Just wanted to say a word or two about last weekend’s shoot at Tacoma, the Sniper King. We always have a really good time at this shoot. Always a great bunch of people, and this year we all got together for a BBQ in honor of Del Bishop who recently passed. I believe Del still holds the record for the smallest group ever shot in this shoot. The Sniper King just doesn’t seem quite the same without Del…
The unlimited shooters up here in the northwest look forward to this one all year. The Sniper King trophy is the oldest continuously awarded trophy in Benchrest, (since 1944) and over the years many have worked awfully hard to get their name on it, often to no avail. We do have awards for the overall agg for the weekend, but this is quite a unique shoot in that the Sniper King trophy is awarded to the guy (or gal) shooting the smallest 10 shot group fired at 200 yds. We are more concerned with shooting that small group than we are the agg, which is just the opposite of the way it usually works. It makes for an interesting shoot. During the weekend shooters get 15 chances at 200 yds to get that small 10 shot group. If someone fires a small group early in the shoot, then they get to sweat it out while everyone takes their best shot to beat it. It has happened more than once that a better group is shot right at the end of the shoot and snatches away the win from the emotionally drained shooter who hoped he had it won! (I won’t name names Tom)
As it happened this year, Jeff Yost fired that small group early in the shoot, and so got to have us all working very hard to beat it all weekend. And I must say, he did look a little tense while all this was going on! But, his luck held out, and his .310 held up. (just barely!) Congratulations to Jeff! This year’s Sniper King!
Rick Graham
The unlimited shooters up here in the northwest look forward to this one all year. The Sniper King trophy is the oldest continuously awarded trophy in Benchrest, (since 1944) and over the years many have worked awfully hard to get their name on it, often to no avail. We do have awards for the overall agg for the weekend, but this is quite a unique shoot in that the Sniper King trophy is awarded to the guy (or gal) shooting the smallest 10 shot group fired at 200 yds. We are more concerned with shooting that small group than we are the agg, which is just the opposite of the way it usually works. It makes for an interesting shoot. During the weekend shooters get 15 chances at 200 yds to get that small 10 shot group. If someone fires a small group early in the shoot, then they get to sweat it out while everyone takes their best shot to beat it. It has happened more than once that a better group is shot right at the end of the shoot and snatches away the win from the emotionally drained shooter who hoped he had it won! (I won’t name names Tom)
As it happened this year, Jeff Yost fired that small group early in the shoot, and so got to have us all working very hard to beat it all weekend. And I must say, he did look a little tense while all this was going on!
But, his luck held out, and his .310 held up. (just barely!) Congratulations to Jeff! This year’s Sniper King!Rick Graham
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