The matches were set up mainly for tactical style rifles. A lot of exmilitary, snipers, LEO, long range varmit, and benchrest shooters participate at this shoot. The varmint hunters do pretty well to 600 then start to fade, the long range tactical guys have better equipment usually but with the winds changing different directions in those valleys it sure makes it interesting. Sometimes you'll get 3 different winds across those valleys and openings out to the 900 targets. At times the mirage is really bad as the dew evaporates in the mornings. Having the targets on ranges like this makes it a lot more interesting instead of a dead flat range in the desert and as others have mentioned it's really pretty country to shoot in.
Well, there are 3 of us that have always done it a bit differently. We have always shot long range pistols and kept stretching the distances and felt we could shoot to 1000 and not be too outgunned. My XP-100 shoots a 7-08 and use Sierra 150 Match HPBT and Berger 140 VLD for the longer range stuff. I use a Burris 3 - 12 pistol scope and my son uses a Leupold 2.5 - 8 on his. At 1000 yards we are still sonic so they are still very accurate. The 15" plates if we get our wind estimates right aren't much of a problem. My friend shoots a rear grip XP-100 in 260 REM and my son shoots the laminated center grip XP-100 in 7IHMSA. That is a 300 savage necked down to 7mm.
The rifle guys shoot various models of tactical style rifles with high end scopes that cost more than a couple of our pistols. A couple guys even shoot the old M1 Garrands and actually impress everyone with doing it with the stock peep sights. It's pretty informal and everyone has a great time and is always willing to help others and even let you try out their rigs when the matches are over.
There are roads to the targets although some wind thru the farm. The shooters don't have to paint targets, they repaint the long range targets in between switching stages so you can see them. The bigger targets are black, mid size circles are orange and the wee lil plate is white and the different colors do make their sizes deceiving and depending on time of the day and the light angle they can almost dissappear in the shadows or bright sun. We shoot in groups evenly divided so you always have others watching thru scopes to see the hits or the misses so there is always a bit of pressure to not blow one totally and miss it by 10 feet. It don't take much of a mistake to miss a 15 inch plate at 900 yards especially with a pistol.
If anyone lives nearby this area and wishes to try it out or even come on a day we practice leave a note, always fun to have others that are interested stop in.
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