Arizona Commissioner's Cup - Sporting Clays edition

The SCSon has really taken to the scattergun.  And I really can't blame him.   Much as I admire and aspire to precision long range shooting, shooting moving targets or stationary targets while moving is a lot more fun.

The SCTP club (RSTT) ends the season with the Commissioner's Cup.  The first event was Sporting Clays.

Let's meet the team:

Andrew

Mike

SandCastle Son

Unofficially all three shot something in the low 70's/100.  I carried the score sheets back to HQ and mentally added up the scores three times.  I came up with three different errors answers.  Likely not good enough to move on, but I'm proud of how far they've come in just a few months.  Official scores will likely be posted this week.

 

Prescott Clay Busters

Here are a couple more pics of the event:

Here is one of the opposing squad, a club out of Prescott.  He's probably the best shooter on the two squads as evidenced by his 10/10 on the first stage and four or five later stages as well.

Got The Shot

The Trap event is next Saturday, followed by Skeet at the end of April.  And he's never shot a single skeet in his life!  (Rio does not have a skeet field).





 I initially thought I'd caught the shot cloud 2' off the end of the barrel.  But if that's the shot cloud, where is the shotcup?  I suspect the blur is the shot cup.  Still, just goes to show, Shoot a lot of pics and you're bound to get a couple good ones.




 
Video or it didn't happen!

March ePostal entry

Good Friday is a dayjob(tm) holiday.  There are a lot of holidays we don't take but this one is kinda neat in that only a few take it.  That means everything is open (including the USPS).

The SCSon  and I took advantage by hitting the range.  We started on the sporting clays course in preparation for his Commissioner's Cup appearance (Separate post to follow).

He shoots half price clays due to his youth status.  But that means we have to be off the course and back to the office by 3 to return the card.

Then we hit the main range to shoot the March ePostal "The Mess' Revisited".  I did surprisingly well with the .22/45:

Most of our best targets scored in the 10 to 15 range.  But I scored this one at  85 (Subject to the contest manager's review).  That's the thing about "The Mess".  The distance from really good and really bad is tiny!  To wit, while this target scored 85, my 9mm target scored zero.   The penalties neatly offset the gains.  Target submitted anyway.

BTW, these targets were shot a 11 yards due to range minimum distance requirements.

These ePostal matches traditionally run along calendar boundries, but I'm a fan of two-fers where the incoming and outgoing matches are open on the weekend closest to the end of the month.  These allow a shooter to enter both matches at a single range outing.

TrueBlueSam has taken over ascended to management of these ePostal matches. I'm not sure who is on deck for April but keep an eye in the upper left of this blog.  Update 31March2013:  The Conservative UAW guy has brought back a classic: The Fly.  Also keep an eye on TrueBlueSam for updates.

BTW, check back here for the May ePostal match, hosted by the SCSon and myself.  Our match will be an 'homage to gaming FPS style crafted by the SCSon.

Win 1 of 2 Winchester SX3 Sporting 12 Gauge Shotguns

Update 02Mar2013 10pm:  RSTT Chief Jeff informs me the risk of bad checks is too high.  I figured we could simply hold shipping until the checks had cleared.  Apparently the hassle is not worth the risk.  I have inquired into the viability of USPS Money Orders.  That's what our Az DPS uses to certify funds when applying for a CCW. 

Rats... I was hoping this would be simple :-( such are the times we live in.

Also, apparently he hasn't seen the gun either and is unsure if the gun actually has the adjustable comb or if the MSRP is accurate.  As I mentioned in the std.disclaimer, I haven't seen the guns so I matched up the description on the ticket "Winchester SX3 sporting" with what I found on the Winchester website.  I've asked for clarification on the process... I'm working on best available information at this time....  I'm just trying to help.

The SCSon's SCTP club is raffling off two Winchester SX3 Sporting shotguns (MSRP $1699).  

Photo Courtesy Winchester Repeating Arms.*

SUPPORT THE RIO SALADO TARGET TERMINATORS

SCHOLASTIC CLAY TARGET PROGRAM – (SCTP)

BY PURCHASING A TICKET TO WIN

ONE OF TWO*

WINCHESTER 12 GA SX3 SPORTING SHOTGUNS

ONLY 1000 TICKETS AVAILABLE

$10.00 PER TICKET

Get Tickets from SCTP Members, Coaches or RSSC Office

DRAWING TO BE HELD 4/5/13 AT THE SCTP EVENT

NEED NOT BE PRESENT TO WIN

*FIRST WINNING TICKET NOT ELIGIBLE AT WINNING 2ND GUN

There are only 1000 tickets and 2 guns.  If I remember my probability and statistics, that's a 1:500* chance.  Buy 10 tickets and you have a 1:50 chance.  Each ticket is $10  All proceeds go to the Rio Salado Target Terminators - I do not take a commission.  Ticket sales are limited.  First come first served!

