A Few Innovative Solutions

For those of you who routinely read or participate on the Bullseye-L, I’m sure you’ve noticed a small flurry of newly manufactured items being offered to specifically address our unique needs.

About three months ago I noticed a post by a list member, where he made great claims regarding a new and improved insert for a Dillon Square Deal seater die. I linked to the noted eBay page and eventually purchased one. My only past experience with something comparable was about three years ago, when I had a local machinist craft a similar item for me but it ended with mixed results. This new stainless steel seater is much better constructed and was very well thought-out.

Then about a month later this same member notified the List to closely scrutinize yet another product, his 1911 weight set. Okay, since I’m a sucker for cool stuff, I figured why not order this one too.

Over the past fifteen years machinist and computer programmer Steve Bathje has enjoyed a shooting career, which provided a few insights to help us with solutions to many of the same shooting and reloading dilemmas he’s encountered. Those two tired old phrases, “Form follows function,” and “Necessity is the mother of invention,” gets a run for their money in Gunnison, Colorado where Steve’s family machine shop is located.

Steve is also a past president and board member of the Gunnison Sportsmen's Association which hosts the CO State Bullseye Pistol Championship. A little off the beaten path, Gunnison is located thirty miles west of Monarch Pass; one of the most scenic areas in CO, offering a panoramic view of the southern end of the Sawatch Range.

I’ve been told this state sponsored match attracts bullseye shooters from all parts of the West, and by little to no coincidence, John Zurek (AZ) currently holds the club’s record for high aggreagte score.

None the less, after crafting a solution or two for himself, Steve was placed in the precarious situation of having his friends request the same products for their own use. So, a product line was born.

Many of you who are eBay aficionados may remember his Dillon Powder Measure Dial? It’s been listed on eBay for years and been shipped as far away as Sweden and Malaysia. Luckily there’s been a recent expansion of his product line, and from the items that I’ve purchased, they appear to be of the highest quality.

So, if you’ve been looking for a local solution to modify a .45ACP RCBS seating stem or a mag loading tool and not getting anywhere, as an alternative, take a look at this link. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.


http://shop.ebay.com/rrpmi/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340

Productive Practice

My friend John Boul of the Firearms User Network has written a piece titled, Bore Yourself Into Better Shooting.

PRODUCTIVE PRACTICE (OR “HOW TO BORE MYSELF INTO BEING BETTER”)

Students often ask us, how and what should I practice. The short answer? Basics. Remember what they are? Position, Grip, Trigger Control and Sight Picture…. [Read the complete post here.]

Gunsmiths

I honestly wonder what I’d do without a real gunsmith. Let’s face it, for those of us who are not mechanically inclined we’d be dead in the water. Guns, all guns, eventually break.

As a group of people smiths are a different breed, they’re always patient (apparently Gunsmithing 101 teaches interpersonal skills, mostly about how to put up with a lot of client’s baloney), methodical and intuitive. … Luckily most of them have learned from past practical experiences how to “not do that” on someone else’s firearm.

Some smiths appear to be truly capable at weaving a distinctive magic that is somehow transmuted into their work, by taking a lifeless lump of metal and crafting it into something exceptional; that may have been tuned for performance or tailored to our own personal and unique liking.

I’ve written about a few of my experiences with different smiths and bemoaned my own frustrations since none of them use the Immediate Gratification Business Model. You know what it’s like, it broke on Saturday and I want to shoot the flippin’ thing like nothing ever happened the following Friday. I’ve been one of those shooters who easily fall prey to the pit of wit’s end when they break; eventually by addressing them using the Goldfinger’s Oddjob-style of self-reliant gunsmithing, by thrashing force and demanding the gun into senseless compliance. I’ve used this method many times and it always generates the same results: Nothing.

It’s a subpart of Murphy’s Law: that gun failures always happen during a match.

None the less, all the whining that I’ve done about smiths had more to do with me than any of their business practices or promises extended. For the most part, the work comes back within budget and on time.

