Kellogg, ID, Rimfire KD event, May 18/19, 2024, AAR

[Prescott]

I would like to thank SnowSnake for arranging the Rimfire KD event at the Shoshone Public Shooting Range in Kellogg, ID.  This was our first event at this range, and they were gracious in giving us the rifle range for the whole weekend.  This is a very nice public range built with grants and volunteer labor.

The SPSR was a great venue for a Rimfire KD event.  The range has berm and backers at 25-200 yards.  We did need to add some addition target stands and backers at both the 150 yard and 200 yard ranges to accommodate this event.  The local instructors were able to bring the stands and backers from the Fernan range in Coeur d'Alene for use at this event.

The rifle range was built for bench rest shooting, so the shooters had to shoot between the permanent benches.  This limited the attendance to 10 students.  The range could hold more shooters, but the line of sight to some of the more distant targets is obscured by the height of the berms while shooting from the prone position.

The students were well equipped for this event and ready to test their skills out to 200 yards.  On Saturday, only John was able to connect with the Morgan Shingle steel target at 125 yards.  We were able to shoot to AQTs that day, and Mark and Tom earned their Rimfire KD patch.  Sunday started off a little wet, but three shooters were able to hit the Morgan Shingle.  Dolan, Preston, and Mark all earned their Morgan patch.  During the Sunday AQT grind, Dolan and Abby were able to earn their KD Rifleman patches.  A couple shooter came within a couple points of earning their Distinguished patches, but that was the best they could do.  However, that is still very impressive shooting.

The students all enjoyed the new History stories that are told at a KD event.  They were all very attentive and were able to tell additional history stories that went will with the ones told.

The shooters were all shooting good groups at 50 yards, but the groups fell apart that the longer distances.  This could be due to a number of things.  One is parallax.  Most scopes designed for rimfire firearms do not have parallax adjustments.  If this was the case with your rifle, you may need to learn some tricks to make sure your eye is aligned with optical center of your scope.  You can increase the eye relief on the scope by moving it farther forward in the rings or on the scope rail.  Watch for a small amount of shadowing around the edges of the scope.  You can practice with your check weld position until the shadowing is even around the scope.  This is the position where you eye is in the optical center of the scope.

One other issue that can happen during stage four, is the shooter quits using the techniques they have been taught.  In stead of acquiring and trusting NPOA and then shooting in rifleman's cadence, they shooters will fuss each shot.  Trust me when I say, fussing the shot will typically always lower your score.  Fussing the shot leads to breaking NPOA and can also cause poor trigger control.  Trust in your marksmanship skills and shoot by the numbers and your scores will increase.

I look forward to seeing you again this fall at the centerfire KD at the Fernan range.  Remember to keep practicing your skills at home with dry practice.  The dry practice can help perfect your six steps, steady hold factors and NPOA skills.

[Prescott]

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