Last Saturday ELR shooter Chris Schmidt from Chattanooga, Tn made the beautiful drive up Hwy 111 passing by DEAD ZERO 1,000 yard range, to Cookeville,Tn. and down I-40 passing Bugholes (Southern Precision Rifles) and down to the Carthage / Hartsville exit and on to the DOME. Less than a two hour drive through some of the most beautiful scenery in the state.
I was out a 6 a.m. setting up a silhouette at 2,080 yards. I got back just in time to meet Chris at the Stage Coach. First a stop at my house, then a stop to go up on Rocky Top to view the 2 K line. Then on to the DOME. Danny Huffines and grandson Aiden and Shayne Halliburton were there to greet Chris. Danny had met Chris a couple of weeks ago in Chattanooga.
I had exchanged messages with Chris a few times and he had told me that shooting the DOME was on his bucket list. A couple of years ago, I found a pic of a beautiful Cheytac on one of the long range Facebook pages. I copied the pic and posted it. Chris saw my post and posted all the details of the rifle.
I told Chris that he should bring a change of clothes in case he decided to stay over until Sunday because I did not think one day would be enough time to shoot the DOME Complex and Rocky Top
2 K complex. Sure enough @7:20 that night, Chris left the 800 yard line and we never even stretched out his 338 Lapua and 375 Cheytac at 1400 or 2100 yards. Chris did do some testing of the Cheytac at 800.
Late in the afternoon I pulled out a Stiller Diamondback Drop Port in 6mm DASHER. Chris is not to familiar with benchrest, so I did not tell him about the rifle being a drop port. I set her up and put a fired case in the chamber and told Chris that if he could catch the ejected case I would give him twenty dollars. Chris put his hands to the left port side of the action. I ever so slowly pulled the bolt back, and the case fell gently from the bottom of the action to the table. Chris said do that again. He had never heard of a drop port. This stirred his interest. Next he got under the rifle sitting in the Seb Neo. He was amaze at how smooth it was and how you could control the rifle with the joy stick. Apparently Chris had only been exposed to Bipods.
I shot the first two rounds from the Dasher and the holes cut each other at 100 yards. Now Chris's turn and he love it. He experimented with free recoil and light shoulder touch and grip.
Then I took the Dasher to 800 yds and shot a nice group and after dialing in I nearly hit the one inch bull at 800. I told Chris to watch Ole Chuckie and I laid Chuckie back with a chest shot.
Now Chris's turn. He shot a few rounds and the old Brux barrel was grouping good. Chris laid one in a inch from the one inch bull. I told him it's time. Go for a head shot on Ole Chuckie. Well his face lite up when Chuckie laid back and when he came back up he had a center head shot.
Chris was hooked. He was talking about contacting Ernie Bishop for a neo and getting a Wheeler LBR stock and building a dedicated benchrest F-Class rifle.
Talk about a 800 yard center punch
Smile never left his face
Chris under wheel
800 Yard line--notice head shot on Ole Chuckie
Chris first visit to the DOME was a 8 a.m. till 7:20 p.m. visit and we never left the 800 yard line
I was out a 6 a.m. setting up a silhouette at 2,080 yards. I got back just in time to meet Chris at the Stage Coach. First a stop at my house, then a stop to go up on Rocky Top to view the 2 K line. Then on to the DOME. Danny Huffines and grandson Aiden and Shayne Halliburton were there to greet Chris. Danny had met Chris a couple of weeks ago in Chattanooga.
I had exchanged messages with Chris a few times and he had told me that shooting the DOME was on his bucket list. A couple of years ago, I found a pic of a beautiful Cheytac on one of the long range Facebook pages. I copied the pic and posted it. Chris saw my post and posted all the details of the rifle.
I told Chris that he should bring a change of clothes in case he decided to stay over until Sunday because I did not think one day would be enough time to shoot the DOME Complex and Rocky Top
2 K complex. Sure enough @7:20 that night, Chris left the 800 yard line and we never even stretched out his 338 Lapua and 375 Cheytac at 1400 or 2100 yards. Chris did do some testing of the Cheytac at 800.
Late in the afternoon I pulled out a Stiller Diamondback Drop Port in 6mm DASHER. Chris is not to familiar with benchrest, so I did not tell him about the rifle being a drop port. I set her up and put a fired case in the chamber and told Chris that if he could catch the ejected case I would give him twenty dollars. Chris put his hands to the left port side of the action. I ever so slowly pulled the bolt back, and the case fell gently from the bottom of the action to the table. Chris said do that again. He had never heard of a drop port. This stirred his interest. Next he got under the rifle sitting in the Seb Neo. He was amaze at how smooth it was and how you could control the rifle with the joy stick. Apparently Chris had only been exposed to Bipods.
I shot the first two rounds from the Dasher and the holes cut each other at 100 yards. Now Chris's turn and he love it. He experimented with free recoil and light shoulder touch and grip.
Then I took the Dasher to 800 yds and shot a nice group and after dialing in I nearly hit the one inch bull at 800. I told Chris to watch Ole Chuckie and I laid Chuckie back with a chest shot.
Now Chris's turn. He shot a few rounds and the old Brux barrel was grouping good. Chris laid one in a inch from the one inch bull. I told him it's time. Go for a head shot on Ole Chuckie. Well his face lite up when Chuckie laid back and when he came back up he had a center head shot.
Chris was hooked. He was talking about contacting Ernie Bishop for a neo and getting a Wheeler LBR stock and building a dedicated benchrest F-Class rifle.
Talk about a 800 yard center punch
Smile never left his face
Chris under wheel
800 Yard line--notice head shot on Ole Chuckie
Chris first visit to the DOME was a 8 a.m. till 7:20 p.m. visit and we never left the 800 yard line
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