Long ago I came to the realization different guns needed different smiths, and as a group of practitioners, they tend to specialize. For the smith that might specialize in euro-fifi pistols, generally they may be only familiar with one or possibly two different manufacturers’ product lines. This would normally dictate that most shooters will require multiple smiths.

And the same can be said about 1911 platforms. Those that craft Practical or race guns generally are not aware of the unique needs or demands of bullseye shooters. A well known BE smith is the only way to go.

Several times over the past four years I’ve had need for a smith. Like most consumers I inquired from my peers “who can service this thing?” And at the time I wanted to think that I’d gotten a good referral, only to find out later I was unintentionally thrown under the bus. Eventually, through several attempts of trial and error I’ve developed a list of individuals that I feel extremely comfortable who do my repairs.

For those of you who are fairly new to the sport think about putting together your own list, initially generated by your shooting friends of qualified smiths whom you might enjoin in the future. Don’t be in a position when things break that you’ll need to scurry around at the last minute. Now you know why all the long-term guys have backup guns.

Assuming you’ve received a good referral, it’ll eventually come down to developing a relationship. Yes, a relationship.

Most inexperienced shooters lack the necessary skills or experience to communicate properly with their smith. It takes time. The first misnomer is the assumption the smith will instantaneously know what’s actually wrong with your pistol upon its arrival. These guys aren’t mind readers and it’s extremely unfair to expect them to be one.

Having access to, or possession of structured diagrams before a need arises can help a newbie get over this initial communication hump. Calling a gun part a widget, thing-a-ma-jig, what’s-it or ya-know, really isn’t all that helpful to the smith on the other end of the phone.

The other element is patients. We live in a time of “I want it yesterday.” Unfortunately, a smith lives in a world of craftsmanship—and that takes time. And if you have a slight streak of narcissism, quickly come to grips with the fact that if you were the only client the smith had he wouldn’t be in business very long.

Take time now to develop a structured list of all the people who will need to manage your future mechanical needs.

If you need help getting started, try using this link.

Trigger Grip Interconnect

Since there’s been a recent swell in new readers I thought this might be an appropriate time to give one of my ginchy disclaimers: If you’re a well skilled Expert or other highly rated shooter, your time might be better spent elsewhere. I wouldn’t even remotely label myself as a coach, Master (actually I’m an Expert) or an all around Zen thinking bullseye shaman. If anything, I might best be described as a highly motivated wannabe who simply loves the game. These are my personal observations and it would be wise to seek advice from multiple sources.


My friend Brian has used the description of the North Pole (as the trigger) and its implied image to illustrate how to properly apply finger pressure. Well, I don’t take exception to Brian’s visual sketch, just the way it’s delivered to his students.

The North Pole can be a good representation, just think of what a child’s imaginary North Pole would look like: It’s this pole sticking out of the ice, looks a little like a barber pole with a knob on top. But now you need to picture the entire Earth attached to it, a ball or globe with a stick vertically protruding from its top.

Your task is to keep the ball from moving or rolling over as you depress the knob on top of the pole until the sear releases the hammer … and then some more for follow through.

If you think about it, it isn’t an easy task; any movement, no matter how slight, in any direction other than plumb (inline) will slightly rotate the ball. The only effective way to depress the weight from the pole to the ball is straight down. Now, I’m not telling you something you didn’t already know. Even though, many shooters windup having more errors just prior to and during the release, where many shots are thrown off just as the sear is released. Correcting the direction of the trigger pressure during the pull will be disappointing for most. Steering the trigger is a hazard best avoided.

It begs the question: what causes most release errors?

The above North Pole analogy was designed to self-enlighten shooters, that it takes a lot of finesse to apply pressure through the entire length of pull in a straight manner.

I’m not knocking Brian, if anything I’ve certainly learned a lot from him, but my take on it is a little different.

I like to think of the pistol as a camera tripod with the main post (aka the trigger) slightly protruding from the base or hub. You’ll still be required to depress the main post plumb to obtain best accuracy but it’s much easier when you have three different legs supporting the base. So let’s try and think of your grip configuration as the leg’s of a tripod.

The front strap and your three fingers that grasp it may be considered as one leg.

