For those that asked about the 25M, 100 Yd Extreme Bench Rest & Speed Silhouette

[Joe Brancato]

My sincere apology for not being able to post recently.   Seems I never have any time to read or post anymore.  Just this post alone took longer than I expected. I started it on Monday, got a few sentences done, then phone calls, ... and now it's Thursday!   

A few people have asked how I did at the  EBR 25M, speed Silo and 100 yards so here goes.  I thought I'd explain how the match is ran as well.
Shooter are broken down into 2 main groups. "SPORTER" & "PRO"
Since I am "In the Airgun Business" I am regarded as a "Pro-Shooter".  While I consider myself a decent shot, that's about as "PRO" shooter as I'll ever be. 


First up was the 25M.  My trusty old .22 I have used (shown in my Avatar) still had a broken "cocking dog" from last years EBR, so I pulled one of my other Theobens (a MKII with a nice looking Gary Cane stock) from mothballs. I never really shot this one before, so I didn't know how well it shot. It didn't let me down.  Nothing phenomenal, but I did pretty well overall and made it into at least the top 1/2 of the shooters with a score of 701 combined (3 targets).




A lot of guys use $1200 Machine rests or simlar for their events. I was using a Caldwell bag and it has gotten me into the top 10 in the EBR each time, so no use changing.  Unfortunately for the 2nd year in a row, someone liked it more than me. I had to go around asking to borrow a bag for the rest of the weekend (a bit humiliating, and tough to deal with as you are preparing to shoot.) I used my jacked half the time. Next year, CLEARLY MARK MY BAG WITH MY NAME!!!!
 
Speed Silhouette Well THAT EVENT IS A LOT OF FUN!!!   I really enjoyed this one.
Speed Silo consists of 16 silhouttes. Basically there are 4 silhouettes each at roughly 50, 40, 30, & 20 yards for a total of 16 targets (distances are not given, but you can range with your scope). 
Three different attempts are given at these 16 targets (I hesitate to call these 3 events "relays", as there are other groups of people shooting at different times called relays). I'll call the 3 attempts "Attempts".
Neither my FX Revolution,  nor my Monsoon have worked for years. Between the leaks and erratic funtionality, I decided to try a Huben I had in stock.  When these Hubens work, they are AMAZING! When they don't, well....   
On my first attempt, I was poetry in motion (at least to myself  )  I nailed all the targest swiftly on the first shot, finished first in my group with only 27 Seconds.  I don't know if 27 was good, but I did know I came in first, and that wasn't too bad.  I then heard that it is the best of 3 attempts, so I calmed down a bit, knowing I had done well. I could only do better on my next attempts!
On my second attempt I was smoking the targets, as I got more familiar with what I was doing.  Around the 12th of 16 I noticed the Huben was hissing/leaking in between shots.  As I was shooting futher, I noticed that after each second pull of the trigger the leaking stopped, so I started to double pull the trigger to prevent furhter air loss. Despite this fiasco, I still managed to get it to 28 seconds (within 1 second of my first).
For the third attempt the Huben was a total failure.  By then it wouldn't even function enough for me to finish the attempt. I was disapointed, but figured my time was good enough to get into the finals. (and I did)  I hoped I could repair the Huben by the next day. No such luck, so I used my old bolt action .22 Rapid.  What a difference LOL.
For the Silo Finals, I decided I was going for MY Personal best, not shooting against anyone else's time, as I didn't have a chance with a bolt action that needed to change magazines (many were shooting with 24 round magazines. 
When the signal was given, I felt like poetry in motion again. I cleaned the targets so quickly, I amazed myself. I was SO HAPPY with my personal results. While I was nowhere close to the others in speed, I was VERY happy with my results of smoothly hitting every target quickly and cleanly. I dont think I could have done much better.
And then the announcer says.............."OK folks that was the practice round, now for the finals".   LOL, my jaw hit the ground.  For some reason I got nervous, but onward I went.
The finals started, my first shot was at the furthrest targets.......and it spun 90 degrees, so as to present a knife edge (a very tough shot in these winds).   I decided to pursue the rest of the 15 targets. I cleaned them up, but had to change magazines. By then I was so far behind, I didn't even go for the 1st target. I let myself down.   

75 & 100 Yd EBR
The Extreme Bench Rest is shot Fri & Sat at 75 yards.  Scores from both days are combined, and the best 10 shooters for each relay advance to the 100 yard EBR.  As Darren announce, we were in "The relay of death". While all names are chosen at random, you can see with whom I was shooting were the top shooters in the EBR.   