Logistics:
You can purchase tickets through me.  Email me at sandcastlescrolls att msn dott com (correct the obvious typos).  If you are local in the Phoenix Metro area, you can visit the Rio Salado Sportsmans Club office or I can accept cash &
checksMO FTF.  Do not send cash through the mail.

For out of state purchases I will respond promptly with payment details.  For now, only
checks &USPS money orders are acceptable through the mail, payable to "Rio Salado Target Terminators".  Once a
checkMO has been received, I will write your name on the numbered ticket and scan and email back.  You will also receive the actual ticket stubs via USPS.
We are working on logistics of how to accept credit card payments.  If we can figure out the credit card stuff, I expect a three way call (me, you and RS office) with cc info will follow with ticket scans and USPS hard ticket stubs.

If you win, you must make arrangements to take delivery of the shotgun.  All federal and state laws will be observed.  You will be responsible for all transfer costs (if any).  Heck if I'd just won a $1699 shotgun, I'm pretty sure I could find a way to finance actual transfer fees.

I will post video of the drawing so you will have confidence the drawing was conducted properly.

About Rio Salado Target Terminators:
RSTT is an Scholastic Clay Target Program which teaches youth to safely handle a shotgun and how to hit a moving target.  The SCSon tried the junior Olympic shooting club (precision .22LRs)  a couple years ago and did not like it.  Moving targets are a lot more fun!

RSTT provides instructors, shotguns, shot shells and targets for a very nominal annual fee**.  The program is obviously sponsored through grants from Arizona Game and Fish and  others.  If you have a  5th - 12th grader and this sounds interesting, check out the web page and come on out.  It's really a heck of a deal for youth shooters.

#include std.disclaimer:  I have not seen the actual shotguns that are being raffled off.  This picture is from the Winchester Website and the name "Winchester SX3 Sporting" matches.  Looks like a nice gun.  I hope you win!  I hope I win (I have skin in the game too)!    In the end RSTT definitely wins, and that's a good thing.

* Odds are actually a little better than 1:500.  First drawing has a 1:1000 chance to win (.001).  2nd drawing probability is 1:999 since the 1st winning ticket is out of the 2nd drawing: (.0010010001001 etc),  Add  and invert.  Odds of a single ticket win are 1:499.7498.  Math is cool!  Now here is where I wish I had a better understanding of game theory as that would tell me the optimal number of tickets to buy.  Sorry that's above my edumucation level :-(  (if you do understand game theory, I will give you a guest post for the analysis)

** The annual fee wouldn't buy the shells & clays for two months of this program, let alone borrow the gun and the expertise of the instructors.  Like I said, it's a heck of a deal!  Plus there have been multiple opportunities at additional free shoots.

FMI: contact the head of Rio Salado Target Terminators: "Jeff @ RioSCTP"   You can get tickets directly from him as well.

J&G Sales joins the fray restricting sales to states that restrict citizens

From J&G Sales:

ANNOUNCING A NEW J&G POLICY ON SHIPPING RESTRICTED ITEMS

For immediate release:

As state and local jurisdictions are increasingly passing laws which infringe upon the Second Amendment of the US Constitution, J&G Sales is implementing a new policy on shipping restricted items to these states and localities.
Effective immediately, laws that restrict firearms, ammunition, or magazine possession by law abiding citizens will also be applied to state and local law enforcement and government agencies in that jurisdiction. All residents will be treated equally. Honorable citizens, law enforcement personnel, and government agents, should all be allowed to utilize the most effective defensive equipment available.
J&G believes that there should not be a difference between the rights of citizens and those of government employees. This new policy will also help us to be sure we avoid the consequences of not conforming with the anti-firearm regulations in these various jurisdictions.
We expect to lose some revenue from government purchases, however we feel it is essential to defend the US Constitution by making a statement about the importance of the Second Amendment in maintaining our freedoms.
We await the day when all law abiding citizens will be able to possess the most effective means and tools available for self-defense regardless of where they live or for whom they work.
Thank you

Thank you J&G!

300 miles, 20 hours, one fleabag motel...

All for this:

The SCSon expressed an interest in learning to hunt.    I didn't come from a hunting family but hunting was something that I had a mild interest from the "shooting" aspect.  Probably inspired by stories of survival. But my family didn't hunt nor did I know any that did.   Still it seemed knowing where food comes from, from living animal to kitchen and dinner table hence is an important life lesson.

A note from the leader of the SCSon's SCTP program regarding an upcoming duck hunt.  Further checking the AZGFD calendar revealed this quail hunt.  They match up a young shooter with a hunting dog & trainer.  The dogs smell out the birds and point.  Once the shooter is set, the quail is flushed and hopefully bagged. 