The back strap and the lifeline of your palm would be considered another.

And an extremely rigid wrist would be the last element of the tripod’s legs.

Whereby the trigger obviously would be the main post protruding from the hub (gun) which still requires inline pressure to work effectively.

This is simply a tactile method for previsualizing where and what should be in proper place before applying trigger pressure. In other words, if one of the three elements isn’t in perfect relation and pressure with the others … don’t even bother applying pressure to the trigger.

Years ago I had a mentor who insisted that 90% of a good release was the byproduct of a well tuned grip. His take on it was a shooter could never perform a meaningful release unless it was truly mastered. When I call a line it becomes obvious and I’m truly surprised just how many people simply pickup their pistols with their strong hand and go for it.

A firm grip isn’t enough. A ‘structured’ grip with good feedback from all of the main element’s positions are needed before it’s raised from the bench and a commitment can be made for any trigger pressure, or for that matter, even finger location.

Assuming all three elements are in harmony, then pulling through on the trigger just got a whole lot easier.

That doesn’t mean classic dilemmas such as jerking the shot or heeling are eliminated, they’re mental failures to be dealt with at another time. But the process of coming smoothly through a typical trigger pull is greatly enhanced. Most of the problems of not being able to smoothly, cleanly and completely come through the entire trigger pull are generally caused by a poor grip. If one of those three main points is week, the gun will be inclined to steer in its direction.

When you dry fire at home take reasonable care to notice your grip and the positive or negative feedback that it can produce. Any one of the three elements that flashes a red warning light requires a shooter to abort even before the gun’s raised. Here’s a tip, making your grip too firm can do two things: the first, it becomes harder to pull through with your trigger finger; and the other is, any grip or follow through failures you might have had in the past might now be masked.

Strive for maximum stability by experimenting with different grip pressures and locations during your dry firing drills. What’s most important is the amount of maintained stability, not the amount of oil you can squeeze out of your grips.

When you hit the sweet spots by having harmony with each leg of the tripod, it becomes much easier to pull through the trigger cleanly for a good release.

Five Simple Things

A friend asked me the other day what I thought were the most important things a shooter should do before or during a match, to try and guarantee good performance. Ya know, simple routines like eatin’ a turkey sandwich with a banana for breakfast or wearing lucky socks.

Like so many times in my past I just stood there, caught off guard, looking like a deer staring at a car’s headlights. There are several things most shooters should strive to do as a routine practice that are not part of the classic fundamentals. Antidotal as it may be, the list below can be useful to novice shooters with limited match experience.

1) Arrive at the match early, but when you’re there shooting don’t be in a hurry:

Settle in and never allow the sense of pressure to affect what’s needed to be accomplished. Be methodical, deliberate and have a clear sense of confidence while you perform. Always avoid or tune-out needless emotional stress, and remember the worse emotive (whatever it may be) is always self imposed.

2) Never bring clean guns to a match:

There are numerous articles on treating or seasoning barrels, that’s not what I’m referring to. Generally, with any gun the barrel needs to be in the same condition in the beginning of a match as it does at the end.

Clean barrels are notorious for throwing shots. I don’t know how many times I’ve taken a really clean gun to the range and thrown the first six or seven shots all over the place, only later to find out the gun would eventually settle in. Don’t squander your first slow fire targets because you arrived with ultra clean barrels.

And if you’re doing a DR match, revolvers tend to be even more sensitive to this dilemma. A small amount of lead in the forcing cone is a lot better than none at all.

Get into the habit of checking your zero a day or two before the match with at least ten fouling shots. You’ll verify your point of impact, and if the barrel was clean, it won’t be anymore. [A little Yogi Berra for ya.]

3) Footwear is extremely important:

I’ve got an old pair of deck shoes, and at other times a pair of leather soled loafers which work reasonable well, especially when I know I’ll be standing on concrete. Most forms of footwear will function well. Although, try to avoid athletic shoes due to their traditional use of air bladders; many well rated shooters claim they’ll “roll” slightly from side to side. Shoes with flat soles really do the trick.

