Last Call!!!...

... before posting initial winter ePostal match scores.

The original plan was to post first round scores 'round about yesterday or today.  However I just received the first entries from Mike & Billll.  Unfortunately the "yet to shoot" list includes the SandCastle Crew (we did Sporting Clays yesterday to prep for a year end match instead.  The SCSon beat me by one with a 33/50).

So here's the deal - I'm granting a one week extension.  Rain (or snow) or shine, first round will be posted NLT 12/29.  But additional entries will be accepted and added until the next match is posted in late Feb/Early March 2016.

BTW... I'm noticing a problem with Billll's targets - the traffic citation has no limit.  I'm working with Billll to see where the problem occurred - on my posting the target, his printing, his scanning, or somewhere else.  If you have issues with the target, lets talk and work it out.  eaddy on the target.

What he said....

"Get out and Shoot!"

Then come back here next week for the May match.

Get out your driving gloves!

Top Shot ePostal extended...

through the 3 day weekend.  After careful coordination with TrueBlueSam we are proud to announce the second Two-fer weekend.  When you hit the range this weekend (and you know you will), take along targets for both the August "Top Shot" ePostal and September's "Trying in Vane".  10 shots on either target.  The Top Shot ePostal favors large calibers while Trying  in Vane favors small calibers. I love the contrast!

I need all entries for the August match by noon Tuesday September 6th.  If you get home too late on the 5th, send them in first thing Tuesday AM.

Here is likely my best target and I am happy as a clam.  If you looked outside, you might have seen me dancing in the streets!  Shot with the new-to-me S&W 629 which I am still getting used to.  It's been kicking severe left with the 240 gr Pb SWC bullets at just under 1500 fps.  But the two hits on the line were the first two shot of the 10 shot string.  I apparently changed what was working, probably because "it hurt to shoot it that way" and reverted to severe left.   Still I'm happy as a clam with my two hits plus a liner!

Recall in addition to the normal bragging rights on the line, the History Channel has some Top Shot swag on the the line (winners chosen by random lot).  You don't even have to shoot the match to enter.  Just send me an scan/picture/image of the target with your name on it and you will be entered in the drawing.

Match winners and History Channel prize winners will be announced by the end of the week.

BTW, I already have an entry from Bea who is recovering from surgery, so I don't want to hear any "my dog ate my homework" excuses!  Lets get those entries in to Sand Castle Scrolls at msn dot com.

ePostal reminder

The first ePostal of the season closes Thursday night.  Targets are due by midnight Monday night.

I took a couple more tries at the match today.  Here's a target i won't be submitting:

Of the shots that hit, all scored negative for a total of -19.  Fortunately the other target turned out much better.

November ePostal results are up

Manfred has posted the November ePostal results.  I congratulate the winners and my only regret is the few entrants this month even with the 2 week extension.  I count only five discrete shooters.

No matter...   I love the concept of heading to the range with a specific mission.  I'm not just randomly poking holes in paper with some nebulous "good enough" yard stick to measure by.  This is a more measurable standard to judge by.

Losing  2x2 (same two pistols, he beat me both ways) to my good blog-friend TrueBlueSam, I would love to to shoot a match side by side.  I fully expect the result to come out the same, but I also expect to learn something in the process!  TBS, you have an open invitation on my range any time!  And if I put wheels down somewhere in your vicinity, I hope you'll have time to offer a lesson.

I will also say, shooting the Crosman .177 air pistol has taught me a lot about patience and smoothness.

ePostal updates

Soft Green Glow has the June ePostal results and the July contest is up over at Sailor Curt's.

May ePostal Contest

Twofer weekend. JimmyB's April contest extends through Midnight Sunday. So this weekend only you can shoot both contests at one range visit. two-fer weekend is over...

This month we are "Throwin' Darts".

The target is courtesy of Targetz.Com: 20041 or 20042 (Do not download the image to the right as it probably won't print correctly, instead go to Targetz and download the .pdf there).

