Konrad's journal of Highpower Rifle Competition

"Mental Focus. Not Equipment Hocus Pocus."


Home
Thoughts
Links
Reloading
Background
Electronic Trainers
Equipment
YouTube Channel

The 2012 Season

Date Location Standing Sitting Rapid
Prone
Slow
Prone
Aggregate
April 15 Bonfield 97-2 99-4 100-2 200-11 496-19 99.2%
April 29 Bonfield 95-1 98-5 100-3 198-9 491-18 98.2%
May 5 Milan 194-6 198-10 195-5 195-6 782-27 97.8%
May 12 Bonfield 194-5 199-6 197-10 199-12 789-33 98.6%
May 20 Bonfield 92-1 99-5 98-3 196-12 485-21 97.0%
May 28 Lodi 184-2 195-2 199-9 395-22 973-35 97.3%
June 2 Milan 193-4 198-4 198-6 196-5 785-19 98.1%
June 3 Milan 96-3 100-7 95-0 197-9 488-19 97.6%
June 10 Bonfield 96-0 100-3 99-4 198-12 493-19 98.6%
June 17 Racine 190-3 200-10 191-1 200-13 781-27 97.6%
July 7 Lodi 186-1 198-7 195-4 194-7 773-19 96.6%
July 8 Lodi 96-1 98-3 99-4 197-7 490-15 98.0%
July 15 Bonfield 98-1 100-5 100-2 199-11 497-19 99.4%
July 21 Van Meter 95-4 - 99-5 98-4 292-13 97.3%
July 21 Van Meter 95-2 97-1 95-2 198-7 485-12 97.0%
July 22 Van Meter 191-3 198-7 196-7 195-8 780-25 97.5%
July 30 Camp Perry 94-0 - 98-2 95-3 287-5 95.7%
July 31 Camp Perry 86-1 100-4 98-2 196-6 480-13 96.0%
August 2 Camp Perry 92-1 100-4 99-2 196-8 487-15 97.4%
August 5 Camp Perry 93-1 97-2 97-3 197-10 484-16 96.8%
August 6 Camp Perry 91-0 100-5 98-4 197-8 486-17 97.2%
August 8 Camp Perry 193-4 200-11 199-10 196-8 788-33 98.5%
August 9 Camp Perry 186-3 200-18 194-6 199-10 779-37 97.4%
August 10 Camp Perry 193-3 199-8 200-11 199-7 791-29 98.9%
September 2 Milan 197-4 199-9 199-9 198-10 793-32 99.1%
September 9 Bonfield 90-2 99-5 97-2 199-8 485-17 97.0%
September 22 Bonfield 190-5 197-6 198-8 199-15 784-34 98.0%
September 23 Bonfield 196-4 200-10 200-10 197-10 793-34 99.1%
October 7 Bonfield 189-3 197-5 198-8 199-13 783-29 97.9%



The only preparation I was able to do before the season started was a few sessions of standing. These went pretty well with a good hold and a better appreciation for the focus that I need to break good shots. I regret not even attempting any of the sling supported positions but I never seemed to have the time.

I would like to get a better rhythm of match shooting this year. In 2011 I felt that there were too many breaks between matches and I couldn't get on a good roll. Maybe this year's schedule will allow a better flow.

Over the years the weather has been marginal for the first match of the year. Today though the temperatures were quite mild and we stayed dry. There was heavy overcast though and a wind that would gust strong for a while, then calm down, and back to gusts again. What I came away with today was how easy the shooting seemed to be and how sloppy my performance was. Despite the decent score I still saw all kinds of little things that will have to be ironed out as the season ramps up.

Offhand: 97-2
Sitting: 99-4
Rapid Prone: 100-2
Slow Prone: 200-11
Aggregate: 496-19

This was a chili morning as I walked out to the firing line. I had on two sweatshirts and I was still shivering. The sky was overcast and the lack of sunshine didn't help get me in a shooing mood.

Offhand: 95-1
Sitting: 98-5
Rapid Prone: 100-3
Slow Prone: 198-9
Aggregate: 491-18
 

The weather has finally improved to the point where it is comfortable to be outside. Some storms came through the area previously so the air was pretty humid but temperatures were mild and we had some sun.