4) Before you leave the house be reasonably certain all your equipment is up to speed:

Aside from the practical benefits of having a check list, be aware of how well your guns and their related components function before leaving the house.

I remember once having a problematic dot sight and forgot to remedy the problem at the match’s conclusion; only later turning the darn thing on at the next match having the same hindrance hound me throughout the day.

Be it mags, ammo, optics or whatever—don’t take any component for granted.

5) Don’t … don’t ever let thoughts enter your mind that you’ll shoot-up in this or any other match:

If you ever wanted to increase pressure (subconsciously too), then have unreasonable expectations of what you’ll do at the next match. It’s a sound method for throwing untold number of flyers. Comfortably do what you normally do, and more than likely scores will probably turn out much better than you expect. If you have somewhat mastered most of the fundamentals … trust in your current attained abilities, not the techniques yet mastered.

There comes a time when you need to trust in your current skills and accept the outcome; that’s when shooting in matches really become fun.

How to Abort During Sustained Fire

Not long ago, a friend asked me if I knew of any way to doctor-up a shot during timed or rapid fire. “You know what’s it’s like,” he said in a bemoaning tone, “sometimes I’ll throw the second or third shot, or loose my grip. Heck, all kinds of things, just about anything can go wrong during a string.”

With swift brevity I replied, “No, I don’t.” Although, I then proceeded to tell him that my opinion was: anytime you try to do surgery on the fly, it never turns out well. You can only make it worse.

I did mention he might consider aborting the string during the process and start over. After a few tortured looks passed between us, I suggested anyone could start over provided there was enough time remaining.

The above in some respects appears to fly in the face what most of us have been taught. Generally good timing is typically associated with a good sustained fire string and I’m certain there’s something to that. In most situations that’s what I try to strive for. But on more than one occasion I’ve had very skilled shooters tell me “good rhythm is the byproduct of shooting sustained fire properly,” not the other way around. It elicits the same quandary, which comes first: the chicken or the egg?


Let’s assume for a moment you’re reasonably skilled at sustained fire and don’t have very many reoccurring errors. Errors such as not getting the first shot off timely (being behind the trigger), or giving up on the last shot, or even possibly milking the grip. But if you did, all of those issues need to be addressed separately with specific drills designed to permanently eliminate those problems.

Aborting during a string is designed for the unexpected and rare failure that comes to all of us every once in a while that’s not a redundant problem.

While progressing through the string (assuming the first shot was good) when a shooter notices a fairly wild error in the sight picture, he should stop. He then aborts during the string while the gun is still pointed at the target, takes a deep breath and while he’s exhaling moves the sights to the 7 or 8-ring.

If you initially come up from the bottom during recovery place the dot or sights south (6:00) in the 7-ring. If you normally come down on the target then place the sight north (12:00) in the seven ring. It really doesn’t matter which you do, but it is important to replicate the direction of your normal recovery.

With determined concentration go to the center of the bullseye, and then simply squeeze the trigger. From this point forward, you’ve reset or restarted the string.

The above will work reasonable well, although, not as well as a properly executed string. What you’re working towards with this technique is to avoid a major disaster. A Marksman should be able to avoid 6s or 7s and an Expert might expect to avoid 7s or even 8s, and have the next shot with its remainders be reasonably good. Not perfect shots but fairly good ones. I’ve used this technique and have cleaned targets with it, where in the past a similar situation might have produced a mid-90 something score.

But the whole process is predicated on three things. First, you must have a well placed first shot that is timely. The first shot should break in less than ½ a second.

The second element is not to panic. What a lot of novices do is feel rushed and immediately assume there’s very little left on the clock. For some it might play out as the feeling of being a spectator who can do little more than watch the carnage simply roll by.

Ever been in a car accident and watch things in slow motion without any sense of control?

After practicing this method on timed or rapid fire targets, the shooter should be developing the third requirement: Confidence in his ability to pull this technique off.

