I guess the weather has to get you at least once in a season. The wind was howling and it started raining just as we started setting up the course. The forecast was for rain and high wind all day and unfortunately it was correct. We set up on the 100 yard range and shot from under the roof. You may think that would make things easier, but it is exactly the opposite. The wind is strong because of the open space and the direction was very unpredictable because of the surrounding burms. The wind was fairly steady at about 20 mph and gusts made it up to 40 mph. Rain was steady all day and it really poured at times. There was even some wet snow in the air as the last few shots of the match were fired.
We set up a full 60 shot course of 30 targets in 10 lanes. The distances ranged from about 12 yards to 50 yards and at least some hold over was needed for shots from around 20 yards and out. The Troyer difficulty came out to 33.4, but the conditions made it more difficult than that. So we bundled up and started shooting.
Right from the start, we could tell it was going to be challenging. The first shots at long targets became learning experiences for the second shot. I can remember holding four to six inches right on a target and missing the entire target by two inches to the left. It was great practice and great fun. I enjoyed being close to all the shooters for the entire match and it made for a very social event in spite of the conditions.
Dennis, with his ld/SS, certainly played the wind and held the steadiest to record a very impressive 52/60. Don was close behind with a 49 and Doug rounded out the top three with a score of 40. So the seven hearty shooters braved the elements and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the day. We completed the match and had the targets pulled and packed away shortly after 1:30 PM.
In retrospect, I guess the weather didn’t get us after all.
Tim MacSweyn
| Shooter | Gun | Scope | Pellet | Score /60
T-Diff 33.4 |
| 1) Dennis Eden** | ld/SS 05 | Deben 10-50 | CPH | 52 |
| 2) Don Irvine** | Steyr FT | Deben 10-50 | BaracudaM | 49 |
| 3) Doug Diver | Walther LG300 | Leupold 14-35 | BaracudaM | 40 |
| 4) Tim MacSweyn | AA 300s | Tasco 8-40 | BaracudaM | 35 |
| 5) Magdy Hassouna | Steyr FT | Deben 10-50 | BaracudaM | 33 |
| 6) George Harde | HW97K | Deben 6.5-26 | BeemanFTS | 29 |
| 7) James Jackson | HW97K | Deben 8-34 | JSB Exact | 21 |