Offhand: 194-6
Sitting: 198-10
Rapid Prone: 195-5
Slow Prone: 195-6
Aggregate: 782-27

I had to run today's match but I wanted to shoot as well. It was pouring rain on the drive to the range but we stayed dry all day. My motivation level was pretty high and I feel like I'm in a rhythm shooting every weekend.

Offhand: 194-5
Sitting: 199-6
Rapid Prone: 197-10
Slow Prone: 199-12
Aggregate: 789-33

My allergies really hit hard this morning. I spent a good part of the day sneezing and sniffling, like I had a cold. It was a shame I couldn't focus more on being out shooting as it was a nice sunny day.

Offhand: 92-1
Sitting: 99-5
Rapid Prone: 98-3
Slow Prone: 196-12
Aggregate: 485-21

It was going to be a hot one today. But as it turns out the humidity kept low so, while warm, the air didn't feel as oppressive as it could have. As is typical for this NRA Regional, we ran backwards from 600 to 200.

Slow Prone: 199-14
Slow Prone: 196-8
Rapid Prone: 199-9
Offhand: 184-2
Sitting: 195-2
Aggregate: 973-35

A comfortable, warm day for our state championship.

Offhand: 193-4
Sitting: 198-4
Rapid Prone: 198-6
Slow Prone: 196-5
Aggregate: 785-19

This was an even nicer day than yesterday. Mild temperatures and lots of sunshine.

Offhand: 96-3
Sitting: 100-7
Rapid Prone: 95-0
Slow Prone: 197-9
Aggregate: 488-19

It was supposed to be in the mid-90's today so brought plenty of water and tried to stay hydrated.

Offhand: 96-0
Sitting: 100-3
Rapid Prone: 99-4
Slow Prone: 198-12
Aggregate: 493-19

Although the morning started out overcast when I left the house it was a great day to shoot. The temperatures were warm with clear skies so I tried to stay hydrated and concentrate on what I was doing.

Offhand: 190-3
Sitting: 200-10
Rapid Prone: 191-1
Slow Prone: 200-13
Aggregate: 781-27


Warm but not too bad. I felt a little disconnected from the shooting and didn't have the level of concentration that I should have.

Offhand: 186-1
Sitting: 198-7
Rapid Prone: 195-4
Slow Prone: 194-7
Aggregate: 773-19

Team match and blue skies.

Offhand: 96-1
Sitting: 98-3
Rapid Prone: 99-4
Slow Prone: 197-7
Aggregate: 490-15

Although it was pleasant enough in the early morning, it got hot and steamy pretty fast. The grass held in the moisture and there wasn't much of a breeze to bring any relief. I was drinking as much water as I could but by the end of the day I was pretty spent.

Offhand: 98-1
Sitting: 100-5
Rapid Prone: 100-2
Slow Prone: 199-11
Aggregate: 497-19

Two-man President's course team match this morning. It was warm but there was also a lot of moisture in the air.

Offhand: 95-4
Rapid Prone: 99-5
Slow Prone: 98-4
Aggregate: 292-13

My first leg match of the year after the team match.

Offhand: 95-2
Sitting: 97-1
Rapid Prone: 95-2
Slow Prone: 198-7
Aggregate: 485-12

Today was forecast to be about 100º. Even if it got to that point it didn't feel like the oppressive heat that normally shows up at Van Meter.

Offhand: 191-3
Sitting: 198-7
Rapid Prone: 196-7
Slow Prone: 195-8
Aggregate: 780-25

I'm not entirely confident as I head to Camp Perry for the 15th time. I'm holding pretty well at 600 but the other stages have been so up and down that it's hard to expect a good score. I've been in similar situations in past years and sometimes still been able to perform well but I hate leaving my shooting up to chance. Over the course of two weeks there are bound to be good days and bad days but I want more of the former than the latter.

 

It was hard to go shoot this year's President's match without having last year's performance in the back of my head. It was a nice day to shoot with slightly cool temperatures in the morning and some scattered cloud cover. It warmed up during the day into the 80's but still comfortable.