My only word of caution to you is to train for this sparingly. All shooters should have a training plan where they can rely on and expect good consistent sustained strings. What you don’t want to do is to use this too much where it becomes a crutch; if that becomes the case, you’ll be stuck at a plateau for a long time where most of your strings will become routine struggles.

Try to train using this technique only once or twice a month. Simply pull it out of the bag when you really need it.

Crimp

A few people have asked me to explain how to obtain a proper crimp on a .45 ACP case. But before we delve too far into the mechanics it’s beneficial to understand the process.

All pistol cartridges that are both rimless and straight wall rely on the case mouth for head spacing. Obviously if the finished round’s mouth is flared reliable feeding isn’t gonna happen. At the other extreme, if excessive crimping is employed (or if the case is too short) rounds begin to loose their accuracy by not head spacing properly; the round may actually be resting on the extractor by the case groove.

The bottom line is to craft rounds with almost no crimp.

About the only reason to install any noticeable amount of crimp is the potential for projectiles retreating back into their case during cycling. Blowback designed pistols will exert substantial pressure on the round when it’s stripped from the mag, whereby the nose is then slammed into the ramp. So, at the very least, some minor amount of crimp is required to maintain the round’s overall dimensional integrity.


This is where some reloaders get into trouble by trying to reinvent the wheel. I’ve run into some who swear that inadequate ignition is caused by lightly crimped cases and then they aggressively start applying ever greater crimps. This may be true for revolver loads which require slower burning powders but not the types that we use which produce a quick snap when ignited.

After a case has been resized, neck tension alone generally provides adequate and consistent friction for bullet retention. And if all the cases used are of the same head-stamp, the bullet’s tension from one round to the next should be extremely consistent.

Different manufacturers’ cases have different thicknesses. This can be extremely problematic if you are using mixed head-stamps or range brass; the effective overall width will vary as will its tension, from round to round, thus changing the pressure curve. This is another reason to use the same head-stamps for all of your long line match rounds.

If the lead bullet you’re using is .452" and the case walls are 0.011", the overall diameter will be .474" before accounting for the bell or applying a crimp. Actual case wall thickness have a tenancy to change from manufacturer to manufacturer, and even at times, from lot to lot.

A brief review of standard published load data suggests maximum accuracy can be had in a crimp range between .464" and .474". It appears as though accuracy starts to suffer before or after either extreme. Let’s just chock it up to “tacit knowledge” when others who are credible arrived at these measurements.

Even though taper crimps are much less critical than roll crimps, having brass that’s vastly different or random in their lengths, the die will ultimately come into contact at the same location registered from the base up. So a shorter case may be lightly crimped and a slightly longer case may have a stronger crimp. Of course this too creates a slightly different pressure curve for each round.

To adjust your crimp die take an empty and unprimed case that already has a bullet seated to its proper depth, and then gently apply pressure to the case mouth. Remove the bullet and draw the case between your fingers from base to mouth, and if you noticed a raised surface at its mouth, continue increasing pressure until the edge can no longer be felt.

I’m always amazed at the level of minuteness the human hand or fingers can sense.

When the edge can no longer be felt, take a kinetic bullet puller and rap it out. Closely inspect the lead round at the area where the case mouth contacts the bullet. If there’s a noticeable impression, reduce the amount of crimp. If there’s no detectable marking, attempt to increase the case’s crimp. Then repeat the process.

Yeah, you’ll be raping out a lot of bullets.

The ideal finished round has a case crimp that doesn’t produce a mark on the bullet (which is an indicator of deformation), and at the same time has the crimp area almost parallel with the remainder of the case wall and only slightly deeper. Then check the case’s crimp dimensions with a caliper.

More than likely you’ll go back and forth, from one extreme to the other, until you hit the sweet spot. The range of good crimps generally falls between .467" and .470". But depending upon any of your component’s unique dimensions, it may range slightly wider or narrower.

The final part of inspection would be for you to remove the barrel from your gun and use it as a gauge. The dimensionally finished round should easily flop into the chamber then fall out without resistance.

You can use this technique on any straight wall and rimless pistol cartridge, regardless if the round requires lead or jacketed bullets.