Scoring:
I suspect most are familiar with dartboard scoring. But for the sake of completeness and avoid arguments over the value of the bullseye, the score is the value of the slice hit. The outer ring is the double ring, and the inner ring is triple ring. The center is the bullseye. Outer bull scores 25 and the inner bull is double (50).

Just to complicate things make things interesting, the "loop rule" is in effect. An actual dart board uses a wire mesh to divert the dart tip one side or the other so there are no "liners". These form many loops and only one hit per loop counts.. Any given number has four loops: an inner pieslice, a triple score, an outer slice and a double score. The second hit within a loop does not score, but a hit on the same number but within a different loop does score.

Our paper targets do not include any such mesh. Instead the shot scores the higher score. In the case of two "liners" such as depicted here, one scores high, one scores low. This would score 80 (20 + 60). With multiple liners on a given loop, this could get complicated. In general the scoring will be interpreted to give the shooter the highest possible score, but a loop only scores once. Once it's scored, a second liner takes the next highest score.

You have 9 shots per target. A perfect score would be:
Triple 20 = 60
Triple 19 = 57
Triple 18 = 54
Triple 17 = 51
Double bull = 50
Triple 16 = 48
Triple 15 = 45
Triple 14 = 42
Double 20 = 40
Total = 347 er, 447

Shooting details:9 shots, Standing unsupported, one or two hands. No time limit.
Range:
Rimfire Rifles: 25 yards (Print target 100% size)
Centerfire Rifle: 50 yards (Print target 100% size).
Pistols 7 yards or range minimum. For longer distances, target should be printed under/oversize to compensate for the additional distance as follows:

7 yards = 21 feet = 84% *
25 feet = 100%
10 yards = 30 feet = 120%
11 yards = 33 feet = 132% (this should just fit on an 11x17!)
These ratios preserve the same sight picture for the increased range.

Enter as many times as you like but only entry one per shooter per gun. More entries mean more chances to win Cheaper-Than-Dirt's $50 give away.

Classes:
0: Airgun pistol (.177 CO2 or compressed air)
1: Rimfire pistol, iron sights
2: Rimfire pistol, optic sights
3: Centerfire pistol, iron sights
4: Centerfire pistol, optic sights
5: Rimfire rifle, iron sights (25 yards)
6: Rimfire rifle, optic sights (25 yards)
7: Centerfire rifle, iron sights (50 yds)
8: Centerfire rifle, optic sights (50 yards)
9: other? Shoot it and let me know.

Taking Credit:
Send Name, blog or website URL, a scan or photo of target, class, score, gun details (Make & Model, caliber, barrel length, sight system), range to sandcastlescrolls at msn dot com

PS MauserGirl in NY... this is for you. I took your comment to JimmyB last month to imply you only have rifles. You ask and we respond! We have rifle classes this month! I EXPECT at least one entry from you! Show us what you can do with that Mauser! ;-)

* Range Correction calculation:
I started out calculating the ratio of the full target diameter to the distance (both in inches). Turns out the target diameter doesn't matter, a simple ratio of the distances is sufficient.

Correction percentage = range (in feet) / 25 * 100

April's ePostal is up!

CUG (Conservative UAW Guy) as the April ePostal contest posted! This was a fun contest from a couple years back. Big circles are easy to hit but not worth much. Small circles are hard to hit but worth much more. Part of the game is strategy trading off point value with hit probability. A pair of binoculars is helpful to keep track of what's been hit and choose what to aim for next.

"Bond, James Bond"

update: This ePostal has come and gone. The latest one is here

Mid month update & bump Yes, this is a challenging contest. Consider the scoring range from +25 to -25. That means 0 is midrange! It is quite possible for a negative score to win the class! No matter how badly you think you score, send me your targets! FWIW, my best score so far is a +3. But I have two more weeks to better that mark and so do you!

Airsoft update: I can only find 0.12g bbs around here, but appears ye olde binder paper is considerably thinner and will feed through the SCQueen's inkjet printer. Shoot the match at 5 yds and send me the targets. I'll make classes as appropriate.

"Do you want to play a game?"

