Shooters
Coming up May 6 there will be a Varmint Rifle Silhouette Shoot at the Pala Range located in North San Diego County. The Format of the Shoot is 10 silhouettes targets at distance's from 200-600m. Shooters pair up and when one shoots the other acts as scorer and spotter. There is a sighting in period about an hour before the Shoot starts at 9 AM. Rifles used can be most anything up to 6.5 cal and 105-109 bullet max. Some super rigs out there and some plain jane varminters. By know most everybody has attached a muzzle break not so much for comfort but to keep the targets in the field of view after the shot. You only get 4 minutes to shoot the first 5 and 4 minutes for the other 5. Without a muzzle break the recoil can blow the remaining targets out of your field of view and cause you to have to re-aim too often and not verifying your hit. With the muzzle breaks it's like knocking down steel at carnival that is you don't miss.
My first Pala Shoot was last Month. I had been invited several times before to go the time wasn't right. Several Pala Shooters had joined the San Gabriel group and I spend allot of times with these guys shooting BR all over the West. Several of us went to St Louis, Raton, and Phoenix NBRSA Nats. Well not to be bested and continue our good relationship I humbled myself and went looking for the Pala Shoot. I didn't know what gun to bring so I closed my eyes and grabbed my 6x47 Rem. This is a grandpa 6x47 not the Italian Stallion 6x47 Lapua. When I arrived John Adams asked me if I was sighted in I said sure at 100 yds. He showed me the course pointing out the first bank of baby chick silhouettes are at 200m and the last set of prairie dogs are at 600m. He asked me again with a smirk on his face are you sighted in. I said weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell how much time do I have. He said about 1/2 hr. John knew this was coming on and since he invited me he took care of me. He pulled out this super rig and said shoot a couple of shots to verify his recorded scope settings. I shot at a couple practice targets at 400M they went down like a Saturday Night drunk. I said to John what is this butt kicking caliber I'm shooting. He said the load is a .243 BR. A .243 body with 6BR shoulder/neck. John Adam's designed the reamer. Mike Sosenko has designed the same with a .262 nk, he's done several for shooters. The rifle that I shot is a 700 Rem, Krieger barrel 1-8, Mike's muzzle break, Leupold Comp scope, Jewell trigger, not sure on the stock. The load was I think Lapua cases blown out to match the chamber, Berger 105 moly bullets, and Federal primers. Not sure on the powder. Like I said this .243BR can pick em up and knock em down as far as you can see. Being a short range BS er I wondered if I belonged with these guys and gals. I found out quick. The Shoot Director signed me up with Mike and informed me our pair would be starting at 400m. So Mike and I jumped in his Van and drove out to 400m to set up and paint our silhouettes, some kind birds about 5 in tall. I looked back at the firing line way back where and said to Mike can we hit some of the 10 we were setting up, he said I can juries out on you. In my mind I'm looking for my 100yd target that my 6x47 does a good job on. Mike said this is another shooting game when we shoot BR we shoot BR now we are shooting Pala. All I could think of was at this time was that of a bunch of renegade Indians coming over the hill since this is on Reservation land. But being the competitor I am I new my bigger battle was coming up in 10 minutes with some dead eagles 10 on a rail cawing at me 400m away. So Mike and I bumped our way back to the firing line dust flying everywhere. Mike shot first. You have 1 pistol size silhouette that you get one shot only on to judge your hit on. This happens during your first 4 minutes time. You take a 1 minute break then shoot your 2nd 4 minute time no sighter. All together 10 silhouettes at each distance. If you don't hit the sighter you are shooting blind. Mike using a 22 Dasher 1-8 twist Krieger shooting 80 grn bullets knocked all 10 down at 400m. Mike shooting for the 2 Day Championship did his job and buried his 10 targets. I shot 2nd Relay behind Mike same bench. Lucky I had practiced at 400. There are no wind flags out there in front of you but there are 20 foot streamers at each distance off the field. This was not one of the windier day there according to Mike. The magic of John's gun and my good table techniques were in my favor. All ten went in the pit. At 500 Mike cleaned them again. I flinched on one and pulled my shot off to the side. At 600 when we went out to set and paint targets I looked back and told Mike is my gun strong enough to get the job done. He said his 22 was should be a piece of cake for your 6. John's gun was made for long range. I blew all 10 of the prarie dogs into the pit. Seemed like it took a couple seconds for the bullet to get there but I verified as Mike did all my hits. Mike also pitted all his.