2009 NJ Outdoor State Pistol Championship

I always find it difficult writing about matches. It’s tricky trying to describe things that one only gets a cursory look at. Ya know, the stuff behind the scenes. Being there hopefully means I’m shooting the match, where I’m supposed to be paying more attention to what’s being delivered down range than who’s doing what behind me.

I’d written about the New Jersey State Pistol Championship about a year ago and I’m amazed at how its participation has grown over the past decade. Last year was my first time there and its host club, Central Jersey Rifle & Pistol Club located in Jackson, NJ.


Even before entering the property a stately banner announcing the NJ Outdoor Pistol Championship proudly welcomed all who entered. There’s an old saying about first impressions, and it rings true here; I’ve never seen a club so well designed and immaculately maintained as this one. Even though the ‘three second rule’ might apply in my home, it appeared as though you could almost eat off the club’s indoor range floor.

For many of us it’s a road trip. All the while keeping in mind the state of New Jersey is a different place, where its reputation as being somewhat authoritarian with its policies towards guns can’t be understated. Take my word for it, most of the well informed gunnies coming in from another state take NJ’s laws seriously. The last thing you’d want is to have a traffic accident and then be forced into a position of explaining to local authorities why you have half a dozen improperly stored guns in the car. [Remember, The Garden State is home to HBO’s mythical character Tony Soprano … and, unfortunately the State acts like it.] Even without a substantive incident a sportsman might be in the precarious position of explaining things over the course of a day, if not two.

About ten years ago there was an orchestrated effort to revitalize this match. State Association Pistol Chairman John Gemmill and High Master Dave Lang conspired to shake things up with deliberate determination in promoting this event and elevate it to its current marquee status.

Having such a successful match draws people. During the past few years more than half of the participants came from nearby states. Even though Jersey resident David Lang has dominated this competition since the late 90’s, individuals such as Brain Zins (VA), Ron Steinbrecher (PA) and Col. Joe Chang (VA) have won the overall aggregate here in recent years. Clearly, a lot of high-end talent shows up at their doorstep.

As matches go, this one’s unusually big. I believe 116 people shot this year’s outdoor classic 2700 in four separate relays over four days. When writing about a match I usually post some type of weather or condition report. But from one day to the next, the weather was dramatically different, from a cold light rain to an ideal Indian summer day. I was fortunate enough to stumble into the latter by happenstance.

If you’re on the prowl for EIC or DR leg points, their skilled staff of sponsors are knowledgeable about assembling enough non-distinguished shooters to issue large numbers of legs. I believe there were 6 legs issued for the EIC match and 7 for DR. This makes it a leg venue that nearby aspiring distinguished shooters should never pass up.

In this year’s match all class winners were awarded a Springfield XD pistol. Although, it doesn’t include the other pistols which were given through random drawings for shooters participating in either the EIC or DR matches. And a pistol was even awarded to a Junior shooter.

Later on, during the course of their customary midday raffle, everyone eventually walked away with something. Someone originally had sense to recognize there’s more to this game than simply shooting, as we all well know Bullseye is a social event too.

Then there are those who labor. Matches like this don’t just happen, they’re made, made by the hard work of the sport’s true enthusiasts. People such as Ray and Mary Badiak, Mike Westock and John Gemmill worked on marketing this match for months in advance, extensively solicited sponsors or actually became sponsors, performed catering services—and then—physically worked all four daily relays in various capacities. It was amazing to see the final stats calculated and posted for 116 people even before you could lock your gun box at the end of the day. As a group, their commitment and dedication made things operate so smoothly that it appeared to be almost effortless. Which I’m certain it wasn’t.

There’s been an on-going and conscious effort by the match’s principals to build this event into something very special. … And I’ll make the pronouncement: Mission accomplished.

Actually, my state association could learn a thing or two from them.

For those of you who reside in or near the mid-Atlantic region, take a look at their web site and in the future give serious consideration at participating in one of the East’s premier state pistol championships. Generally, it’s been conducted during the last weekend in September and the first weekend in October. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, it’s a class act.

If you’ve ever planned on making the “grand tour” of BE matches, place this one on the top of your list.

