Save the date!!
June 11th to 13th, 2021 the Nevada Air Gunners club will be hosting our annual Nevada State Championship and AAFTA Grand Prix match at the Square M Ranch in rugged Battle Mountain, Nevada.
The course will be somewhat easier than last year (a lower Troyer difficulty level and fewer high angle targets) to account for wind and other factors beyond our control. The idea is to make it even more enjoyable for everyone involved (competitors and match set up personnel).
Friday afternoon there will be a Pistol match, followed by rifle matches on Saturday and Sunday.
Last years pistol match lane area (the flatter ground below base camp) will be shared this year with the rifle lanes and some of the upper (steeper) lanes will be eliminated. For those that have been attending for the last few years you will notice yet another adaptation towards a more shooter friendly course layout.
Last year was a bit more 'mellow' than the year before and we plan on once again 'mellowing out' the course this year. No sore necks this time we promise...
We are working on prizes above the normal medals. If you are interested on donating please contact one of the three club marshals (Jim W., Chris M. or Lonnie S.). We will be reaching out to a few vendors over the following months and hope to have something worth 'shooting' for to boost attendance.
We will be adding the registration form and associated match material to this topic as the year progresses.
Post up if you plan on attending, we'd like to continue our streak of hosting another official AAFTA Grand Prix match.
Looking forward to seeing everyone again as we get back into the swing of AAFTA FT competition in 2021, if we don't see you at the various west coast matches, we hope to see you in Battle Mountain where the motto is "Are You Tough Enough!"
Cheers. -JW
Don't make it easier !!!
This being a match that is SPECIAL .. difficult in a most demanding setting makes it a stand out in North America.
Start making it civilian typical flat land easy tho in the mountains would be selling this event short IMO.
Either way I'll be there and present ready to play FIELD TARGET.
You need to ask yourself as ALL in Battle Mountain do .. ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH ?
EPIC event in the VERY rural Nevada back country ... Make this event one for 2021 !!!
LOL "easier" and "flat" are very "relative" terms for this match.
Instead of equal (or more) high angle and lower angle lanes there will be a few more lower angle lanes than last year for rifle and a few more higher angle lanes for pistol.
The general idea is to still make it challenging, but not 'soul crushing' challenging if the wind kicks up like it did last year.
It will still be one of the more difficult field target matches in the country. But I think it should appeal to newer shooters as a way to break into something a little more challenging as well as to the veterans who look to hone their wind and high angle shooting skills.
We would like to secure the minimum number of shooters and appeal to having an even larger group to continue to make this a qualifying AAFTA GP by offering a more enjoyable yet still unique and extreme course setup.
The signature lanes will remain. Tony the Tiger at maximum distance, the rhino lane over the pond, the offhand targets on the rocks, the things that make it tough and fun will still be there. Just looking to dial down some of the extreme angle lanes.
2019 was overly difficult, 2020 was a bit dialed down from 2019, i'm hoping to keep dialing it down a little more for 2021. Even at minimum troyer I don't think this match would ever be considered 'easy'...
This doesn't mean you won't need a little extra something something to get to the high angle targets, oh, you will! But it won't be the unrelenting high angle target after high angle target layout that it was in 2020.
I think the most fun is when Open, Hunter and WFTF are all in the running for high score. This match has typically been very challenging for WFTF, to make the match a little less course driven and a little more shooter driven would allow the WFTF group to run for the top dog spot and possibly add a nice 100 to their GP standings for the year.
The 2021 Grand Prix should be hotly contested. I think a lot of shooters are looking to come strong after last year's weirdness. I'd like to see the Nevada State Championships play a part in that race for all classes and divisions.
And have you ever known me to design an easy course??!! 😉
Jim as you well know we all have your back and will 100% support what you decide in course lay out.
Having shot this venue 4 of the last 5 years just have my own attitude about it .. it's tough and challenging to the point of it being a stamina tester & that's OK !
CYA in JUNE if not before ... 2021's FT season we all hope will be better than 2020 ?
Scott S
Here is an adjustable calendar we can go off of that Wayne started https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=ab28076020&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1684176083157391521&th=175f653977ce18a1&view=att&disp=safe&realattid=f_khuvhjgy0
Bad link at least on my computer.