Now this is where the action started for me. After 30 silhouettes Mike is clean, I missed 1 and John missed one. The others are spread out a few good scores a few not. Most start at different distances because there are only 4 sets of 10 at each distance. Mike and I went back to shoot the 200m baby chicks. These you could hold in the palm of your hand. 200 is my game in BR. Wind started to pick up now about 11. Mike shot first and was talking less. He spun a couple but they went in the pit he was still clean. This didn't mean much to me because I expected he would be. My turn. With the canon I was shooting this seemed like fun, it was fun. At 200 my targets went 15 feet in the air when hit. Mike and John were watching and I could hear both of them saying damn when I launched a couple. My trigger control caused me to pull off 1 target. I was still only 2 down after 40 going into the 300m. Mike was clean and John was down 1. I could feel something was going that a new shooter might not pick up. Nobody and I mean nobody at Pala had ever shot a perfect score. When Mike and I set the 300 targets Mike said damn short skinny baby crows. Apparently this distance had him given trouble in past shoots. Mike was first he spun a couple but they flew into the pit. A perfect 50 score and the 2 day California Varmint Rifle Silhouette Championship for the San Gabriel warrior. John finished with 49. Mike smithed most of the rifles there that day.
I finished sliding a couple shots past the skinny crows for a 46. Some of the shooters there wondered where the hell I came from. John said I was just a BR shooter he brought to help fill in. I said that's about right.
Great Sport you can search Pala Shooting to find more info. Open number 1 choice look on the side bar for Varmint Rifle Silhouette. Good idea if you can join the group for $45 and go out Friday or Saturday and sight-in before the Sunday Shoot. No regular conveniences but food/drinks are provided. Give it a try I'm having Mike add a 6x47 Lapua Krieger 1-8 to my Cruiser. Leupold 36x scope. My 66 grn bullets, they knocked down several 600m 9" prairie dogs in a row with my 6x47 Rem. And 105 Berger's later.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
Coming up May 6 there will be a Varmint Rifle Silhouette Shoot at the Pala Range located in North San Diego County. The Format of the Shoot is 10 silhouettes targets at distance's from 200-600m. Shooters pair up and when one shoots the other acts as scorer and spotter. There is a sighting in period about an hour before the Shoot starts at 9 AM. Rifles used can be most anything up to 6.5 cal and 105-109 bullet max. Some super rigs out there and some plain jane varminters. By know most everybody has attached a muzzle break not so much for comfort but to keep the targets in the field of view after the shot. You only get 4 minutes to shoot the first 5 and 4 minutes for the other 5. Without a muzzle break the recoil can blow the remaining targets out of your field of view and cause you to have to re-aim too often and not verifying your hit. With the muzzle breaks it's like knocking down steel at carnival that is you don't miss.
My first Pala Shoot was last Month. I had been invited several times before to go the time wasn't right. Several Pala Shooters had joined the San Gabriel group and I spend allot of times with these guys shooting BR all over the West. Several of us went to St Louis, Raton, and Phoenix NBRSA Nats. Well not to be bested and continue our good relationship I humbled myself and went looking for the Pala Shoot. I didn't know what gun to bring so I closed my eyes and grabbed my 6x47 Rem. This is a grandpa 6x47 not the Italian Stallion 6x47 Lapua. When I arrived John Adams asked me if I was sighted in I said sure at 100 yds. He showed me the course pointing out the first bank of baby chick silhouettes are at 200m and the last set of prairie dogs are at 600m. He asked me again with a smirk on his face are you sighted in. I said weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell how much time do I have. He said about 1/2 hr. John knew this was coming on and since he invited me he took care of me. He pulled out this super rig and said shoot a couple of shots to verify his recorded scope settings. I shot at a couple practice targets at 400M they went down like a Saturday Night drunk. I said to John what is this butt kicking caliber I'm shooting. He said the load is a .243 BR. A .243 body with 6BR shoulder/neck. John Adam's designed the reamer. Mike Sosenko has designed the same with a .262 nk, he's done several for shooters. The rifle that I shot is a 700 Rem, Krieger barrel 1-8, Mike's muzzle break, Leupold Comp scope, Jewell trigger, not