Mr. Completely's November e-Postal contest is here!

If there has been one constant in my life it has been the James Bond movie series. Some of my earliest memories at age 4 or 5 are of watching the movies on TV with mom. I distinctly recall the eggbeater helicopter with the electromagnet pick up the car full of gunmen in "You only live twice". "Live and Let Die" was the first movie I was allowed to see in the theater with friends rather than 'rents. The local SVdP had used copies of Ian Fleming's original books for only a dime and I read them all. Many of my school book reports on were on the series. "Moonraker" is the sole survivor sitting on the shelf.

The helicopter scene at the opening of "For your eyes only" is my favorite Bond movie opening. Their stunt pilot flew and maneuvered a Bell 206 JetRanger inside a building! Holee Cow! Talk about Ball's O'Brass! Ya know, air flow changes when you transition from outside to inside and helicopter crashes tend to the unsurvivable....

OTOH, The CGI crap they are putting out now, well not so much. The para-surfing scene in "Die Another Day" has to be the worst CGI ever foisted on the viewers. (however a car with an extendable minigun could be useful in the daily commute). Who needs a CCW to deal with road rage when your vehicle is equipped with a minigun?

There is even a chance I'm in a scene of "A View To A Kill". It was filmed in the San Francisco area one year that we raced a sailboat on the SF Bay. We sailed most every weekend that summer and saw the blimp pretty much every time. There is a two second scene showing the bay with lots of white sails on the bay. Even money I'm on one of them. No I can't tell which one.

The Mission:James Bond needs your help taking out the villains. Your mission is to shoot the villain vehicles so he can get an early start with the Bond Girl.

Target:The target should be printed out full size on a 8.5" x 11 sheet. There is a ruler at the Bond Girl's waist to aid with sizing. If anyone has trouble downloading or sizing the target, your email gets back a .pdf.

Distance: 11 yards for pistols, 25 yards for rifles. 11 Yards is the range minimum I have to live with. I shoot most ePostals with this disadvantage. For this contest we shoot on an level playing field. (It's good to be king).

Shooting position: Standing unsupported, one or two hands. No time limit.

Scoring: Q has provided you 25 shots. First 5 shots on each villain vehicle scores.
Some targets include significant white space within the target for artistic purposes. A white space hit within the enclosed target area is a hit. Note: Villain in lower left - misses between the legs are not within the enclosed area and score as a miss.
The Bond Girl is a no shoot. Bond Girl hits subtract one for one with Villain Vehicle hits.
Tie goes to the shooter: Any shot that scores both a villain and Bond Girl counts for the shooter. No penalty.
Maximum score is 25 points.

Tiebreaker: Identify the game pieces and name the movie it's taken from. This includes the Bond Girl. My drawing ability, "challenged" as it is, makes this harder than you might think. Any comments on the artistic quality of the game pieces will forfeit all Tiebreaker points.

Classes:
0: Airgun pistol (.177 CO2 or compressed air)
0.5: Airsoft (shoot at 5 yards)
1: Rimfire pistol, iron sights
2: Rimfire pistol, optic sights
3: Centerfire pistol, iron sights
4: Centerfire pistol, optic sights
5: Rimfire rifle, iron sights
6: Rimfire rifle, optic sights
7: Centerfire rifle, iron sights
8: Centerfire rifle, optic sights
9: other? Shoot it and let me know.

If I can work out a way to print out targets thin enough to be pierced by a an AirSoft pistol but sturdy enough to make it through a printer*, we'll have that class as well. That would allow shooting the contest from the comfort of your living room or garage.

Entries: Enter as many times as you wish, but only one entry per shooter, per gun. As usual, mark target with name, blog, gun details, class and score. Email a scan or photo of the target to sandcastlescrolls-at-msn-dot-com.

Deadline: November 30th 11:59PM local

TwoFer: Traction Control still has the October contest open until November 9th. That means for the next 9 days you can shoot both contests at one range trip. alas, the twofer window has closed and TC has published the results. But you still have the rest of November to shoot this match!