Dana
@jacob-sumner Would it be possible to underline the AAFTA matches? Would help differentiate them from the club level matches...
@pistoleer Hope to see you out there!! And it looks like almost all of the AAFTA GP level events are offset from the Diablo Sunday matches this year! Thanks for hosting a match this Sunday! Looking forward to being out there at last once a month this year.
I'm new to air guns do you have an area to come and watch?
Are they shooting any special guns?
We're in the back country of landers county outside battle mountain NEVADA. If you make it to the site you can walk around and view the match along side the actual shooters perspective w/o issue. just don't disturb the shooters while the match is under way.
As to SPECIAL guns .... most of those who play FT at this level are shooting very special and many exotic guns made for the task of Field target for sure.
This spring will be #5 for making this match. It is IMO the most dynamic and difficult FT course/match anywhere in this country.
The official registration form for the 2021 Battle Mountain AAFTA GP is attached!
We are implementing cash prizes for placing in the top three finishing positions. We are hoping this encourages participation by allowing each competitor to make back something close to their registration fee when placing in the top three.
(starting at a minimum of)
1st place: $50
2nd place: $40
3rd place: $30
If we end up with 20 competitors, prizes will go up to $75/$50/$35, so get your friends involved in this once in a lifetime event and location!!
Prizes will cover: Rifle match awards only for WFTF, Open & Hunter (precharged & piston) granted there are at least four participants in the group. If your group has three participants cash prizes will be awarded to the top placement. Match officials have the right to consolidate the piston group as needed depending on the number of participants, previous matches have had roughly three piston entries with two being in the same division. Prior to the start of the rifle match we will sit down with the piston shooters and figure out the best cash prize arrangement based on the number of piston participants.
As usual medals will be given out for the top three spots for each class/division.
To date I have chosen to run the same pistol course as last year with some minor revisions. Portions of the rifle course have been redesigned with about four of the steep angle lanes relocated to more 'level' ground. I have streamlined the lane numbering and eliminated the need for some (eight) of the pistol targets to be relocated to the rifle lanes after the pistol match on Friday. As usual we appreciate the overwhelming support we receive from the competitors when it comes to setting and breaking down the courses, the idea was to further simplify setup and takedown for the hosting club as well as the volunteers. Hopefully most if not all of the minor kinks of the new target mounting system have been ironed out for year two. The overall course difficulty will also be lower than last year in an effort to boost scores and accommodate for windy conditions if they arise. No doubt the event will still be challenging, so if you are hoping to push your abilities but not be overwhelmed by wind and high angle lanes this match will have what you desire!
But the real question is:
ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......to tame the Battle Mountain Grand Prix???
@jimwHey I agree with Scott leave it hard. I know you don’t want to discourage people,but that’s just out right fun of this GP. it definitely will test your shooting abilities I know everybody’s got an opinion and opinions are like an a hole everyone’s got one,but I kind a like the hard shots even though I couldn’t hit them. It’s in your hands I’m sure you’ll do us all proud see you there
We are getting closer!!
All the courses have been designed and verified in the AAFTA Excel file. The rifle courses dropped a couple Troyer and the pistol course went down slightly. If we get some wind the reduced difficulty will be nice, but if it's not windy the course will still be challenging.
The rile course will not have the crazy vertical lanes in the upper section apart from the traditional rock face offhand shots that Lonnie originally introduced. I kept the one lane where we cut a slot in the wooded/bushy area, but the crazy shots further up have been converted into some long but flatter lanes. I think there were two or three lanes that were at thirty degrees easy (which feels like forty five degrees) in the upper section last year.
I added another lane prior to last years first lane in the lower section, it will have a 40+ yard target and a second target at a shorter distance. I think the new layout will run a little smoother and with the elimination of the upper lanes the walking distances have been reduced slightly from last year.
The rifle courses are right around a 50/50 split for moderate and hard targets, where as last year the blue course was 28/65/7 (moderate/hard/expert) and the red course 46/43/11.
I've streamlined the setup and take down process for all the courses, we will not be needing to move pistol targets to the rifle course after the pistol match and there will be the relocating of the shooting boxes between day one and two of the rifle match, no additional target swapping, all other efforts will be going to repainting the face plates and kz's so shooters can track errant shots more easily.
