accomplished by breath control. However, you will want to have as stable an NPA as possible for your sighter shots if any. In moving about, I do not wish to change the essential relationship of the left elbow/shoulder/rifle as detailed above. I plant the left elbow, and rotate around it, essentially, in arriving at NPA.

My body is not lying flat, but mostly over towards the left side. The left leg is straight out, with the left foot pointing towards the right, thereby sort of forcing the body over more towards the left. My right leg is "cocked" up towards my right shoulder to varying degrees to fine tune the position. The rifle is vertical, the bubble centered.

After the preparation period and the sighters, at the command of "shooters rise", I make careful note of the positions of my left knee and my left elbow on the mat, and when going into position for score, I first place my left knee in the proper spot, and then the left elbow in the indentation on the mat. I then cock my right leg, and slide my body over to the left on the mat until that sling tension is accomplished again, and the left elbow is properly on the right side of that imaginary plane earlier described. The right elbow is then placed to assure proper sight alignment, and any slight adjustments necessary to the position are made. I relax into the sling, close my eyes, open them, verify NPA, and fire the first two shots, change magazines, verify the wind conditions and make any necessary sight changes, and shoot the remaining 8 shots.

PRONE SLOWFIRE

Like standing, in prone slowfire, the rifleman single loads his shots, and fires them singly. The time allotted for this position is 20 minutes for 20 rounds for score, or 22 minutes with 2 sighters. This position is the most stable, and typically, the scores turned in at this stage are the highest of all the positions.

The position is akin to the rapid fire prone position, but the range is greater at 600 yards distance. Wind is a major factor in the rifleman's score at this stage of the game. I place the sling lower on the left arm, just below the biceps and above the elbow of the left arm. Sling tension may have to be modified somewhat from the previous stages to accomplish a position which is both stable and perhaps a little more comfortable than that used in rapid fire prone. This is because the rifleman is in position for at least 22 minutes, and weariness or fatigue induced by an inappropriate position will show up in the second string of ten shots as lower scores.

Again, in the prone position I definitely shoot the bubble. I verify that my sight come up is correct, estimate windage, and fire the first sighter. I do not change my sight adjustment between the first sighter and the second, but do verify that the conditions haven't changed between shots before loosing the second sighter. Both bullets should land in the same hole more or less, on the target. Using the MOA charts in my score book, I then correct sight dope for that wind condition, and fire my first shot for record, which should be an X or solid 10. I do not adjust sights for X's, after the first "10" shot for score, but if conditions haven't changed, and the second round is in the same spot as the first round for score, I will attempt to adjust the sight for a center X, and continue shooting as quickly as possible so as to shoot as many rounds in the same wind conditions as possible, so as to minimize sight changes.

After all 20 shots for score have been received at the prone slowfire stage of the match, the game is over.

In the next issue, the 3^rd and final part in this series,

Gregory will discuss "Reading the Wind and Sighting"

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THIS MONTHS PRODUCT REVIEW

Tasco Spotting Scope

Having never owned a spotting scope, I decided it should be on my Christmas list.

I did not want anything fancy or expensive, just something that would help me at the range.

The price of around $100 seemed to be plenty and reasonable enough so I told the intended buyer (the wife), that a gun shop that had them on special along with a competitor model.

It really made no difference to me which I ended up with. I do not understand optics, including binoculars and scopes.

If it is round and it rolls and it fits my truck, it's a tire. Now if you take a couple of pieces of glass, put them in a tube creating a 4x magnification it is a scope. Right ?

I am certain that price means quality, doesn't it?

Well anyway, I have never owned one of the "Finer" optics. With only so much disposable income, it may be a while before it happens.

I did however, have the opportunity to peer through a spotting scope that belonged to a fellow shooter at the range. Big difference! Why? I don't know. What I do know is that he spent a bunch more than I did.

The spotting scope. This model is a 12 to 36 power with a 50mm objective. I have read that the less expensive spotting scopes are fuzzy at the higher powers. Though I really wish this were power of suggestion, I find it to be true.

At the range, this spotter does fine up to about 18x, after that, the bullet holes become distorted. Now this is at the 100 yd range. At 200 yards with a 22 caliber bullet, it's a challenge but it beats walking.

Ok, so why have more power in it than it can deal with? Why do speedometers go up over 100mph? It sells !

But seriously, if you are trying to see if a stump is a deer at 200 yds or a lump is prairie dog, it will do it. I have played with it trying to see just how far it is effective and 400 yards is not a problem. You wont tell if the animals teeth are stained but you can verify species, (stump or game, coyote or shepherd, x-wife or pack mule). I could go on but you get the picture.

The spotting scope comes with a nice cloth case and a short tripod. The viewing lens is at a 45 degree angle which makes it nice at the shooting bench. You don't have to get up to use it. The tripod is a nice height, it puts the scope about eye level on the bench.

All in all, for the price, it is not a bad deal. Someday, I will own one of the "Finer" optics, but until such time, this will do the job.

By Bill Wade

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