Update: Ian Argent notes in the comments while most airsoft pellets are 0.12g, heavier ones are available and punch clean holes. Experimenting here tonight it seems even the 0.12g projectiles will pierce 20# bond paper at 5 yds but leave ragged holes. I'll do some more experimenting and come up with a distance/projectile that works.


* If anyone has already figured this out, do tell! Consider this a bleg.

June ePostal Entry

I finally made it back out to the range to shoot this month's ePostal contest. This month Sebastian conjured up an imaginative one: Flying Aces. This was my best result.

There are 10 hits, unfortunately one is a duplicate which doesn't score and 3 are on my plane so all ace bonus points are forfeit. That leaves just 6 on the "target" planes (Since most of the "target" planes are silhouettes of domestic General Aviation planes, calling them the "enemy" causes a bit of grief. But I'm sure Sebastian didn't mean it that way, so no offense taken.)

Score: 6
Class I entry, Rimfire/Iron sights
Ruger .22/45
Distance: 11 Yards (Range minimum)

June ePostal match

I hit the range last weekend with the intent of shooting this month's ePostal match. Sebastian has come up with a creative contest involving airplanes. I'm gonna say +5 cool points for the creative contest with a cool theme! I had 10 targets printed out for the attempt.

On scene at the range I realized I didn't know how many shots were allowed on each target. I phoned home, but the SCQueen couldn't find the answer. I guessed 15 was allowed (that's all a past participant or two would need for a perfect score). I need all the help I can get. The correct answer is 25 *25* TWENTY FIVE SHOTS ARE ALLOWED on each target.

Here we have a good example of how not to shoot the match (as always, click on pic to enlargify). This target has has four hits on my plane and one enemy blimp so it would score a one. My 15 shots were aimed at the 4 targets above and 7 below my plane. NEVER at the planes between the wings... So even that one hit was just luck.

Ammo is scarce in on the shelves, but this is worthy of a digging into the reserves; surely better than just blasting holes in paper. This sucky target scored a 1. My best score on the first 10 tries was a 4. But I was only shooting 60% of the available trys and I never scored high enough that the penalties kicked in.

I'm gonna print out a dozen targets and try again this weekend with 25 shots on each. You should too!

BTW, as a tiebreaker, Sebastian could have asked for id's on the silhouettes used as targets. (Hint: Piper Cherokee:front quarter & top view, Cessna 210 (top & frontal view), Mooney (guess model 201) and I'm guessing the blimp is a Goodyear)

ePostal entry

Beautiful day here in the desert today. Seemed the perfect opportunity to make an assault on this months ePostal match.

This match require 5 sets of 5 shots on the target. Each pass would take on the square targets in any order before shooting on the round center "stop" plate.

These matches are a great excuse to hit the range with a mission and a ruler to measure "good" or "bad" and what is broken that needs to be fixed. This target represents my best effort on 9 tries. Now if you read through the rules, lower scores are better with a maximum (worst) score of 125 and minimum (best) score of 25. I shot a 97. Nothing to write home about.

Still this was a lot of fun to shoot. And it's good practice for our local practical pistol matches where time is the metric.

Reviewing the targets, I think I need to work on sight picture... it's not sighted the way I'm shooting it.

(and whose fault is that?) you got it: ME!

October e-postal match

US Citizen offers an interesting twist on the e-postal match. Shooter gets to choose the distance with a multiplier incentive. So base distance is 10 yards with a multiplier of 1. Shorter or further earns a multiplier based on the 10 Yard distance.

So Shooting the match at 50 yards earns a 5x multiplier. Here's my best target submitted:

As usual, there is a close call. This time on the center square. I called it a hit. Here's the hi-res scan, feel free to disagree (Send your dissenting opinion directly to USCitizen@well-regulatedmilitia.org) Better yet, send your winning target to the same e-addy!

So I score this 290. Five 8's and Three 6's at 50 yards. 58 with a multiplier of 5 equals 290.

You still have at least one weekend, mebbe two to shoot your own entry. This entry represents less than 60% of the available score at this distance. Can you do better?