2018 Gene Curtis Memorial GTA Fun Shoot/Airgun Show

[ezman604]

Okay, just one week from today Teresa and I will be making the drive to start setting up the event.

Come on out early if you can or want to. We are kinda winging it this year since we were faced with a change in venue. I ask that you please keep that in mind. As is the forum, our event will be a work in progress. We will only get better as we learn to adapt. Since we are having to make do with what WE have, please bring a popup if you have one and have the room to pack it. I am bringing A 10X20 canopy and a 10x10 popup. I may need help setting it up Friday and tearing it down Sunday morning.
Bring any targets you can. Preferably something hardy that can stand up to a lot of hits. LOL
I'm looking around for the steel reactive targets for the Big Bores but after my move, I'm really not sure where they are. So if you have some HEAVY metal stuff, please bring it. I have a BUNCH of low to mid power targets and lots of peel and stick targets. I'm bringing quite a batch of stuff but we prefer having TOO much rather than not enough. If you can bring targets, thank you!!!!
Plans are for Friday to be a setup, meet and greet, get targets in place, plinking, milling around and doing any wheeling and dealing.
I would like to see everyone sign in as soon as you arrive. Be sure to check in at the GTA table upon entering. There will be a welcome package there with a letter of event, a reusable clip on nametag and a door prize ticket. I know, check in will take you a few minutes to fill out everything. Please be patient and we will try to get you into the event ASAP. Be sure to buy raffle tickets, drop off your door prize ticket, buy your GTA apparel and sign the member register.
Saturday, MAKE SURE you have signed in. If you signed in Friday and already have your packet and signed the member register, no need to sign in again. We will be coming around and issuing the meal tickets to GTA members that have registered. You don't register you no eat for free. LOL
Anyone without a GTA meal ticket will have to pay $9.75.
Start buying your raffle tickets. We have some AWESOME donations this year by our outstanding GTA vendors!!! There will be signage at each item telling who donated it. Be sure to thank our supporting vendors for what they do to help make our event a fun and successful one!!! Their donations and your purchases will make sure GTA Forums stays alive and well. EVERY penny that is taken in goes to support the forum and our events, nobody makes anything except for our web hosting company and occasionally our programmer.
Saturday is the main event day and what I would like to see is free for all shooting up until lunch time which should start around 11:30 or so. We will play that by ear, we may start lunch a little early or may start closer to noon. Will see what our cook decides on that and will make sure to let you all know.
As soon as we finish lunch I'd like to start the paintball competition. Say roughly 1pm. This year I would like to have at least 2 classes going at once. So the springer and PCP may be shooting at the same time. Followed by the Big Bore. Folks are welcome to compete in one, two or all three classes but we must keep things moving. Last year there was some grumbling about how long it took for the competition. I do ask that you keep in mind this is a FRIENDLY and fun shooting event we have every year. Please don't fall into the mind set that this is serious competition, it really was started as a fun event we can all enjoy. We laugh at ourselves and each other and pat ourselves and our GTA family members on the back for the shots made. Pyramyd Air has stepped up again and donated gift certificates and I have gotten trophies again for the first and second place winners of each of the three divisions. Neat prizes but this is still a traditional FUN event.
There will be a sign up sheet before each event starts. PLEASE sign the roster so we can keep track of who shoots and works their way through the bracket to first and second places.
I need to have volunteer spotters for each event. An official referee of sorts. Preferably someone not competing in that event. If you have a spotting scope we can use, please bring it. Otherwise someone with a good scope can watch the paintball that is CALLED and be the official. Our competition is a one shot instant elimination deal. You MUST make a clean hit on the paintball. If you hit a tee, disqualified. I really don't like hearing grumbling, enjoy it and let's have fun!!! Or else....LOL.
Again, the classes are springers at 25 yards, PCP .25cal and below at 50 yards and Big Bore above .25cal at 75 yards.
As soon as the competition is completed and we are all laughed out, we will proceed to the Expo Center where we will award the competition prizes and trophies. Then we will draw for the door prizes and raffle items. After we make a few announcements we can get back to wheeling and dealing, enjoying visiting and back to free for all shooting.
Sunday will be a day of mainly cleanup and doing any last minute sales/trades/buying and possibly a bit more shooting. We will need some help cleaning up, I'm sure Eric will appreciate that we handle this!!!
And speaking of Eric, please be sure to meet and thank him and Michelle for all of the hard work that goes into hosting such an event. Thank him for allowing us to use his awesome land to gather on and have our Fun Shoot!!!
Y'all come on out and I hope you have a great time. I will be honest with you I'm a bit down knowing several of our great family will not be able to attend this year. It's quite a list of our normal attendees but I'm not going to start a list, because I'm sure I'll leave out someone. But believe me, YOU will be missed!!! And I do ask that you keep in mind the name of our event. We named it the Gene Curtis Memorial GTA Fun Shoot/Airgun Show in honor of our founding father. Without his vision, dream and determination we would not be what we are today. And the event has grown as has our airgun family. All due to his dedication.
I miss you Bawanah and I hope you are pleased with what we are doing with your legacy!!!!
Safe travels and see y'all there!!!!