sure on the stock. The load was I think Lapua cases blown out to match the chamber, Berger 105 moly bullets, and Federal primers. Not sure on the powder. Like I said this .243BR can pick em up and knock em down as far as you can see. Being a short range BS er I wondered if I belonged with these guys and gals. I found out quick. The Shoot Director signed me up with Mike and informed me our pair would be starting at 400m. So Mike and I jumped in his Van and drove out to 400m to set up and paint our silhouettes, some kind birds about 5 in tall. I looked back at the firing line way back where and said to Mike can we hit some of the 10 we were setting up, he said I can juries out on you. In my mind I'm looking for my 100yd target that my 6x47 does a good job on. Mike said this is another shooting game when we shoot BR we shoot BR now we are shooting Pala. All I could think of was at this time was that of a bunch of renegade Indians coming over the hill since this is on Reservation land. But being the competitor I am I new my bigger battle was coming up in 10 minutes with some dead eagles 10 on a rail cawing at me 400m away. So Mike and I bumped our way back to the firing line dust flying everywhere. Mike shot first. You have 1 pistol size silhouette that you get one shot only on to judge your hit on. This happens during your first 4 minutes time. You take a 1 minute break then shoot your 2nd 4 minute time no sighter. All together 10 silhouettes at each distance. If you don't hit the sighter you are shooting blind. Mike using a 22 Dasher 1-8 twist Krieger shooting 80 grn bullets knocked all 10 down at 400m. Mike shooting for the 2 Day Championship did his job and buried his 10 targets. I shot 2nd Relay behind Mike same bench. Lucky I had practiced at 400. There are no wind flags out there in front of you but there are 20 foot streamers at each distance off the field. This was not one of the windier day there according to Mike. The magic of John's gun and my good table techniques were in my favor. All ten went in the pit. At 500 Mike cleaned them again. I flinched on one and pulled my shot off to the side. At 600 when we went out to set and paint targets I looked back and told Mike is my gun strong enough to get the job done. He said his 22 was should be a piece of cake for your 6. John's gun was made for long range. I blew all 10 of the prarie dogs into the pit. Seemed like it took a couple seconds for the bullet to get there but I verified as Mike did all my hits. Mike also pitted all his.
Now this is where the action started for me. After 30 silhouettes Mike is clean, I missed 1 and John missed one. The others are spread out a few good scores a few not. Most start at different distances because there are only 4 sets of 10 at each distance. Mike and I went back to shoot the 200m baby chicks. These you could hold in the palm of your hand. 200 is my game in BR. Wind started to pick up now about 11. Mike shot first and was talking less. He spun a couple but they went in the pit he was still clean. This didn't mean much to me because I expected he would be. My turn. With the canon I was shooting this seemed like fun, it was fun. At 200 my targets went 15 feet in the air when hit. Mike and John were watching and I could hear both of them saying damn when I launched a couple. My trigger control caused me to pull off 1 target. I was still only 2 down after 40 going into the 300m. Mike was clean and John was down 1. I could feel something was going that a new shooter might not pick up. Nobody and I mean nobody at Pala had ever shot a perfect score. When Mike and I set the 300 targets Mike said damn short skinny baby crows. Apparently this distance had him given trouble in past shoots. Mike was first he spun a couple but they flew into the pit. A perfect 50 score and the 2 day California Varmint Rifle Silhouette Championship for the San Gabriel warrior. John finished with 49. Mike smithed most of the rifles there that day.
I finished sliding a couple shots past the skinny crows for a 46. Some of the shooters there wondered where the hell I came from. John said I was just a BR shooter he brought to help fill in. I said that's about right.
Great Sport you can search Pala Shooting to find more info. Open number 1 choice look on the side bar for Varmint Rifle Silhouette. Good idea if you can join the group for $45 and go out Friday or Saturday and sight-in before the Sunday Shoot. No regular conveniences but food/drinks are provided. Give it a try I'm having Mike add a 6x47 Lapua Krieger 1-8 to my Cruiser. Leupold 36x scope. My 66 grn bullets, they knocked down several 600m 9" prairie dogs in a row with my 6x47 Rem. And 105 Berger's later.
Stephen Perry
Angeles BR
