Osage Orange Sharpshooters
News - August 2002

-----Upcoming Activities + Matches

August 18 - Sunday - Joplin High Power Match, 9AM

August 28 - Wednesday--League Match at Springfield Benchrest Club 5:30-5:45 or thereabouts

September 7 - Saturday - Dalton Range, League, 8 AM

September 14/15 - Sat/Sun - St. Louis, 200, 300, 600 + Long Range (4 X 600)

September 18 - Wednesday--League Match at Springfield Benchrest Club 5:30-5:45 or thereabouts

September 28/29 - Sat/Sun - Kansas State Service Rifle Championship and Leg Match, DeSoto

September 28 - Saturday - Great Outdoors Day - Dalton Range - Volunteers needed, 8AM-4PM

October 5 - Saturday - John C. Garand Match --Dalton Range, Registration Required, 8 AM

October 9 - Wednesday- League Match at Springfield Benchrest Club, 5:30-5:45 or threabouts

October 12 - Saturday - Dalton Range - Introduction to .22 Rifle Shooting - Volunteers needed to demo/help

October 26 - Saturday - Dalton Range - Introduction to .Centerfire Rifle Shooting - Volunteers needed to demo/help

------Great Outdoors Day Volunteers
As you can see from the listing above, we are entering a very busy time of year. By the way, there is also dove hunting and high school sports (for my children). We need volunteers for 3 activities at the Dalton Range. First is Great Outdoors Day, September 28 at 8AM-4PM. In the past we have staffed a few booths with M1, Carbine, AR-15, and .22 rifles, allowing folks 3 shots with the highpower and lots of shots with the .22. We have our banner to staple up saying who we are, and we generally have some membership forms on hand to give to people. If you want to volunteer to help out, please e-mail or call me. My plans are to shoot the Kansas match with Les Welch that weekend, so we will need someone to coordinate the activities.

------Rifle Clinic Volunteers
The second and third things for which we need volunteers are the two clinics being put together by Mike Brooks, the director of education at the Dalton Range. One is on .22 caliber rifle shooting (Saturday, October 12, 8AM, the other on centerfire rifle (Saturday, October 26, 8AM). These will be general classes aimed at folks who have never fired a rifle, or perhaps at parents who wish to start their children shooting with a good, safe introduction. Mike Brooks has asked us to help out in any way we can. I thought we might attend, demonstrate what we do, and invite folks out to our next shoot (which won't be until February or March!!!). At least we can get them on our mailing list. I will help out at both clinics. Two or three more volunteers for each class would be nice. Please let me know if you can help.

------Target Backers
The issue of cardboard backers for the rebar frame targets at the Dalton Range has turned into a pain in the neck. Folks at the range have informed me that we're not putting the rebar targets away correctly, that they need to be stacked 'way towards the back of the room. Here is an executive decision: if you want to use a rebar target frame, bring your own cardboard. I will have a few pieces in reserve just in case we have a large turnout of people and need extra frames If you have alternative suggestions, they are always welcome.

------John C. Garand Match
October 5, Saturday, is our semi-annual John C. Garand Match. An entry form is enclosed. If you lose yours, they are also available off our web page. Please register early. We anticipate a full firing line. We will run 2 relays, so we can accommodate 40 shooters. Remember that the JCG match is for U.S. service rifles firing .30-06 or .30 Carbine ammunition only. Loaner rifles are available. We will give prizes for the JCG match as well as for the 2002 league matches after the JCG match is over.

-------Camp Perry
As you know, Les Welch, Jerry Patten, and I attended the National Trophy Matches at Campy Perry, Ohio. My write-up of the trip and a bunch of pictures can be found on the web page. Pay particular attention to life in the huts.
If you can possibly spare the time, go to Camp Perry at least once just to experience it. I would love to take a team there next year and shoot the rattle battle with M1 Garands. This is a team match, all rapid fire, where each team gets 384 rounds of ammunition. You start at 600 and get a minute to shoot from the prone position. You keep moving forward to closer firing lines, and at 200 yards you have to shoot standing. The idea is to use all your ammo before you get to 200 yards. It sounds like a blast, literally.

A good way to prepare would be to attend the matches in Marshall (Sedalia) next year. There's no rattle battle, but there are team matches.

-------.22 Sporter Matches
John Burke, Josh Burke, Michael Woodruff, and I shot the .22 match last Saturday. That's a pretty low-enrollment match. Frankly, I was one cooked-goose by the time it was over-too tired from shooting 2 matches, too hot, too rushed, too disorganized, and disappointed in the turnout. What can we do to get more people involved next year? We could shoot a 35 round Garand match instead of a 55 round match, that would allow more time and energy for .22 cal. We could dedicate a couple of the meetings to smallbore only. We could shoot smallbore first, then the Garand match. We could require everyone to shoot at least 2 smallbore matches to be eligible for league prizes. Give me some suggestions.

Reminder
If you are getting this by U.S. Mail, we don't have an e-mail address for you. If that's the way you want it, fine, but if you do have e-mail, it would save time, money, and effort if we could get you the newsletter that way.

Bill Corcoran
Phone: (417) 862-8618
E-Mail: wtc928f@smsu.edu

http://www.swampworks.com/OsageOrange.html