[Link for 2009 Match Results]

[Link for NJ Pistol Web Site]

Common Plateau

As I reviewed some recent match results it reminded me of shooters who have plateaued; where they lie in ignorance of their inner-self and as well are fraught with the human desire for elevated attainment.

I’m certain the experience is simply the ticket price for entrance into the sport.

Last week I posted a brief recap about the Walt Wise Memorial Match. During those two days of shooting I noticed something common in most of the shooters with myself included: Just about no one was pleased with their scores … regardless how well they actually performed.

It’s not an analytical observation. Might be emotional?

Hearing other shooters at this event recall how they struggled to control their rising excitement, or others savoring some transient euphoric moment like a food critic padlocked in a four star restaurant, eventually, most came to the common belief they never performed at or close to their potential. From one moment to the next, clearly most were unhappy with their scores. And by my observation of many of the same shooters at various other matches, they never or rarely claim otherwise.

I did the same in like fashion and at the conclusion of the match while a friend was perusing the score board, with genuine excitement he mentioned I had won an event; where without hesitation, I immediately recalled my displeasure of not performing better during the same event the previous day. [What’s with that? Sorry, Wayne.]

This about the time when the “Bad Idea” light on your mental dashboard should be flashing bright red.

Why is it so difficult to shoot master scores? It’s not that most of us have not embraced the fundamentals of shooting; the fault usually lies within, when we embrace thousands of negative reasons why we cannot shoot good scores.

A tendency to accept a passable score in a match can become a habit. You simply tolerate an average performance. Regardless of one's present competitive ability, a shooter must employ the fundamentals to the utmost of his capability. One must retain not only the desire to win, but strive to set new personal records routinely. Failure in accepting new challenges causes a decline into the habit of treating your shooting as a daily task instead of a challenging adventure.

For me, I think I’m going to shake some new things up. Try to do things I’ve never done before, and hopefully make the process of stumbling along a fun part of the journey.

50th Annual Walt Wise Memorial Match

This past weekend I attended the 50th Annual Walt Wise Memorial Police Pistol Match sponsored by Harrisburg Hunters’ and Anglers’ Association, in Harrisburg, PA.

My exposure to the match was that of competitor and range officer. [Believe me, a liberal dose of Naproxen was well appreciated by Sunday evening.]

The match is a 3600 point match fired over two days, broken down into a 900 rim fire match and a 900 center fire match each day. Clearly it’s a marathon of bullseye shooting. And it becomes even more difficult as a course of fire due to a no alibi rule. So, you and your equipment better be up to speed or you’ll never score close to your potential. High numerical scores are extremely common place due to the use of traditional Police-L type targets at 25 yards for both slow fire and sustained fire. And yes, he who has the most Xs wins.



The range has sixty firing points, and with three relays almost completely filled, it makes for a lot of lead down range. I believe the census of shooters was around 158 with about 20 match support personnel.

Yeah, I live in the bullseye vortex of eastern Pennsylvania.

The late Walter Wise was a well known member of law enforcement and as well, a prolific bullseye shooter in his day. Walt tirelessly gave of himself to the sport and after his passing his club decided to carry on this match as a form of honoraria to his memory.

I’m certain there must be other matches outside of the Nationals that have a long history of continuous operation, although, I can’t recall another that spans fifty consecutive years.

Walt’s son, Walter Jr., was kind enough on Saturday to address the shooters at this milestone event. Where he recalled some of his father’s memories, and several shooting experiences he had at this same match some thirty or more years ago when he was a young man.

For those who were truly committed the match actually kicked off on Friday. The club opened their range and other facilities to shooters for warm-up matches starting at 7:00AM and then concluded operations at about 5:30PM. It’s not uncommon for various shooters or team members to arrive Friday midday then spend the entire weekend practicing and shooting matches. It’s somewhat traditional for many teams to camp together on-site or stay at local hotels so as to not miss a moment of shooting.

In a nutshell it’s intended to be a fun match and most of the trophies are reserved for team events.

Here’s a link to the scores.