Friday 75 Yd. On the first day, after I shot a few sighters.  After I put a few 9's and 10's onto the target I noticed someone had shot my target, smack dab between 2 targets.  This would cost me 10 points.  My first year, the same thing happened, and I thought it was me who did it. When I got home, I saw the errant shot was a .25 cal (I was shooting a .22 cal).  I still made it in the top 10 shooter (but this cost me 6th place vs. 10th).  I decided I had to say something.  After a brief discussion, they ruled it an errant shot becuase it appeared to be a .30 cal.  After the match, I had to plead my case, as it turned out to be the same caliber as I was shooting.   I really didn't have proof, other than I was shooting 8's, 9's and X's and this was in the middle of nowhere. Bottom line, I got the ruling in my favor and got a score of 227 for that day. (it was somewhat wind, as usual).
Saturday 75 Yd  If Frday, was interesting, Saturday was exciting.  Again, I'm shooting only sighters because the wind was much worse.  After a number of sighters I popped up and shot the extreme bottom right corner target, and got an X (or some decent score).  I start looking at the top of my target and low and behold, my entire top row is totally shot up (and not well I might add (All but one were outside the scoring rings)).   I stop, and think, "I didn't shoot those, did I?"  You really want to make sure someone else shot your target if you cry fowl a second time.  Just as I raise my hand, Michael Haggejuard says somebody shot his entire SECOND row.  They tell me to wait while they figure how what happened.  15 minutes later they figure who shot Michaels second row, and 5 minutes later they figure out the same guy accidentally shot my first row (the individual felt bad for doing it, but it still results in his/her disqualification).  So, with 10 of 30 minutes left I finished my target.  Despite it being windier, I still got a score of 226, which was only 1 point less than the day before.  No too shabby.



Sunday 100 Yd  So my scores were good enough to get me into the EBR 100 Yd Finals.  From there, it's a brand new score. The winds didn't let us down, as they kept UP!  Seems that's the way it is with the wind.  BUT, I like it, as it is more or less the same wind for all of us.   
 In short, I did't do my best.  I did a few errors that were all my fault.
1) I didn't see my pellet in the dark red circle, so I double shot a single target, so I had to leave another target blank.  . That cost me BIG TIME.  STUPID MISTAKE #1
2) I fired the RAW with the bolt only partially closed.  It flung open, and I barely hit the paper. STUPID MISTAKE #2

The wind is so unpedictable, that one shot will shoot 4 inches left  and up, and the next will go 4 inches right and down some.   Trying to find the consistent pattern is the challenge.  After noticing my shots going lower and lower, I realized my next error
3) I forgot to re-fill my rifle after a whole BUNCH of shots!!! I just plain forgot!  STUPID MISTAKE #3

I was 17 of 20 in the "PRO" shooters, and #22 of 40 overall in the 100 Yd Relay.  Was I great? No. Did I have fun? Yes!  Should I practice before I go again next year?  Yeah, that might help a bit LOL.




FINAL GASP
Overall the the ERB is always very enjoyable and professionally hosted.   I dare not mention any particlar names out of fear of forgetting someone, (OK, I will mention Darren and Shane,...oh and Dillon, ...and Jarred these guys are EVERYWHERE and doing EVERYHING). 
Thank  you gentlemen for your hosting the EBR, and to those that took the time to read my post in its entirety.

[TF89]

Thank you for the update, nicely written

[Joe Brancato]

Thank you for the update, nicely written

I appreciate the response. It took longer to write than I thought it would.
Cheers!

[ssbn617]

Nice write up . Thanks ,especially from those of us who “don’t get out much”.

[Pappy]

Hey Joe ... where ya goin' with that gun in your hand .... old Hendrix reference .... sorry.  Great write up, and I was following you at EBR.  Not stalking you, just following your stats.   

You had fun, congrats for making it to the finals, nice going.    

Love my Great White !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pappy / Allan

[WesBob]

Thanks for the write up, as said already, great for us who couldn't make it. Great job writing it up☺️

[Joe Brancato]

Thanks for the write up, as said already, great for us who couldn't make it. Great job writing it up☺️

My pleasure.  I figured since a few were asking, that I should at least explain how the events are run.

Cheers!

[Xraycer]

Thanks for taking the time to share this, Joe!