[chardosmith]

Dave,  thanks for the update and the hard work.  I will bring two EZ Ups and some big bore reactive metal targets.  Chris and I can help setup and take down.  Hopefully we'll also bring home a good share of the prize table

We have a good selection of air rifles to bring and let GTA members try.  Please PM or post here if you have something that is particularly of interest as we can't bring them all.  Have Rifles varying form Titan Mohawk, Park 91, FWB110, Anschutz 220, Hakim Egyptian trainer, 58 caliber pistol, TX200 SR, Pro Elite etc.....

Going to be a wonderful event!

[tracker1955]

I will have a 10x10 pop-up triggertreat and I will share but may have room under it for one more on my end.

[triggertreat]

This is the target Tom (tracker1955) built and was trying to upload and share.  It's one of the targets we are bringing to the fun shoot.  It is a really neat target and we tried it out for the first time today.  The bottles react to the hits nicely then return back to their normal upright position.  It has 2 ounce lead weights that bring the bottles back home.  I think Tom said he was building two of them to bring, but ask that no one shoot the lead, just the bottles.  There is some sort of spider wire type fishing line being used.  I really like it and think it is a really good ideal and build that I have not seen before.

[farmerjoe99]

That looks brilliant! thanks for sharing I'll have to give that a try,
might have have to experiment with different target or bottle filler to keep them together.

[tracker1955]

The bottles in the picture are all made from blow-molded polyethylene type material so they don't shatter and are somewhat self-healing. Will be painting some new smaller bottles to replace the ones we just shot up.

[ShawninIL]

I am bringing a 10x10 pop up and a few metal targets. Anyone is welcome to share the shade.
I also found out the Gatorade bottle of doom isn't coming so I might have a chance this year!

[mobilemail]

Just remember....  if it's in a Mason jar....  it ain't water!!! 

And since this is a combo shoot with rimfire central, it might behoove you to remember where your earplugs are.   Remember those unsightly, uncomfortable things?  Yeah, those. Bring those.

[ezman604]

Wow...now that is quite a neat target set there!!!
Possibly fill the bottles with expanding foam? I may have to build one of these for my back yard. Awesome idea!!!!

[Sfttailrdr46]

  That may be but the NY connection will be there looking to make a name for themselves in the senior division

[ShawninIL]

Just remember....  if it's in a Mason jar....  it ain't water!!! 

And since this is a combo shoot with rimfire central, it might behoove you to remember where your earplugs are.   Remember those unsightly, uncomfortable things?  Yeah, those. Bring those.

Yep, I have to use those quite regularly at work, train horns up close are very loud!

[Sfttailrdr46]

Just remember....  if it's in a Mason jar....  it ain't water!!! 

And since this is a combo shoot with rimfire central, it might behoove you to remember where your earplugs are.   Remember those unsightly, uncomfortable things?  Yeah, those. Bring those.

Yep, I have to use those quite regularly at work, train horns up close are very loud!

What do you cover your ears with the mason jars after you empty them 

[Ozarkairgunner]

Has anyone been watching the weather? From what I'm seeing looks like we could have a few small storms Friday evening/Saturday morning. The few days before definitely have rain.

[Sfttailrdr46]

Been watching like a hawk I am leaving NY 1:00am on 5/17 when my son gets to my house after work. So I'm hoping that I have decent weather for the drive . From what I have heard there is always a little weather drama for the annual GTA fun shoots. 

[Ozarkairgunner]

Well living in AR myself I know the old saying is true here, if you don't like the weather just give it a few minutes and it'll change, doesn't necessarily mean for the better tho...i personally don't think it will be to bad

[Privateer]

Unfortunately I sent advance notice to Dez that I can not make it this year.
 
My line of work is always boon or bust and I am in a bust phase just now.
Fuel prices and the loss of contracts I depended on make it impossible for me to attend.
Home bills always come first and I have to sit tight on those before I do anything else.
I'm gonna miss you all this year! But that's life.
I was lucky enough to have been to Kentucky 3 years in a row and meet some lunatics!
 
Dang! I'm gonna miss my yearly exchanges with Lunatics!!

[Ozarkairgunner]

Unfortunately I sent advance notice to Dez that I can not make it this year.
 
My line of work is always boon or bust and I am in a bust phase just now.
Fuel prices and the loss of contracts I depended on make it impossible for me to attend.
Home bills always come first and I have to sit tight on those before I do anything else.
I'm gonna miss you all this year! But that's life.
I was lucky enough to have been to Kentucky 3 years in a row and meet some lunatics!
 
Dang! I'm gonna miss my yearly exchanges with Lunatics!!

Dang Jeff, was looking forward to hanging and shooting with you again, maybe some other time. Wish you the best tho.

[ezman604]

 

[Privateer]

Hold the phone! I just got an offer that will allow me to make it!
I hope you all don't hold it against me if I travel with a 7-Up machine in the Van.
The deal is I take the Company Van to Down town Nashville and grab a 7-Up machine!
Then head to the meet. I get paid $250 cash up front to cover fuel.
With the money I do have on hand I can be there!!
 

[Ozarkairgunner]

Hold the phone! I just got an offer that will allow me to make it!
I hope you all don't hold it against me if I travel with a 7-Up machine in the Van.
The deal is I take the Company Van to Down town Nashville and grab a 7-Up machine!
Then head to the meet. I get paid $250 cash up front to cover fuel.
With the money I do have on hand I can be there!!
 

Yeah