Wednesday shooting.

Yes, I know - I am behind, but it has been pretty hectic here and no time even though I can smoke along at 100 words per minute typing speed. Not.

There were 4 matches today, three of which were Queens 1 matches at 300, 500 and 600 yards. The way it works is that you shoot these matches and the top 25 people or the top 25% or so (disclaimer as I am not sure) move to the finals which are to be held on Friday. Then on Friday these hot shots duel it out at 900 yards and 1000 yards.

There was also a Conan Doyle 900 yard match which I promptly renamed Conan The Barbarian due to my dismal performance. Several of our US shooters fell prey to the Barbarian, but several did very well at the Queens qualifier matches. Out of the top 25 or 35 shooters in the Queens, 6 were USA shooters, a healthy percentage.

Queens I 300, 500, 600 Yards top 10

 - D Brough, GB, 119
 - DJ Groom, GB, 119
 - J. Murphy, USA,119
 - JM De Kort, Netherlands, 119
 - D. Kent, GB, 119
 - W. Scholze, Germany, 119
 - PW Medhurst, GB, 117
 - LP Fenlon, GB, 117
 - S. Balolia, USA, 116
 - H. Kruger, Gernany, 116

Conan was a tough one. I would use the B word, but the world is reading this. I cannot bestow enough compliments on Conan. While some of us were shooting the 300. 500 yards matches, some were shooting Conan. The morning Conan relays were mild with the wind and the afternoon ones were where we got slayed. Not complaining as them are the breaks. Sometimes you get a good relay (like the one where I shot the 15V at 300) and sometimes you get bitten. Misery is spread equally at Bisley. When I shot, wind was between 10 and 15 mph with sudden and acute angle changes. I had 4.5 minutes left on the gun and was holding left 3 to 4 and right 2. I ended up with 43 and 3Vs. Earlier Bob Bock had shot a 48 with 3 Vs and his feet didn't touch the ground as he left the line!  Bob Bock was the only USA shooter to make the top 10 in Conan.

Conan Doyle 900 yards Top 10

 - NG Kelly, GB, 53
 - DW Wulff, Germany, 53
 - J. Campbell, GB, 53
 - L Tomlinson, Scotland, 52
 - P. Wilson, GB, 52
 - JM De Kort, Netherlands, 52
 - RT Bock, USA, 51
 - FC Van Kiekerk, S. Africa, 51
 - D. Brough, GB, 51
 - WC Cuthbert, Ulster, 50

David Bailey had some equipment issues. First his trigger broke. That was replaced from our extra parts that we brought along. Then he stripped the threads on his rest. David is a strong dude and needs to have a torque limiting gizmo attached to his arm. The rest was fixed by a gunsmith who lives very near the range and David is back in business. Dean Morris is having some issues with his scope. Click down, nothing. Click, click, click , still nothing. Then suddenly, boom, and his shot drops out the bottom. In this game, having confidence in your gear goes a long ways towards your mental aptitude when on the line.

4 matches and a team meeting made for a long day. Went out to the Surrey Club here on campus for dinner with Larry and Bev Bartholome, Jim and Connie Murphy and bumped into Des Parr, Captain of the English Team, Peter Wilson, Vice Captain of the English Team, John Campbell and Paul. They joined us and we had a very pleasant evening together. Got back to the room at about 10:00pm and cleaned my gun, sorted the ammo for the next days shooting and went to sleep about 11:00 pm. Up at 5:00 am the next morning.