Connecticut Air Gunners Match Report – 2017 October 22 Location: 80 North St, Lebanon, CT 06249 (GPS 41.614582, -72.255081)
Match Site: Long and narrow flat open field with a pond on one side and trees on the other. Open field beyond the trees and marshy swamp land beyond the pond.
Temperature: 48 early morning -75 degrees Fahrenheit – Sunny.
Wind: 0-5 MPH Number of Targets: 30 (60 points maximum) rifle, 20 (40 points maximum) pistol
Average Distance: 38.8 yards (15 targets over 40 yards, 8 at 50 or more yards) rifle, 24.1 yards pistol
Average Kill Zone: 1.5” (Mix 1, 1 ½” & 40mm kill zones) rifle, 1.48" pistol
Course Difficulty: 31.1 (36.6T with Wind) 2 lanes of standing shots, 1 lane of kneeling rifle, 30.1 (35.8T with wind) pistol
Match Times: Setup 7:00-9:00 AM, Practice 9:00–10:15 AM, Match 10:15 AM-1:00 PM, Course Takedown 2:00 PM-2:30 PM
Results/Attendees: (20 shooters total)
PCP WFTF (4)
50/60 Tom Holland – Benjamin Marauder – H&N Sniper Mediums 8.5 grains - 785 fps – 11.63 FPE – Sightron SIII 10-50x60 LRMD (Match High – 1st place medal & Dragon face plate)
18/60 Rosalie Paulsen - Crosman 1720T – AADF 8.4 grains – 760 fps – 10.77 FPE – Mueller 8-32x44
(DNC) 45/60 Leo Gonzales – Hammerli AR20FT – AADX 7.87 grains – 801 fps – 11.2 FPE - Sightron SIII 10-50x60 LRMD
10/60 Peter Sweeney (first time shooter used Leo's air rifle)
PCP Open (5)
50/60 Brian Van Liew - FX400 FT – AADFH 10.3 grains – 875 fps – 17.5 FPE – Nikko Diamond 10-50x60 (Match High – 1st place medal & Dragon face plate)
49/60 Mike Harris – Steyr LG110 – JSB Exact Heavy 10.34 grains – Sightron 10-50x60 (2nd place medal)
42/60 Glenn Thomas – Daystate Wolverine – JSB Exact Heavy 10.34 grains – Nikko Stirling Diamond 10-50x60
37/60 Al Otter – USFT #16 – Crosman Premiers 10.5 grains – 890 fps - 18.5 FPE - March X
27/60 Cole Pascarella – Hammerli AR20FT – JSB Exacts 8.44 grains – 770 fps – 11.1 FPE – Nikko Stirling Diamond 10-50x60 (first time shooter paired with Brian Van Liew)
PCP Unlimited & Hunter (6)
40/60 Bill Day – Thomas Carbine – JSB Exact Heavies 10.34 grains – 880 fps – 17.8 FPE - Sightron 10-50x60 (1st place medal & Dragon face plate)
39/60 Mark Marini – Thomas Rifle – JSB Exact Monsters 13.43 grains – 780 fps – 18.14 FPE – Hawke Sidewinder 6-24x42 (2nd Place medal)
35/60 John Eroh – AA S500 – AADFH 10.3 grains – 935 fps – 20.1 FPE - Sightron SIII 10-50x60 FT
34/60 Chris Sloan – RAW TM1000 – JSB Exact Monsters 13.43 grains – Hawke Sidewinder 6-24x56
30/60 Hans Apelles – Crosman 1720T – AADF 8.4 grains – 760 fps – 10.77 FPE - Leupold Competition 35x45
24/60 Vasyl Povroznyk – Benjamin Maximus – Crosman Premiers 14.3 grains – 780 fps – 19.3 FPE – CV-Lite 6-24x AO
Piston WFTF (3)
47/60 Matt Brackett - Air Arms TX200 – AADF 8.4 grains – 775 fps – 11.2 FPE – Sightron 10-50x60 FTIRMOA-H (Winner of shootoff – 1st place medal & Dragon face plate)
47/60 Nathan Thomas – Walther LGU – AADF 8.44 grains – 795 fps – 11.79 FPE – Bushnell Elite (2nd place medal)
42/60 Ray Apelles – Custom D54 Bullpup – AADF 8.4 grains – 780 fps – 11.35 FPE – March FX 5-40
Piston Hunter (2)
23/60 Tom Wade – HW97K – AADF 8.4 grains (1st place medal & Dragon face plate)
9/60 Jeffrey Buckridge – Air Arms TX200 – Crosman Premiers 14.39 grains – Hawke Sidewinder 8-32x56
Pistol Match (2)
15/40 Leo Gonzales – Air Arms Alfa Proj – AADF 8.4 grains – 480 grains – Millett SP-1 red dot (DNC Hands Only)
3/40 John Eroh – M-Rod Air S400 – JSB 13.43 grains (DNC Hands Only)
Remarks:
John and Jeff helped set up the course again. John used his two floating target bases for lane A. John brought 8 additional field targets for the pistol match portion.
