Why Has the Manatee 1000 yard Gong Shoot Never Been "Cleaned"?

[CaptainMal]

I both hear and read that a gong shoot is beneath the dignity of some competition shooters.

"Not worth it for me",... commonly uttered as a reason. The mouth often speaks but the scores don't back it up. Sometimes quality shooters try, fail and then shrug it off as a test for ammo, rifles, rests etc. The ego must be served.

Manatee Gun Club, East of Bradenton, Fl., hosts a 1000 yard gong shoot each 1st Saturday of the month. It's a challenge. A challenge many local and visiting competition shooters have not mastered. Boiling mirage and swirling winds move images and bullets, often unpredictably.

With all the quality participants that have tried over the years, not a single person has gotten a perfect score during one of the monthly shoots. Not one. A few have come within two hits of perfect. Heard a rumor of someone getting within a point but never saw it on old scoresheets or confirmed.

Part of the issue is the format. Sure you can sight in before the actual scoring. No more sighting shots after that. Each group of five shot strings means the line goes cold, the gongs are re-painted, time goes by and conditions change. When the shooter gets his first chance for score, conditions usually have changed. First shots count and all thereafter. Then it stops again. You can't "run" a gong like on paper shoots and you cannot sit and wait either. Shoot.

As normal, conditions changed multiple times during yesterday's match. The early leader fell apart while those struggling early-on had their chances. Here's High Master Steve trying to use the advantage of an Alex Wheeler 284 rifle to catch up. He did and at the end tied for high score.

IMG_5429 by Larry Malinoski, on Flickr

His tie also changed during the following shoot-off. That's the challenge of Manatee gongs. Nobody has ever cleaned it and the leaders change often during the shoot.

Some of you might laugh at what seems so simple. Many that have tried quit laughing. You think you are good enough to finally "show 'em"?

 

[pat fulghum]

sounds like a lot of fun! I have to ask... What is up with the power drill on the bench?

 

[mikecockcroft]

Club matches like yours are keeping bench rest alive in my opinion. The hard work of those putting on your matches should be commended.

Sounds a lot like the clay pigeon, poker chip and even bottle cap matches we have in Texas, 200 to 600 yds. Considered by the "elite" bench rest shooters to be rather redneck, but we are getting more converts from short range.
We are rather proud of our "Redneck Benchrest Assoc". The first time the short rangers come they have already taken our money in their minds. When the day is over they don't have much to say but "it was harder then I thought it would be".
Those that have stuck with it have become quite good at it and are really excited and enjoying it and building rifles for it. We have several well known short range shooters coming regularly, even a famous (but not to handsome) trigger maker.
No 100 page rule book to study and very few rifle restrictions. The rifles are the best that can be built just like registered bench rest.
Our latest endeavor starts in September. Score and group Fly Shoot matches(600 yds) against the Australians. How much more redneck can you get?

MIke

 

[savagedasher]

I see three reasons captured in that one photograph.

Tom

lol What at are they ? Larry

 

[savagedasher]

Silly. Every "competition" has lead changes and atmospheric conditions to deal with. The discord comes from 1. There is no standardized or comparable gong shoots because the world-class shooters are "on paper" and 2. No Manatee gong braggart has excelled under recognized sanctioned body rules.

Do you really think that people that shoot 3" groups at 1000 can't beat the whole lot of you in any discipline?

The only 3 "groups I have seen shot at manatee were shot in early morning before the club was opean. The only person I know that has shot that or better was Alex Wheeler
He never shot it perfect or even close . You live in Sarasota 20 miles away . The shoot is opean to everyone .
Bragging rights is there for your takeing .
lol. Larry

 

[CaptainMal]

If you say you can do better ..."Show up and show off". That's tactful isn't it?

We hear the "mouths" a lot. Manatee is open all winter and many, many winter and vacation in the area. Show up and show off.

Want to know those "three reasons" Tom. We want someone to hit them all. Our groups during the IBS style paper shoots at 1,000 yards are nowhere near the small sizes of many I see at shoots all over the nation and they are often attended by some high-quality shooters. Manatee conditions are tough. Ask Alex. He used to shoot here.

The drill??? We have to build, maintain and service the gongs during the shoot. We ride down on golf carts before and during the shoot to do that. Often, some of the support brackets for the support bars are damaged and the screws need to be replaced and/or tightened. We, not the club, does the set-up and maintenance. At times we also have to make trips to the range on closed days just to maintain and even build the target area.

I just happened to be shooting next to Steve and first took a picture like this in that direction with paint cans stacked behind that drill. After a couple pictures I removed the cans for this shot. Too lazy to cover the whole line. Really just took the picture for an image of one of Alex's many super rifles that he builds. I know Steve has at least four of Alex's rifles and probably more.

Thanks for the encouragement of benchrest shooting. We offer shooters a near-weekly event of some kind to maintain benchrest interest. We do it at our own expense, often with little "thanks".

