All AZ Riflemen:
The NRA Arizona State Championships are happening at Ben Avery on November 25-27. The 25th is optional, it is a 600 yard prone event. The 26/27th is the main match, with CMP "leg points" available on the 27th.
http://desertsharpshooters.com/content/index.php?module=webpage&id=1&page=3I'll be there.
I'd love to see some AZ 'Seeders there. We have the skills, for sure.
Also, the CMP Arizona State Championships are happening at Rio Salado on December 11th. One day only.
http://www.members.cox.net/riohighpower/cmpmatch.htmI'll be at that one, too.
A personal note:
AZOpie is our best-scoring HP shooter right now. He tends to score about 91% on any given HP match. Prior to some significant practice on my part, the best I've been able to put together is about an 85% score. I used to think he was untouchable when it comes to score.
News flash: He's not untouchable.
I just shot an 89.5% a couple weeks ago. I'll admit that I hadn't shot all summer.... I went to 3 HP matches as practice recently. First match was a pretty sad 77%. Second match was an okay 81.5%. Third match was an 86%. But, the last string of the 3rd match was an 89.5%. And something "clicked" part-way through. I'm ready to shoot 90% scores consistently. I've been practicing this weekend, and I can do it at personal practice... I just need to do it under competitive pressure.
This is not intended to diminish AZOpie's marksmanship skills. He's awesome. And still better than me. But the 6% barrier he used to have, is now eroded to 2%. And shrinking.
But, it shrunk because I practiced, and I applied analysis straight from "Fred's Guide to Becoming a Rifleman" to my own shooting technique. 6 steps. SHF's. NPOA.
That's all.
6 steps. SHF's. NPOA. Rinse and repeat.
6 steps. SHF's. NPOA.
6 steps. SHF's. NPOA.
Folks: A RIFLEMAN has the skills to refine his shooting technique to dominate High Power. A RIFLEMAN has the knowledge to continue to move inwards on the bull from the 7 ring, to the 9 ring, to the X ring. A RIFLEMAN, with the opportunity to simply learn how the HP game is played, can become a contender in his circuit with some fast and content-focused practice.
If we want to obtain some degree of "ownership" or claim over the Ben Avery full distance range... we have to show that our skills are on par with the Expert/Master/High Master ranked High Power shooters.
Come with me to the NRA State AZ Championships, and the CMP State AZ Championships. Help me show them that AZ Appleseeders are pillars of rifle marksmanship instruction (and we truly are, since 99% of HP competitors never contribute back to the novice shooting community or to the "soft war" we seek to win). But, bring your "A" game when you come. Practice at 500/600 yards. Practice at 200 yards. The AQT is wonderful for SA/SP/RP/4a/4b/ST/CS, along with SHF's and NPOA... but it isn't a replacement for knowing your come-ups and wind adjustments for known distance.
(A challenge to AZOpie:)
Come on, man... make me eat crow.
Show me (and everyone here) a 95% like you're capable of, and put me in the dust again.
And make AZ Appleseed look awesome!
I'll take over your old stomping grounds in the 91% rankings.
