FT Match 12-10-23
Today’s DeSoto Airgunners match attracted a dozen competitors, a good turn-out considering we're in the midst of another busy ’Silly Season’ with Christmas and New Years around a very short corner.
Match time saw range conditions better than was forecast. There were steadily increasing winds but the thunderstorms and gale force threat held off till much later that evening. Today’s 48 shot event was set across 8 lanes 3 targets per lane – our usual course configuration that included a kneeling and a standing lane. It was a challenging course. The 1-inch hit zone Ghost Gator target was placed on the kneeling lane at about 22 yards. That target with an apparently "floating" bulls-eye always gets attention and frequent groans.
Lane 8 really tested your rifle set-up. Not much wiggle room in those sub half-inch hit zones, (specially for a .22 cal pellet like Carl was shooting.) Winds started picking up seriously towards the end of the event further increasing the Troyer Factor of the course.
TOP GUN award went to Dennis D. While Dennis and Larry G tied with scores of 43 points there was no shoot-off. Dennis earned the Top Gun recognition by opting for added difficulty. Dennis shot the entire course from a kneeling position except for Standing Lane 7 (which he cleaned standing). Pretty Impressive in my book.
The dozen competitors represented several AAFTA Divisions with Lindsay shooting his piston rig in Hunter fashion., six competitors in Hunter- PCP and 5 Open Division competitors. No WFTF division shooters today.
The match ran smoothly with one cold line called to verify a target condition. No Troyer Scale was calculated but between target difficulty and the puffy gusts, my experience would place our course at medium difficulty. That Dennis shot the course only from Standing and Kneeling positions made him today's unchallenged Top Gun. One more note about today's match, It is the 12th Airgun event at DeSoto this year. It's the first full calendar year where the 'Airgunners didn't have a rain-out, flood, hurricane or other impediment.
Looking forward to a New Year of safe enjoyable challenging frustrating and generally enjoyable airgun activities.
Results and equipment matrix:
Division - Name
|
Rifle
|
Scope
|
Pellet
|
Score
|
Notes
|
Dennis D. *
|
Thomas
|
March 8-80
|
JSB 13.4
|
43
|
All Kneeling & Standing *
|
Larry G.
|
Thomas
|
Falcon
|
JSB 13,4
|
43
|
No shoot-off
|
Gene C.
|
QB - 78 Modified
|
Tasco 8-40
|
JSB 13.4
|
42
|
|
Cliff S.
|
RAW TM 1000
|
Sightron 10-50
|
AA 10.3
|
34
|
|
Ron Z.
|
Steyr LG100
|
Nikko 10-50
|
JSB 10.3
|
32
|
|
Chip W.
|
FX Crown
|
Sightron 10-50
|
AA 10.3
|
37
|
Hi Hunter
|
Carl P
|
Avenger .22
|
Aztec ffp
|
CP 14.3
|
34
|
.22 cal
|
Chip W.
|
FX Crown
|
Sightron 10-50
|
AA 10.3
|
37
|
|
Linda M.
|
Thomas
|
NightForce
|
FX13.4
|
33
|
|
Dave T.
|
Thomas
|
Sightron 10-50
|
FX 13.4
|
31
|
|
John T.
|
RAW TM1000
|
Sightron 10-50
|
JSB 10.3
|
26
|
|
Jerry M
|
Thomas
|
NightForce
|
FX 13.4
|
DNF
|
Scope Issues
|
Lindsey Matthews
|
TX200
|
|
JSB 8.4
|
25
|
Spring Gun
|
|