Switching to 6 o’clock hold

After years of insisting “point of aim” is a more realistic and therefore better way to aim I am converting to “6 o’clock.”

If you are not familiar with the different sight pictures CMP has a very detailed article with pictures and everything here: http://www.odcmp.org/0907/USAMU_SightPicture.asp

The short explanation is for point of aim you put the top of the post at the center of the black. For 6 o’clock you put the top of the sight post at the bottom of the black, like a “pumpkin on a post.”

I switched for constancy and my worsening vision. Too often I have been struggling to see how much black is at the top of my sight post. Hopefully this will help me get the same picture every time.

I have also made some bold changes to my prone position at the end of last season. I’ve been fighting with cheek weld and “muscling” the rifle in prone. Instead of keeping my hand all the way out against the sling swivel I have pulled it in to where the stock curves down to the mag plate. This allows me keep the rifle a bit higher which fixes my cheek weld. I also get better skeletal support and strain less to stay on target. This should give me a better natural point of aim, more constancy and hopefully better scores.

Four Months to Camp Perry!

Registration is open for CMP week at Camp Perry. My wife has challenged me to practice once a week until then. Took the Garand out this weekend, it felt good to get back in the sling.

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Freezer Match

I shot in my clubs end of year “Freezer Match” which is an unlimited match 40 rounds off hand, any rifle, any optic.

It was a beautiful day for a match sunny and clear around 50 degrees.

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I brought my hunting rifle a Tikka T3 30-06 lite. What a work out slinging 40 hot 180 grain loads downrange from a lightweight bolt action is. It turns out not to be great for matches, barrel heats up and finding the target with a glare off hand is a challenge. But it was a fun time I am looking forward to next season!

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The infamous kimberton glare

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Tikka T3 lite, Zeiss conquest 4.5X14, turner saddlery sling, DNZ one piece mount, Bernese mountain dog.

Last match of the season

Shot my last match of the year in Sunday in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Not planned but it seemed a fitting way to end the season.

I intended to take the 1917 for Armistice Day however with hurricane sandy and getting ready for deer season I didn’t have as much time as I wanted to practice and I didn’t want to end the season with 87 point. I shot pretty well the dry fire practice and changes I made to my sling really helped.

Now I just need to find some time to give my Garand a good detail strip and clean and start practicing for next season. I already have my hotel booked for Perry in the summer!

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Dry fire practice

York Rifleman Fall Garand Match

I brought my Garand to the other side of the Susquehanna to shoot at York Rifleman’s fall JCG match. This was the second time I attended a match here. These folks really run a great match I am glad they decided to have a fall match.

The weather held out it stayed in the mid 60’s with just a very brief drizzle. Much larger turn out as opposed to the spring match. There were 4 relays with 8 positions it was nice to have 2 people on each target in the pits opposed to pulling solo.

I have been really struggling with my prone position. I’m not sure why I have picked up this problem, despite doing some dry fire practice in the hotel the night before. I need more dry firing and more range time. If only I had more time.

Anyway enough about my excuses. Here are some pictures I took at the match.

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The issue ammo was lake city 69 but my bandolier was marked 1955. I thought that was neat.