Chris and I will be heading out Memorial day weekend to move some poles, tag/label the existing ones and do some additional improvements to the camping and shooting areas. By labelling each pole it should make setting up the days before the match a little easier.
The awards have been ordered and should arrive early next week.
Looking forward to eating some good food, spending quality shooting time with friends and enjoying the tranquility of Horse Canyon.
Hope to see you there!!!
I'll have a bunch of registration forms on site for people to fill out and sign. So don't worry about sending them in prior to the match or even printing them out to hand in.
Same with making the registration donation, we can do this on site Friday afternoon and prior to the match Saturday morning (if you are not shooting the pistol match).
Sounds like we need to block off our calendars. The Concord match is the following week, making this weekend available.
Pencil me in, I'm looking forward to expelling air and lead...
Just spoke with Martin on Thursday, seem he has a NEW puppy for his bird hunting activities so his words were HE WILL NOT be making it to NV.
Here is the extended weather forecast for the area. It's looking pretty nice. May or may not hold, but if it does it looks like we should have some great match conditions.
For those taking the 305, from Austin the right turn on to the dirt road is about 1/4 mile north of mile marker 69, when heading south on the 305 the left is about 3/4 of a mile south of mile marker 70. Attaching the "how to get there" maps below.
The stream crossings are actually a bit better than last year, with fewer rocks and such and no water.
Chris and I were out there last weekend and did a bunch of work on the course to prepare for the final set up mid week next week.
We will once again have a portalet on site.
Please post up if you plan on being there so we can get an idea for purchasing food, water and other such goodies.
Hope to see you there!!
So far we have:
1. Jim W
2. Chris M
3. Jim C
4. Scott S
5. Scott H
6. John in MA
7. John K
8. Vince P
9. Wayne B
10. Randy E
11. Jacob S
12. Lonnie S
13. Dan H
14. Al P
15. Pat C
16. Darren T
Unknowns:
17. Riz M
18. Ron J
19. Larry P
20. Dana W
21. Mike N
22. Bill C
23. Dave C
24. Adam B
25. Chris L
26. Cameron K
27. Fred B
28. Gabe L
Fred B said NO and asking Darren T just a few days ago ... said No as well
Revised list: Pre-charged unless noted otherwise.
1. Jim W- Open
2. Chris M- Open
3. Jim C- Hunter
4. Scott S- Hunter
5. Scott H- Hunter
6. John in MA- ???
7. John K- Hunter
8. Vince P- Hunter
9. Wayne B- WFTF
10. Randy E- WFTF
11. Jacob S- Piston Hunter
12. Lonnie S- WFTF
13. Dan H- Open?
14. Al P- Open?
15. Pat C- Open?
16. Adam B- Piston WFTF
17. Cameron K- Piston WFTF
18. Dennis B- Open
Unknowns:
19. Ron J
20. Larry P
21. Chris L
Got home @ 11:00 PM last night.
WOW another one of those matches out in the Badlands of battle mountain nevada !!
While a lot of the shots were "On Average" less severe in angles, there were still those NECK BENDERS that challenged everyone in what is a comfortable shooting position !!!
We had 20 "Tough Enough" competitors that took on the challenge of shooting Horse Canyons extreme version of Field target in what is likely this countries MOST REMOTE and DIFFICULT field target venue you will ever shoot !!
GREAT JOB by Jim W and Chris M providing the property and setting up another FT shoot in Battle Mountains Horse canyon !
Scott S
Got home last night 11 o’clock 6 Hour Dr. from Vegas Can’t say thank you enough to Jim and Chris had a great weekend some great shooters thanks again will see you next year. PS Watch out for Rodeway Inn in battle battle would not honor the reservation I made will probably stay at big chief next year.
What an AWESOME match! Big thanks to Chris and Jim for putting it on!
great food, incredible scenery, good friends (and made a couple new ones) I havent seen for a while.
My gun went went wonkee after I got there, but Jim Cyran (speeling Im sure) loaned my a spare…. still shot an OK score. Big thanx to Jim for saving my bacon and the trip down from Montana.
I was man enough, but I’m paying for it now 🙂