During the match, we had to call two cold lines. One was for a broken pull string on the one of the floating water targets – yellow turtle 40mm KZ at 46 yards. The other was a malfunction on one of the other floating water targets – yellow alligator 40mm KZ at 26 yards. After the majority of people had already shot at it and knocked it down, it eventually bound up and refused to reset. We gave points to the handful of people that were not able to reset it and shoot it.
Starting in the morning, it was chilly setting up the course but got progressively warmer as the sun came out. We had a bright sunny day for an almost perfect weather for shooting field target. The weather was in the mid upper 70s and even reaching over 80 at the end of the match. It was calm with almost no wind for practice and the first hour of shooting. Slight breezes from the South (from right to left) prevailed but once in a while it would shift from the North (from the left to right) for a short while.
Judging the hold offs for the wind was not as challenging for me and others for this match but favoring and holding 1-2 inches outside of the kill zone was still needed for the all of the 8 longest targets placed at 50 yards or more.
We had Al Otter coming all the way from Maryland carpooling with Mike Harris from Pennsylvania. Bill Day made the trip from Maine as well. I was very glad to see them attend and shoot our state match. They rounded off the regular FT shooters from Massachusetts and New York. Chris Sloan and Mark Marini regular bench rest shooters were an added bonus to make the highest attended match for CAG this year.
We have two first time shooters (Pete Sweeney and Cole Pascarella). I shared my rifle with Pete and Brian loaned his WFTF rifle to Cole and shot with him.
Despite using a heavy rifle with a high mag scope, light trigger and getting into a very uncomfortable and unfamiliar sitting position, Pete managed to knock down a few targets for his very first field target match. Pete was able to get good sensible advice from all of the regular FT shooters. Pete had enjoyed his day of shooting field target. Hopefully he will be back with a Benjamin Marauder, 16x scope, shooting sticks and an elevated seat for his future matches.
Cole struggled with the first few lanes but eventually he got better on the second half of the match scoring several lanes with five out of six shots. It was a very good start for a first-time FT shooter. Nice coaching job Brian!
In the Freestyle/Unlimited division, Vasyl shot the match using attached bipods in the prone position with a shooting mat. It was good to see him again for his second ever field target match. Matt Brackett and Nathan Thomas were tied with 47 points each for Piston WFTF. John Eroh setup the shoot off with two targets with 40mm (1.575") kill zones at 45 yards for each shooter. Matt had the yellow rat and Nathan had the yellow triceratops. The shoot off was to be done sitting first, then kneeling and lastly standing if they tied at each phase. Fortunately, it was concluded on the first shot in the sitting position. Matt knocked down his target first and Nathan missed ¼" low on his target.
Brian Van Liew and Tom Holland shared match high scores of 50 each.
Thank you very much again to all who attended from near and as far away as Maryland & Maine. Thank you also to those who helped take down the course. I would like to thank CAG club members John Eroh and Jeff Buckridge for helping make these matches happen. Their help made these matches possible. Hope to do more field target matches next year.
Next match: Possible December Outdoor FT match with enough interest.
Note: We are most likely be hosting outdoor air rifle bench rest matches from 25m out to 75 yards next year as well. Mark Marini and Chris Sloan will most likely run these matches. Visit the CAG website below for updates.
Leo Gonzales
CT Air Gunners
ctairgunners.weebly.com Link to photos, course planner and match report below.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!Ausj-Y-SAaOxie4fvlu4pw41Mm-grA