 

 

Offhand: 94-0
Rapid Prone: 98-2
Slow Prone: 95-3
Aggregate: 287-5

 

The walk from my hut to Viale was windy with a few drops of rain. Dark skies made me think that it would be a wet day but the weather turned out great with sunny skies and relatively calm winds.

 

 

Offhand: 86-1
Sitting: 100-4
Rapid Prone: 98-2
Slow Prone: 196-6
Aggregate: 480-13

 

It was going to be warm for the 6-man team match today.

 

 

Offhand: 92-1
Sitting: 100-4
Rapid Prone: 99-2
Slow Prone: 196-8
Aggregate: 487-15

 

Today's 2-man team match is usually a pretty relaxing day but a couple of things made it a bit more challenging. Something happened to my elbow that made it very sore and difficult to bend my arm inside my shooting jacket. We also had some weather move in. The range was cleared for a couple of hours because of storms and my gear was soaked. When we got back the wind was blowing pretty strong.

 

 

Offhand: 93-1
Sitting: 97-2
Rapid Prone: 97-3
Slow Prone: 197-10
Aggregate: 484-16

 

A perfect shooting day for the 4-man team.

 

 

Offhand: 91-0
Sitting: 100-5
Rapid Prone: 98-4
Slow Prone: 197-8
Aggregate: 486-17

 

First day of the Highpower championship. Relatively calm winds and sunny skies.

 

 

Offhand: 193-4
Sitting: 200-11
Rapid Prone: 199-10

 

Second championship day.

 

 

Offhand: 186-3
Sitting: 200-18
Slow Prone: 196-8

 

Third championship day and the rain showed up.

 

 

 

Sitting: 199-8
Rapid Prone: 194-6
Slow Prone: 199-10

 

 

Fourth and final day of the championship. Rain was predicted all day but it came down in the morning and only a little more later. Pretty overcast for most of the day with some wind.

 

 

Offhand: 193-3
Rapid Prone: 200-11
Slow Prone: 199-7
Aggregate: 2358-99

 

The forecast called for rain all day. Even though it wasn't raining when I started shooting, it was very overcast which made my sight picture quite dark. The match was postponed for one day after everyone fired their 200 yard stages.

 

 

Offhand: 197-4
Sitting: 199-9

We finished the match today. No rain but the skies were still pretty dark and there was a lot of humidity in the air.

 

 

Rapid Prone: 199-9
Slow Prone: 198-10
Aggregate: 793-32

I didn't get much sleep last night but I don't think that was the reason for my poor shooting. I can't really tell what the problem was and it can get pretty frustrating when my performance goes up and down like it did from last weekend.

 

 

Offhand: 90-2
Sitting: 99-5
Rapid Prone: 97-2
Slow Prone: 199-8
Aggregate: 485-17

I spent most of the time before the match worrying that the poor weather forecast would keep shooters away and we would have a lousy turnout. Despite this though we had 30 shooters which I thought was a decent showing considering some probably felt we would be rained out.

 

 

Offhand: 190-5
Sitting: 197-6
Rapid Prone: 198-8
Slow Prone: 199-15
Aggregate: 784-34

While the temperatures were cool, especially in the morning, the wind was minimal and there was no threat of rain. There was lots of sunshine and that warmed things up by mid-day.

 

 

Offhand: 196-4
Sitting: 200-10
Rapid Prone: 200-10
Slow Prone: 197-10
Aggregate: 793-34

I hate shooting in the cold and that's what today brought.

 

 

Offhand: 189-3
Sitting: 197-5
Rapid Prone: 198-8
Slow Prone: 199-13
Aggregate: 783-29

End of season reflections

 

 

Overall I consider 2012 a pretty good year for my shooting but a lot of this opinion is based on the Nationals. I was captain and firing member of the high civilian team in the NTT (we were even third out of all teams) and the Rumbold trophy winning team. In the NRA championship I was finally able to win a fired trophy and shot a new personal best of 2358. Offsetting this was the miss I shot in standing in the N.T.I.