National Rifle Association Whittington Center May 8-10 KD Shoot Raton, NM

[TaosGlock]

7 folks turned out for 3 days of known distance shooting for their centerfire rifles.
The conditions were cold and mostly windy. Minor periods of rain, sleet and snow, mostly at night but no accumulations.

According to the various hand held weather instruments we had winds were full value to 20MPH with gusts to 40MPH with driving sand. 
One of our wind flags at the 300 yard line snapped off.

This group hung tough as expected and are the best of the best!

We had sand blasted into the rifles actions and the usual related problems and the shooters did not miss a beat.
There also was a tornado warning for the Raton area.

We do not cancel events due to weather unless safety is or will become an issue. If the Founders can suffer such weather extreme conditions/events to birth a new nation such as Valley Forge and Washington crossing the Delaware, we can surely handle the relative tame in comparison weather conditions.

Due to the weather, some events this weekend at the WC were cancelled.  By the shooters, not the WC staff.

Additionally, many shooters travel great distances to the the NRA WC for our events and others.
The NRA WC is open year round!

Most traveled from southern and eastern NM and one from Colorado and Tres Piedras.
Thanks for coming out! And to you vets, thanks for your service.

Waiting around on Thursday keeping warm at 8:00AM for the rest of the group to arrive by 8:30.


At the 400 yard line 4 MOA squares.


The 100-200-300 yard squares.


Same pic with the AQT's posted. Note the flag is missing due to the hi winds.


Scoring the 300 yard stage of the FD AQT.



more to come....

[TaosGlock]

The NRA Whittington Center has elevations to 8100 feet.
The scenery is superb and the terrain perfect to teach the Appleseed KD course of fire.
Below is the 400 yard line from the firing line.

There were a couple of old cougar kills of deer and elk right in the area by the 400 yard backers!
They live among the buttes shown in the pic below.
This is wild country indeed!


Target detection and range estimation are taught.
Among the objects hidden and ranged, not shown, are container lids of various colors and shapes, hubcaps, a tee shirt, a pair of boots.
Below is a Mosin rifle stock, a pair of binos and a red boonie hat.
We had a steel "100 yard mini stage 4 which is to equal a 400 yard man size target. We place two of these so the equivalent simulated range was 800 and 2000 yards. What was the real yardage?







11 targets were hidden and detected. The difficult ones required a hint, usually a simple one from the POI.
Later, a selected few were ranged using their front sight or scope reticle.
Below, BlueFeather goes over the ranging formula on the detected targets.



BlueFeather:


more to come....

[TaosGlock]

Here are a few more pics of rifles on the line, ya wrung what ya brung.




more later...

[TaosGlock]

An M1A with a  GI sling in a prone position on the line. ...


...gives results like these. How big is that group in MOA?
This Marine is proud of his group!


Dave, Alan and Gill (NMI9100, Long Rifle and BlueFeather) at the 400 yard prone stage.


Keeping warm. My old North Face vest from the early 70's and a Herter's wool shirt from the late 60's.
Time for a new shooting jacket!

[TaosGlock]

The unknown distance portion of the event on day 3 after lunch. Find it, range it and you get 3 shots to hit it.
Max distance was about 610 or so.

The group is split up in 2 teams that get to ID 2 hidden targets.
Pics below are the Unknown Distance Range.
Group 1's targets are on the top pic and Group 2's are on the bottom pic.




Do you know your come ups and how to dial for a distance of say like 363, 283 or 464 yards?
Not all targets are on exact 100 yard increments like the AQT.

Then there were bonus easy to see targets at greater distances, beyond the AQT ranges.
If you know your come ups, it is pretty easy for the most part.
The advantages of a scope vs. iron sights becomes obvious.

[TaosGlock]

Congrats to our 2 Long Distance Rifleman, Conrad and Will!


Thanks to my instructor crew for hanging tough and for all your hard work!
Thanks to you shooters who endured the conditions when others went home.
Thanks to the NRA WC staff for letting us use this range and keeping us stocked in water and target stakes when the wind came up!