The Isabella County Sportsman’s Club and Jay’s Sporting Goods of Clare & Gaylord, MI hosted the final centerfire benchrest group match of the 2017 season on Saturday, September 23, 2017. If you like it hot, then Isabella was the place to be with 95 degree temperatures in the shade and 117 F in the sun! I personally thought about the times when I use to travel to the Black Canyon Shooting Range for the Olympic & World Team Tryouts in the month of June. This was about on an even keel. Hot!
I want to thank Steve Robbins for labeling the targets, Harry Ross for being the onsite accountant and official donut watcher, Kurt Krug being a great range officer, and all the rest who set up target frames and took them down.
The LV/HV class was completely dominated by Jimmy Militello! Jimmy started out slow with a 0.303” group. But, he started up the 427 Hemi and just plain left all of us in the dust! Jim was shooting his Wichita HV (which previously belonged to Jim ‘Hutch’ Hutchison) with Hottenstein bullets over a charge of 28.8 grains of 8208XBR. His aggregate of 0.1792” was just plain phenomenal! Way Da Go Jimmy! Oh, and Jimmy won a $20 Jay’s Gift Certificate, $20 cash, and the Isabella Winners Pin too! Way back in second place but still firing a very nice agg of 0.2396” is Dudley Pierce. You shot very well Dud! Dudley won $10 cash for his second place finish. And rounding out the cash payout ($5) was me, Matt Dardas with a 0.2700”.
The Factory Class had nine great shooters and was again dominated by Dudley Pierce firing a really great agg of 0.2996”. I understand that Dudley turned down a Judge’s Bench fish basket and drove up to Jay’s Sporting Goods to cash in his multitude of $20 gift certificates that he has won throughout the season. Dudley won the $20 Jay’s Gift Certificate, $20 cash, and the Isabella Winners Pin. Coming in second place is Dick Wright’s neighbor, Kurt Krug firing a fine aggregate of 0.3742”. His efforts earned him a $10 bill. And finishing up the last payout spot in the factory rifle class is Dick Hall. Dick fired a fine aggregate of 0.3748” earning him a $5 bill.
The last place finisher in each class is now awarded the 8 ball at every match. Rob Fairbanks, the ship’s captain (driving all the way down from Alpena – 3-1/2 hours one way) tried like heck to not come in dead last. But, somehow he succeeded and was awarded the 8 ball. Congratulations Rob! You earned it! And the last place finisher in the Factory Rifle class is Scott Higgins! Scott really tried like heck on the last target to not get the dreaded 8 ball but he just didn’t have enough steam left. Congratulations to you too Scott! I must say that these two shooters have balls! Please see their photo proudly holding their balls.
This is the last match report of the season. I will be publishing the 2018 schedule when I gather information on the major centerfire matches and also the ARA matches in the state as well.
Enjoy the photos!
Matt
Oh! And I need to again give many thank you's to Doug Weeter!
The Last Place Finishers Showing Off Their 8 Balls!
The LV/HV Winner - Jimmy Militello
The Back of the Ship's Captain
Mr. Harley - Jimmy Guinn
From the right - Dick Hall, Ken Bombalski, Jim Dyke, Dan Ryan, Jimmy Militello, Bob Blazejewski, Elton Rountree, and Kurt Krug
I want to thank Steve Robbins for labeling the targets, Harry Ross for being the onsite accountant and official donut watcher, Kurt Krug being a great range officer, and all the rest who set up target frames and took them down.
The LV/HV class was completely dominated by Jimmy Militello! Jimmy started out slow with a 0.303” group. But, he started up the 427 Hemi and just plain left all of us in the dust! Jim was shooting his Wichita HV (which previously belonged to Jim ‘Hutch’ Hutchison) with Hottenstein bullets over a charge of 28.8 grains of 8208XBR. His aggregate of 0.1792” was just plain phenomenal! Way Da Go Jimmy! Oh, and Jimmy won a $20 Jay’s Gift Certificate, $20 cash, and the Isabella Winners Pin too! Way back in second place but still firing a very nice agg of 0.2396” is Dudley Pierce. You shot very well Dud! Dudley won $10 cash for his second place finish. And rounding out the cash payout ($5) was me, Matt Dardas with a 0.2700”.
The Factory Class had nine great shooters and was again dominated by Dudley Pierce firing a really great agg of 0.2996”. I understand that Dudley turned down a Judge’s Bench fish basket and drove up to Jay’s Sporting Goods to cash in his multitude of $20 gift certificates that he has won throughout the season. Dudley won the $20 Jay’s Gift Certificate, $20 cash, and the Isabella Winners Pin. Coming in second place is Dick Wright’s neighbor, Kurt Krug firing a fine aggregate of 0.3742”. His efforts earned him a $10 bill. And finishing up the last payout spot in the factory rifle class is Dick Hall. Dick fired a fine aggregate of 0.3748” earning him a $5 bill.
The last place finisher in each class is now awarded the 8 ball at every match. Rob Fairbanks, the ship’s captain (driving all the way down from Alpena – 3-1/2 hours one way) tried like heck to not come in dead last. But, somehow he succeeded and was awarded the 8 ball. Congratulations Rob! You earned it! And the last place finisher in the Factory Rifle class is Scott Higgins! Scott really tried like heck on the last target to not get the dreaded 8 ball but he just didn’t have enough steam left. Congratulations to you too Scott! I must say that these two shooters have balls! Please see their photo proudly holding their balls.
This is the last match report of the season. I will be publishing the 2018 schedule when I gather information on the major centerfire matches and also the ARA matches in the state as well.
Enjoy the photos!
Matt
Oh! And I need to again give many thank you's to Doug Weeter!
The Last Place Finishers Showing Off Their 8 Balls!
The LV/HV Winner - Jimmy Militello
The Back of the Ship's Captain
Mr. Harley - Jimmy Guinn
From the right - Dick Hall, Ken Bombalski, Jim Dyke, Dan Ryan, Jimmy Militello, Bob Blazejewski, Elton Rountree, and Kurt Krug
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