Catch was, the hunt was 150 miles away and started at 8am.  And I am not a morning person.  Instead of a 4am wakeup alarm, I opted to drive the 1st hundred miles the night before and get a room.

The room was ... well, a) I was glad to be armed.  And b) giving it one star would be an insult to one star motels everywhere.  I didn't sleep much if any.

But the above photo was worth every bit of the ordeal.

BTW, mad props to the Arizona Game and Fish for putting on this program and many like it.  While the hunting is the highlight of the day, they have other activities to teach while awaiting their turn to hunt.  These included Quail species identification (turns out there are 5 species in Arizona of which three are legal to hunt). Another taught GPS usage.  Fly tying and casting lessons were also given.  Archery was on the agenda but they cancelled.  NBD as the winds were howling and attempting archery in those conditions would have been a joke.

I explained to the SCSon... This is what love is.  Enduring mucho cost and discomfort to give him the experiences I never had.

BTW, the dog the SCSon was matched up with was absolutely phenomenal.  It ran all over the hunting zone sniffing out the prey.  Once found it held a short distance off until released.   Once, the quail was flushed, the SCSon took one shot and missed.  He racked the slide to take a follow up shot but the dog had bolted after the bird.  I called "Hold up" but he already had his finger off the trigger.  Not worth taking a chance of hitting the dog. 

Epiphany

Returning home today from the DayJob(tm), the SCQueen mentioned spent the afternoon visiting gun stores and looking at guns.

The SandCastle Queen had an epiphany today.  Her intarweb-wander landed on Suzanna Gratia Hupp's compelling testimony:



I'm proud of my honey for taking the initiative.  Right now she's at a local range & Bass Pro.  I'm here at home staying out of it.

The "How To" part of carrying concealed is something every carrier has to figure out for themselves.  She is thinking about something small enough like a Kel Tec P3AT or Ruger LCP that she can either "Flash Bang" or small of the back carry.  I hope she finds something she likes and will carry.  I just want to give her ideas and let her figure out what works.  A friend suggested something in .380 auto which is not a bad idea except that .380 ammo these days seems to be made of unobtainium, not that any other caliber is exactly plentiful on the shelves.

Of course, just finding something small these days is a quest.  She might as well search for the Holy Grail.  She is also considering a concealed carry purse.  That will let her carry something already in the SandCastle Armory until she can find something to carry on her person.

The floor is open for constructive suggestions/ideas, especially from women.  If you don't want to leave a comment, you can email to sandcastlescrolls att msn dott com.

TIA!

*  This definition accurately describes what happened today
3.  a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

30 minutes, 15 miles and $5...

... gots us up close and personal with something like this:

Image Courtesy  NASA/JPL-Caltech.

We actually saw four moons tonight as Io was visible left of the planet.

We arrived a few minutes after 7pm.  There were about 10-12 people ahead of us in line.  A volunteer entertained the waiting line telling stories of black holes, white dwarves, 1st generation stars and later generation stars. 

He explained we were looking at Jupiter tonight as the prior group entered the dome.  The SCSon who has just finished reading "2010" and watching "2001" pipes up with "Can we see the Monolith?"   That completely derailed his stories of black holes and origins of the elements.  Instead he mentioned he found a "Space 2001 action figure" and had to had one.  An internet search turned up several references but all are out of stock.  Best comment on one of the threads was "I want one of those at the bottom of my fish tank".  Followed by "I want a fish tank just to put on of those at the bottom".  I LOL'd Gotta love geek humor!

Once inside we had total access to the telescope and the club members present.  This wasn't a quick "Hmmm, nice.  Now out ya go"   We spent several minutes with the crew talking about the planet, it's moons, the nature of the planet and its atmosphere, etc.

In all we spent about 30 minutes on site including waiting in line listening to the stories and inside the dome.  I made the $5 family donation on the way out.

Here's how we did it: The Gilbert Rotary Centennial Telescope is a 16 inch Meade telescope on the grounds of the  Gilbert Riparian Institute.  The East Valley Astronomy Club (EVAC) opens the observatory to the public  Friday and Saturday evenings from just after sunset to 9:30-10pm.  There is no one at the door demanding or even mentioning donations.  The website suggests a $3/person and $5/family donation.

It's one thing to look at an image in a book or on the web but totally different to see it for oneself.  The 1st hand experience takes the knowledge to a new dimension.  This is what it looks like now, not a some time in the past.

Such a deal!  The SandCastle Crew got to use a telescope worth more than the SandCastle itself for less that the price of a couple gallons of gas.

EVAC operates the telescope year round, weather permitting plus they run other programs.

It's well worth the trip especially if you live in the Phoenix metro area and have kids (or visiting grandkids).  If not, there is probably a similar program near you.

Full disclosure: I have no connection what so ever with any of the groups mentioned or linked here in.  I'm just a satisfied customer.