I’ve been home for a day or so, and I’d like to discuss some things moving forward to Lodi.

The team, as a whole performed very well; there were issues, however.

Equipment

There were shooters with too hot of loads, improperly sized brass, and sights that were not level. These are all, basic, and preventable issues. Test your equipment at your home range. The temperatures in June at Lodi can be quite warm. Make sure that your rifle and ammunition combination is capable of performing in the heat.

A front sight that is not properly levelled can cause real problems on the line for both shooter and coach. If you do not have a level in your foresight, GET ONE NOW. It is a mandatory piece of kit.

Actions on the line

All of the shooters performed very well at the session. In fact, it will be difficult to make cuts based on the data processed thus far. There are some things, however, that you guys can focus on that may separate you from the pack:

• Get on and off the line quickly. Your coach has an important job to do. He cannot maintain his focus on the wind if he stops to give you a detailed debrief of your performance. After firing is complete, the coaches will give a short critique to all the shooters, as well as a corrected wind-zero (if needed).
• Use your scope wisely. You are permitted a scope on the line to check your elevation during your string. Do not, however, let the scope slow you down or distract you while firing. A quick glance is OK, but prolonged delays while your coach is instructing you to fire will be held against you.
• Call your shot accurately. Your coach is relying on an accurate call to assess the wind. Nobody is capable (I haven’t met him/her yet, in any case) of firing every shot, “center.” Give a clock direction and a scoring ring, if possible.
• Share equipment when possible. Sharing a scope, or mat, within your assigned squad will speed the transition between shooters.

Organization

Be on time, and at the place instructed. We must adhere to a tight schedule, and to do so we need the cooperation of everyone involved.

Zeroes

My favorite. Have a good zero prior to attending the tryout. Buying that new Rightsight a week prior, a mounting it on your rifle, getting a 25 yard zero, consulting your iphone for a theoretical come-up, and driving to the tryout is probably not a good idea.

After each string, the coach may assign you a corrected wind zero. I would advise that you DO NOT run back to your car, pull out the allen wrenches, and begin to pull the windage knob off the sight to re-center it. The ability to do so is a testament to the engineering involved in the design of the sights, but to change it after each string is foolish. Simply note the change, relative to your old zero, and instruct your next coach as to the new zero-always referenced fom the mechanical center of the sight. If the corrected zero lasts two days, you can then change it.

This will save everyone a lot of drama. Besides it will keep you off of my “bad-boy” list.

Healthy Shooters

Drink plenty of water and maintain a proper diet while on the range. You must be properly hydrated to perform at your best. Eating plenty of fruit and staying away from fast foods will help you feel better in the heat. Use Sun block and wear a hat to prevent the effects of the Sun from ruining your weekend.

That all I can think of for now. Good luck, start practicing!

Emil

Each shooter fired 10, 20-shot strings over the three days. Data was collected, and each shooter will be receiving a package soon that includes their plots, a review of their performance, and recommendations on training.

The coaches were the heavy lifters of the session, coaching 16, 20-shot strings per day. I remarked to Gene Rucks that he probably coached more in this last weekend than he would in 5 years of coaching club shoots. The coaches will be receiving a package as well that will review performance and identify their respective strengths and weaknesses.

The weekend was rounded out by a team bbq at the range and some parting words by Dennis.

Reviews were positive and I believe we have an effective model going forward to Lodi and Camp Butner.

Special thanks to Jim O’Connell for organizing the range, Jerry Tierney for running the pits, and the California juniors for helping out with pulling the targets. It took a total team effort to pull the session off. We couldn’t have done it without you all.

Keep practicing-I’ll see you in Lodi, WI!

Emil

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8706639@N02/

We NEED target pullers for the other venues. Please beat the bushes for us. We need one puller per coach.

The day started with very light and readable winds. A number of shooters scored 200′s at the 1000 yard line. If today was any indication, we will have a tough time culling shooters from this pool. There are a lot of talented shooters in our country.

The coaches all had an opportunity to coach individually, with and without time pressure, as well as working within a group. As the conditions deteriorated today, the coaches all had a challenging time keeping the shooters in the middle, especially in lieu of my “dirty tricks” (more on that later).

Emil

Today most of the prospective team shooters and coaches got some practice in, learning the procedures and the range. If today was any indication, this will be a very challenging weekend. The wind was high-velocity (8-14 MPH) and twitchy from 10-2 o’clock.

I will be posting some observations and range reports each day, so stay tuned!

Emil

We thank our South African hosts for their extraordinary and gracious hospitality.  We look forward to seeing old and new friends on the international teams again very soon.

I believe the scores are:

South Africa 1773 – 186v
USA 1773 – 176v
England 1769 – 155v

Congratulations to South Africa!

Results:

1st USA 1172.157
2nd England 1169.155
3rd South Africa 1169.135

Emil will have pictures and more details up when he’s able to get online.  Scott’s got some details on his blog.