The Salem Pistol and Rifle Club will be hosting it's first match of the season this coming Sunday, June 3rd with registration and sight-in beginning at 8:30am and the 60 shot match commencing at 9:30am. I know most people prefer the woods course at Salem, but we had a major thunderstorm roll through a couple of weeks ago that knocked down so many trees and large limbs that we'll be shooting on the Benchrest range for the foreseeable future.
The extended forecast is calling for a 74 degree high with mixed clouds and sun and a possibility of a couple of showers. One advantage of shooting on the BR field is that we can shoot from under the covers if necessary.
Hope to see everyone at the match,
Todd Banks (tkbanks98 at aol.com, 518-796-0768)
We had a good turnout for our first match of the year at the Salem Pistol and Rifle Club with 10 shooters representing Connecticut, Massachusetts and parts of New York State from Rochester to Long Island. With a recent storm having made a mess of our course in the pines, we were forced to set up on the benchrest range for this match, and probably for the rest of the year. Conditions were cloudy and calm for the start of the match with temps in the 60's, rising into the mid 70's, clearing and a little breezier as the match progressed.
This was a 60 shot match set up for rifles, but Nathan Thomas took a whack at it with his tricked out gangsta 1720T pistol (he has it set up to shoot it sideways, with the pistol grip out at an angle) and shot a very respectable 35.
Chas DiCapua was the lone Open Class shooter and scored a match high 53 with his RAW TM-1ooo, while Paul Manktelow was alone in Hunter Piston Class, scoring a 42 with his Walther LGU.
Here are the final scores and equipment list:
WFTF Piston
Ray Apelles- Diana 54 Bullpup, March FX5-40, AA 8.4----------52 (won shootoff)
Leo Gonzalez- Walther LGU, Sightron Siii 10-50x60, JSB 8.4---52
Nathan Thomas- Walther LGU, Bushnell 8-32, AA 8.4-----------48
Hunter PCP
Todd Banks- Dawson, CP 4-16x50, JSB 13.4---------------------53
Tom Wade- AA EV-2, Hawke, AA 8.4-----------------------------52
John French- AA S410, Hawke, JSB 10.3--------------------------44
WFTF PCP
Vasyl Povroznyk- AA FTP900, Nikko 10-50, AA 8.4------------48
John Eroh- AA FTP900, Sightron Siii 10-50x60, AA 8.4-------45
Open
Chas DiCapua- RAW TM-1000, Sightron Siii 10-50x600, JSB 10.3---53
Hunter Piston
Paul Manktelow- Walther LGU, Hawke, H&N Sniper------------42
Pistol
Nathan Thomas- Crosman 1720T, Hawke 3-12, AA 8.4----------35
A big Thank You to John French for getting the targets painted and mounted earlier this week, and to all the shooters for their help with setup, tear down and advice! FT is the best attended of the 3 shooting disciplines I am MD for at Salem and the shooters make it worth the effort to host these matches!
Todd Banks