Now why can't anyone "clean" this event?

 

[savagedasher]

I both hear and read that a gong shoot is beneath the dignity of some competition shooters.

"Not worth it for me",... commonly uttered as a reason. The mouth often speaks but the scores don't back it up. Sometimes quality shooters try, fail and then shrug it off as a test for ammo, rifles, rests etc. The ego must be served.

Manatee Gun Club, East of Bradenton, Fl., hosts a 1000 yard gong shoot each 1st Saturday of the month. It's a challenge. A challenge many local and visiting competition shooters have not mastered. Boiling mirage and swirling winds move images and bullets, often unpredictably.

With all the quality participants that have tried over the years, not a single person has gotten a perfect score during one of the monthly shoots. Not one. A few have come within two hits of perfect. Heard a rumor of someone getting within a point but never saw it on old scoresheets or confirmed.

Part of the issue is the format. Sure you can sight in before the actual scoring. No more sighting shots after that. Each group of five shot strings means the line goes cold, the gongs are re-painted, time goes by and conditions change. When the shooter gets his first chance for score, conditions usually have changed. First shots count and all thereafter. Then it stops again. You can't "run" a gong like on paper shoots and you cannot sit and wait either. Shoot.

As normal, conditions changed multiple times during yesterday's match. The early leader fell apart while those struggling early-on had their chances. Here's High Master Steve trying to use the advantage of an Alex Wheeler 284 rifle to catch up. He did and at the end tied for high score.

IMG_5429 by Larry Malinoski, on Flickr

His tie also changed during the following shoot-off. That's the challenge of Manatee gongs. Nobody has ever cleaned it and the leaders change often during the shoot.

Some of you might laugh at what seems so simple. Many that have tried quit laughing. You think you are good enough to finally "show 'em"?

Larry what was the number of hits?
The weathe look good cloudy not a lot of wind temperature was not too bad
The other Larry

 

[CaptainMal]

10 tied for the lead and was settled in the shoot-off. I had 9 going into the last round and fell apart. Took three-in-a row to win the shoot-off.

Mirage. Easy and calm start, then conditions fell apart. At one point my reaction to the changes was just not dramatic enough as usual. In just a few minutes during the shoot I had to move my point of aim a solid moa to 3 o'clock and 1/2 moa to 6. You could hardly see the difference. Not anywhere near as visible as it is sometimes. Of course then, you may go a couple moa quickly.

Just when it looks good, it goes bad. Join us again Larry.

 

[savagedasher]

10 tied for the lead and was settled in the shoot-off. I had 9 going into the last round and fell apart. Took three-in-a row to win the shoot-off.

Mirage. Easy and calm start, then conditions fell apart. At one point my reaction to the changes was just not dramatic enough as usual. In just a few minutes during the shoot I had to move my point of aim a solid moa to 3 o'clock and 1/2 moa to 6. You could hardly see the difference. Not anywhere near as visible as it is sometimes. Of course then, you may go a couple moa quickly.

Just when it looks good, it goes bad. Join us again Larry.

Will do who ended up with the the best score and the win. Larry

 

[pat fulghum]

I see three reasons captured in that one photograph.

Tom

Took me a sec, but after careful study, I found 3 things that @tom was hinting at.

 

[JFM33]

The three reasons could be the scopes used?
I am glad you all have a long range shooting sport that you enjoy ,It looks like fun.

 

[CaptainMal]

Love the reply Alex. So much would want to have you build me one of your rifles IF THERE WAS ANY SANCTIONED SHOOTING AROUND HERE. Otherwise, as discussed at the range yesterday..."What do you want to do with it"?

I have no answer to that so the two Dashers I have now are good enough for my enjoyment.

As you know and referred to in your comments, there is no local sanctioned shooting. The only leader I know around here with the gumption to do more than talk is Steve Kraus. He is only one person and is still going ahead to do what you suggest to that back range. Closest real shooting is Port Malibar and it's F Class. That lying on the ground is an obstacle to many I speak with.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[savagedasher]

I have never met a Benchrest elite in my life. Every one I have met has been down to earth and more than willing to help. The gong match format is tough. You have to make 3 cold bore hits at 1k on an 8" target. Thats not easy. The reason some say its not worth it, is simply because they want to save their barrels for the sanctioned matches they shoot in like Br or F-class. A guy can come up with any type of match that he wants to and it may be an extremely tough thing to master, but whats it really mean if your not judging yourself against others? Thats where national or international match rules come in. An F class shooter can compare his scores to other f-class shooters around the world and know they shot matches as similar as possible given different ranges. I had a lot of fun shooting with everyone there and miss the matches at Manatee. The gong matches are bad habit forming in my opinion. They teach you to chase the last shot you saw. I shot them for years and went to my first f-class match and realized I knew nothing about wind reading. After that I was done with gongs.

