Just got home after a great weekend! More to come later, but in the meantime - Cowtown shooters, this is the place for questions, comments, discussion, pictures, etc. about Arizona's first Unknown Distance event.
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I'm back again!
This was Arizona's first Unknown Distance event, and our first full distance event at Cowtown range in North Phoenix. This is a very unique facility - the firing line is on a ridge overlooking a long desert ravine. There are steel targets of unknown size, some obvious, some dang near invisible, distributed down the ravine and on the hills beyond, from 100 out to 1100 yards. Lighting conditions change throughout the day - when facing the target field, the sun rises on the shooters' 5 o'clock, and sets off to the left on the shooters' 9:30. Many of the targets are in shadow by early afternoon.
A small but determined group met on the 25M line on Saturday morning to verify zeros, box sights to verify sight adjustment resolution and repeatability, and measure and record front sight and/or scope reticule dimensions. Then moved up to the ramada for "classroom" time, where we discussed in depth target detection, rangeing, building a range card, scope specifics, trajectory/come-ups, BSZ, reading and correcting for wind, shooting on slope, and other environmental factors that may affect the shot in decreasing degree.
For lunch we heard the story of the role individual Riflemen played to insure Washington's victory at Trenton.
By early afternoon, we headed up the hill to the steel range, where shooters proceeded to scan for targets, estimating their position first with the use of a topographic map of the area, followed by range verification using sights/scopes. Then it was ammo loaded, come-ups applied, and BANG!......ting! on each target within 500 yards before we wrapped up for the day.
I want to take the opportunity here to mention that I was on crutches for this shoot, having crushed my foot in an accident a couple of weeks ago, and might have had to cancel this event if not for the efforts of two very capable IITs - one working, the other signed up to shoot but still helping a great deal. Bryan and Nick are real assets to the program in Arizona! Huzzah guys - great job!
Sunday morning, with the addition of another shooter, we met on the steel range to recheck and rerange the target field under the vastly different morning light. Another couple of turns of all hitting the targets within 500, then we moved on the ones between 500 and 700 yards.
Lunch today featured the tale of two Marksmen - Patrick Fergesun in the British ranks, and Tim Murphy with Morgan's Company.
After lunch we tried an experiment in two man shooter/spotter teams addressing multiple targets at once in volleys, just to see how well that works for future shoots here. Followed by - you guessed it - working our way out to the full 1100 yards.
All in all - great shoot at a great range! I can't wait for our next one!
:pics:
How many targets can you see?
BTW - the far hill (that little bump way out at the end of the ravine) holds the 1,000 and 1,100 yard targets, and a red wind sock. See 'em? Yeah... not at this resolution.
Bryan and Nick are solid guys. O0 They made it out our way last fall.
You guys no doubt put on a fine event that defines the epitome, the raison d'être of the duties of a Rifleman.
Far from the groomed greens of the static ranges of wood, cardboard, paper and electronic scoring devices you got down and delivered the goods!
You guys in AZ make it happen! :bow:
Huzzah! :---
TG
Yup - the bowling alley is down the road. No good way to earn a KD Rifleman patch at this range, no way to access downrange - but we got plenty of other venues for that!