rafter3c wrote on Jul 31^st, 2016 at 7:11pm:


I definitely agree that to be consistently competative you need excellent equipment.  It's definitely the case that some rifles are better than others.  I suspect that the advantage goes to the shooter who is also a master gunsmith .  And to the shooter with free time to shoot a lot at distance.

There is no doubt in my mind that the BPTR game is expensive and that money helps.  These rifles eat a lot of powder and lead, and travel to far away matches can be expensive.   

But my guess is that if you were to plot long range shooter scores against net wealth you wouldn't find a strong correlation. 

Chris.

Once shot with him at the 2006 world championships in South Africa - very nice guy indeed, except that he wouldn't leave his rifle in the bin for me to pick up - that Borchardt was a real work of art...

Old-Win wrote on Jul 30^th, 2016 at 8:32pm:


Yes, he is. Dave just won the 2016 Creedmoor Natl match two weekends ago, including a terrific 93 at 1000yd. Believe he is shooting a High Wall of some sort these days, but will have to wait for the equipment list to post to see for sure.

Like Brian Chilson (who won the BPCR scope & .22BPCR scope) and Brad Rice (BPCR irons), there is no 'free lunch'. It is the commitment more than just the rifle or time & money. You have to 'want it' enough to earn it. The winner of the mid-range matches, Mark Schuenke (hope I did no butcher his name too badly) is a younger shooter (~50 - young by my standards  ) who works full time. He was also 3rd in the Creedmoor. A dedicated group of 2016 champions.

Yes. Did shoot the Raton silhouette matches (.22BPCR & BPCR) and had a great time. The .22BPCR matches have become very competitive and I was strictly 'mid-pack'. Believe there were 120 shooters in both .22BPCR and BPCR (~100 in irons BPCR). Did better in BPCR scope, which is my normal venue. Think when it is all shaken out (final scores are tabulated) I'll be something like 3rd AAA and 17th overall (may be off a couple of places). In irons I was decidedly mid-pack, at best. The winds at Raton were very switchy this year and reading them for us easterners is always a "lesson". The 4-day Eastern BPCR Nationals are at Ridgway, PA next month, so will have a chance to redeem myself. Fingers crossed.

derrickman wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2016 at 1:00pm:

That doesn't surprise me.  When I started the Tacoma Quigley Match in honor of Tom Seleck and the movie we shot 3 shots offhand at 600 yards. It took a score in the high 20's on the 600 yard high power target to get in the winner's circle.

Shame someone had to down grade it to having money and not the case. I am dead broke but I still shoot fairly well because I am at the range on regular basis practicing and the real key to success as Dave has shown. What was going on behind the scenes and not shown is what makes it truly remarkable that being wind and mirage.

JLouis

JLouis wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2016 at 5:43pm:

Very true.  Tom Matpack was the high individual at Ottawa in 93.  His shooting partner was 2nd highest. It boils down to stock time