Manatee has a world class 600 yard range now. I mean a really nice setup where the Br range was/is. I really hope someone steps up and gets IBS 600 yard Benchrest matches going there. If I was there still, they would be going next year And there would be some very small groups shot, I know it.

Don't hold your breath unless the club makes major changes .
As far as holding a IBS match I can't name only a few that would attend in the state .
NBRSA delt with that problem after a few years they stoped .
The old saying you build it they will come
Is nothing but a Dream .
NASCAR and NHRA is a prime example . The only shooting sports that is gaining in participation It the exciting ones . Example sporting clays, 3 gun
Larry

 

[ebb]

Having shot the 1000yd gong match on several occasions, I can tell you one of the reasons I can't clean the thing. I have never seen more than 2 of the wind flags or the American flag behind the shooters pointing in the same direction. I have been in 2 shoot offs to win this match. Once the "Mouth Piece" beat me in a shoot off with his Sako 7mmRUM, The other time I was so mad I can't remember who beat me. The one I can't remember it took 9 hits to make the shoot off, George and I went 10 or 11 hits to the shoot off. That being said I went once on a day with no match just to shoot, NEVER HIT THE GONG AT ALL. I couldn't hit it, I just couldn't. The place I live and the work I do make it so I've never shoot over 4 or 5 days a month. Now even less. So I am not even close to a good shot. So when you Bob Lee Swagger want to show how its done, let me know a week ahead of time ( I live 4 hours away ) so I can come and watch, I am sure I can learn something from you.

 

[savagedasher]

Having shot the 1000yd gong match on several occasions, I can tell you one of the reasons I can't clean the thing. I have never seen more than 2 of the wind flags or the American flag behind the shooters pointing in the same direction. I have been in 2 shoot offs to win this match. Once the "Mouth Piece" beat me in a shoot off with his Sako 7mmRUM, The other time I was so mad I can't remember who beat me. The one I can't remember it took 9 hits to make the shoot off, George and I went 10 or 11 hits to the shoot off. That being said I went once on a day with no match just to shoot, NEVER HIT THE GONG AT ALL. I couldn't hit it, I just couldn't. The place I live and the work I do make it so I've never shoot over 4 or 5 days a month. Now even less. So I am not even close to a good shot. So when you Bob Lee Swagger want to show how its done, let me know a week ahead of time ( I live 4 hours away ) so I can come and watch, I am sure I can learn something from you.

I will bring the drinks . lol Larry

 

[BT1]

I see three reasons captured in that one photograph.

Tom

These are the 3 I see.

1. The shooter.
2. Using a NF Comp scope.
3. The guy is ready to throw in the towel, no confidence

That same rifle in a dasher has shot several 4", 10 shot groups under IBS heavy gun rules. The shooter not so hot, but he did finish 3rd overall at last years US Midrange f-class Nationals, typically shoot M or HM scores at LR. Don't know if I have ever meet BLS but would welcome his help and support in any of the matches we hold at Manatee. When rules were first introduced many just stopped coming out. The shooters that stayed are good shooters, sportsmen and a pleasure to be with. Days of BS and conflict at the line are gone. Just friends coming out to shoot and share good company.


Pat Fulghum

The drill is for scope adjustments. See item 2 above.

Steve

 

[savagedasher]

I see three reasons captured in that one photograph.

Tom

Tom I see three and more.
1 I see a man that is devoted to the shooting sport more then any person I know .
2 I see a man that has given 110% to make manatee great
3 If the club had of taken all the work he had done And worked with him we would have a great club .
Thanks Steve your the best. Larry

 

[Dgd6mm]

I used to shoot Manatee twice a month when I lived in Palm Beach County, 185 miles one-way. Now I live in North Florida 235 miles from Manatee. I shoot steel, prs, and F/Class now. Most don't know this but there are 4 ranges up here in Florida that go out to 1000 yards to 1 mile, all steel ranges. I frequent Shadds Deer farm. Steel and paper if you choose to shoot paper every 100 yards out to 1000. My f class shooting is done at Camp Blanding were we shoot 600 and 1000 yard NRA sanctioned shoot. Manatee is definitely a great place to get the 1000 yard bug, and cleaning that 8" gong is not easy. If someone was to clean it I think I'd buy them a steak dinner or a Daniel Webster cigar.

 

[X-Caveman]

Sounds a lot like the clay pigeon, poker chip and even bottle cap matches we have in Texas

Add 3/8" Walgreens aspirin tablets to your list. Walker county had 2 of them on each target yesterday along with 8 of the standard 2" shatterblast. Hitting them at 250 yards was tough, and I'm sure there was plenty of luck involved ( for me, anyway).

Missed you guys, but I saw you did well at the Graham 400.

 

[carlsbad]

My testing of battery powered drills found that brand to be in the bottom third of the brands I tested.