Well, I'm working on another sponsor. They just don't know it yet. I plan to talk to them at the match in Vegas next month. We'll see what happens. It's another company whose gear I already use, so that's working in my favor as is. It'll just make setting up my next rifle (and my trainer, if I get that far) that much cheaper.

As for the victory.. Yes, thank you. As I mentioned in the article, the only reason I did so well was the generous time limits. That is something I definitely need to work on. I fully expect those IA matches to continue with the generous time, since every single one of the IA guys are all PRS n00bs (except Jim See - but he's organizing it and trying to grow it, hence the generous time so as not to drive off new shooters). The only people there that had even been to 1 PRS match before (not counting Jim) were all from out of state - WI, MN, and IL. LOL

As for my next PRS match, that will be in March. I'm hoping for a solid middle-of-the-pack finish. I would be pleased with top half, and I'd be elated with top third. Here's hoping.

Alpine, a couple other shooting buddies and I went down to my favorite range yesterday to do some LR shooting, PRS match practice, work on loads..... Brutally cold, rolled up to the range at balmy 15 degrees. Thought for sure we would be the only ones there. To my surprise some other die hard was already there, SigForum memeber sigfreund! Good bumping into you.

jelrod1 chambered a couple Dashers for me in November, a 24" and 26". Been mostly shooting the 24" barrel that was re-chambered from a 6BR. Fire-formed 400 cases on it, shot a couple local matches, one of the matches I shot the fire-form loads... Just recently started working up a load on the new 26" barrel, brought loads that bug-holed at 100yds see if one of the loads would hold up at distance. I'm a big believer in shooting on paper at distance to check/compare loads. My routine is to set up a paper target a yard or so from a piece of steel, put a round or three on the steel, get a wind call, hammer 5rds holding the same wind. Don't care about the L-R, just looking at vertical. Set up this one at 500yds. After shooting those groups did lots of PRS drills, positional stuff, weak side, off hand....friendly competitions, fun stuff. need to work on that off-hand shooting for sure. Shot 100rds though the 24" Dasher. After we were out of ammo, picked up all our steel we set up, checked my target. Oh my! 32.4/Varget/105 Hybrids/2985 is THE load. Re-set up two pieces of steel at 10 and 15yds and shot some pistol. Sat down for a nice dinner, talked all things LR. Great day with good friends.

1.25" vertical at 500 yards -- NICE! I would have preferred to be there.

Sorry that I couldn't join you guys. Software meetings are just so much....fun. Getting prepared for an IT conference call this evening. I will be joined at the hip with the IT guys for the next 5-6 months, then just chained to them for the 12 months after that. Rolling out a whole new business & financial package is so much....fun.

Not surprised that it was cold yesterday. I skied at Copper Mountain on Sunday, 12 degrees below zero to start the day, warming up to a tropical 20 above zero (but only at the bottom of the mountain) by early afternoon.

It was good to see offgrid, and as usual I appreciated the tips. My friend and I are seriously considering going to the Raton match in May.

Fritz & sigfreund - You guys are both planning to attend the Nebraska match in April, yes? I know offgrid is planning to, and I believe Alpine as well.

Fritz - I still owe you one! Come to this match and collect.

It was a very good day shooting at the steel match with Alpine, offgrid, and Scott in the town of Rifle today. Could have been warmer. As in a whole boat load warmer at the start of the match. As has occurred before, Scott & offgrid schooled me in ringing steel.

Offgrid's 6 Dasher is one impressive rifle -- very accurate, with noticeably less recoil than my 6.5 Creedmoor, and flat flight ballistics.

Oh yeah, and I found out first hand that trying to shoot through snow banks and bushes doesn't help one ring steel.

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:
Fritz & sigfreund - You guys are both planning to attend the Nebraska match in April, yes?

I'm working on that. I'll keep you posted.

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:

quote:

Originally posted by exx1976:
Fritz & sigfreund - You guys are both planning to attend the Nebraska match in April, yes?

I'm working on that. I'll keep you posted.

Working on it? Registration is open for PRS members, and last I heard at 1745 your time, they were 80% full....

quote:

Originally posted by fritz:
It was a very good day shooting at the steel match with Alpine, offgrid, and Scott in the town of Rifle today. Could have been warmer. As in a whole boat load warmer at the start of the match. As has occurred before, Scott & offgrid schooled me in ringing steel.

Offgrid's 6 Dasher is one impressive rifle -- very accurate, with noticeably less recoil than my 6.5 Creedmoor, and flat flight ballistics.

Oh yeah, and I found out first hand that trying to shoot through snow banks and bushes doesn't help one ring steel.

Good shooting with you fritz, fun match. Just enough wind to mess with us, switched directions a couple times.... Nice trough your bullet carved in the snow!

1st match I shot with the 26" Dasher, that thing rocks. 1st round hits on a hanging regulation size baseball at 450yds and a softball at 560yds Managed a 2nd place finish, one hit separate me and 1st place, 1st place also shooting a Dasher.

exx1976,

Alpine, Scott and I will see you in Nebraska.

Good shooting with you guys, and congrats on the strong performance!

Fritz, hope you can get into the Nebraska PRS match, I signed up last night when I got home from the match.

Happy New Year!

As of now, it looks like there are still spots. The website is accepting registrations, anyway. I'd make sure to be quick on the draw tomorrow at 1700 mountain to make sure you get in!

Fritz - YGM.

All the pieces are showing up for the .284 build . Short pause due to a SHOT show hiatus before shipping off to the plumber. Still on track for a spring delivery......Woo Hoo !

quote:

Originally posted by jlemmy:
All the pieces are showing up for the .284 build . Short pause due to a SHOT show hiatus before shipping off to the plumber. Still on track for a spring delivery......Woo Hoo !

You're going to shot? When we you be in Vegas?

No, Mark is taking the time off to go to the show. Holding off on shipping till he is back in the shop.

Nice shooting with the 26" Dasher offgrid. Congrats on a strong finish.

Some cool targets at the match at Rifle -- the hanging baseball and softball targets were interesting. I was surprised that my center punch of the softball didn't swing it more. Still, shooting after offgrid and Scott hit the balls, and waiting for them to stop swinging was an exercise in patience. The helium balloons on a string were interesting. The slightest breeze really made them move.

Spotting some of those targets on the mountain side was difficult. The large changes in bipod leg heights from one shot to the next made it seem like we were a long ways from shooting from just one spot on a square range.

I still don't understand why my POI rose as much as it did over the course of the match as the temps rose. I figure the POI change for just under 700 yards should have been only 1-2 clicks, but yet it was closer to 3-4 clicks. Who knows.

****
Mountain temps were much warmer today. I skied in a shell without multiple fleece layers underneath.

fritz,

Running numbers on JBM for my Dasher at the start/finish temps of the match, difference is a 1/2" at 700yds.

My guess your POI shift was caused by the high bi-pod positions, legs extended to the max, maybe riding over the back of your stock a bit.... all causing a different cheek position. Those were small targets, slight cheek/parallax shift, miss! Our 10 layers of clothing no doubt effects that as well.

Ya, for a "square range" match it sure is a challenge with the bi-pods changes/angles on almost every shot!

Yeah, parallax errors will ruin your day in a hurry. I made that mistake on a match earlier this year. For whatever reason I was in a rush, excited, not paying close enough attention, whatever. VERY frustrating.

And it was the same type of thing - constantly changing bipod heights that were causing a different neck angle on my cheek weld.

Offgrid is right on the money, all those things can impact your accuracy. I had severe parallax issues during the match. With all the snow on the ground, my eye's were killing me, no matter how or where I adjusted the ocular and/or parallax, the target was often blurred. A common theme for me during the match, all my misses where high and left, which I attribute to parallax.