Second Freeper Postal Match - Rifles

CapandBall | 05/20/02 | CapandBall

[CapandBall]

Following Free Republic's successful & fun first postal match (How about a Freeper Postal Match?) for pistols, I'm sponsoring a rifle match. A "postal match" is conducted by mail, hence the name "postal" and should not be confused with a contest that involves shooting up your co-workers in a rage.

Shooters in different parts of the country compete against each other in a contest of marksmanship. Shooters are mailed numbered targets which they shoot. The targets are returned via the mail (hence "postal") and scored. Obviously, the honor system comes into play here.

The rules (up to this point) for this match are as follows:

1> A rimfire and a centerfire rifle are required. You will need 30 rounds for each weapon.
2> Iron sights only. No scopes, red-dots, lasers, etc.
3> Diatance is 100 yards.
4> Ten shots each position; standing, sitting, and prone for each type of rifle.
5> Ten minutes for ten shots, each position.
6> The following are not allowed:
...a> match rifles
...b> match ammo
...b> use of spotting scopes between shots
...c> compitition type "cuffed" slings
...d> shooting jackest

You can see the result of the First Freeper Postal Match here: First Freeper Postal Match Results!

There are 6 targets total, all type SR-21, that you will receive in the mail. We have 8 confirmed for this match so far, and need 7 more to fill it out, 15 total. To date I have snail mail addresses for:

Shooter 2.5
NY.SS-Bar9
ctdonath2
umgud
KG9 Kid
chookter
M1911
CapandBall

Freep mail me with a mailing address if you are interested. We had some problems using regular mail in the last match, so I'll probley use priority mail. First come first serve.

[Rockpile]

I believe that the Mossberg 44US wasn't designed as a match rifle. They produced them in WW II as an introductory .22 cal gun for new recruits that simulated the length and wait of an '03 Springfield.

[CapandBall]

While not a match barrel, it is a heavy barrel designed for above average accuracy and not allowed for this match.

[spunkets]

There's a 17cal rimfire out. It's supposed to be a varmint gun. There's a 32, but that's an obsolete pistol round. I don't think ammo is available, other than from the guys that reload their own 22's.

[spunkets]

I'll be shooting at the Boscobel range...Or if you want I can check for another location. I'm running a Rendezvous in Prairie du Chien the weekends of the 8th and 15th, so...

[Shooter 2.5]

I have a 4mm rimfire and I don't know what's really current other than the .17 and the other different .22's. Before centerfire was invented there are 12 pages of rimfires in "The Cartridges of the World". They go all the way up to a 58 caliber Miller. In 1865 we used a .50 Remington Single shot pistol for the Navy. I think it was reintroduced in a modern caliber.

I have a .45 Colt cartridge that has an internal primer. It looks like a rimfire and fools a lot of people.

[ricer1]

Isn't there a 300 yard range somewhere near Greenville?

Yes, there is. It's north of a small town called Cumby and it's called the Outback Range. I've visited it once and it seemed to be a pretty nice place.

Cumby is between Greenville and Sulphur Springs on I-30.

The gun club I'm a member of had some kind of a fun-shoot competition there last month, but I've just had too many conflicts with my schedule to make it.

I thought there was a website about the Outback Range, but I can't seem to find it. I'll forward it on to you if I'm able to locate it.

[in the Arena]

It looks like a lot of fine rifles are being dusted off and oiled up.

Getting into the spirit of things I'm going to scrap my original center fire plan and use a 30-40 Krag carbine. It's an original carbine, saddle ring and all...missing the top handguard :(

The targets haven't arrived in AZ yet (30 May). If they show up tomorrow, I may be able to shoot the match this weekend.

Good luck to everyone.

[MP5SD]

The .17 is the sweetest varmint cartridge going. Big time prarie dog favorite

[SJackson]

Sending you an FR mail.

[ctdonath2]

Targets received.

[spunkets]

I'm also working on the only nonmatch centerfire I have, a Marlin 336. I'm trying to get the barrel to stop binding in a different position against the tube magazine after each shot. It was OK new and tight, but soon reverts to binding. In that condition the shots go wild. In the most extreme case they went about 6ft from the original zero at 100yds. It's not so bad now since I worked on it, but the group size can't be relied upon to be less than about 1ft at 100yds. It still has the binding problem, mostly at the front barrel band. I may end up taking the magazine off and shooting single shot.

[Charles Martel]

Interesting, this may be the only rimfire in the shoot that is not a .22. Do you still have or can you find find ammo for it?

As Shooter2.5 noted, the Model 320 is indeed a .22 rimfire. I believe that there was also a Model 325 in .22 Magnum, but I've never seen one. I had no idea that the thing was made Down Under (by Omark of Australia) until recently when I saw it mentioned in a thread on the ShootersTalk rimfire forum.
The 320 was my first .22 - the one my Dad took me to the oldest (and now long gone) gun shop in town to "select". Of course, he had already selected that rifle and arranged for the owner to say "I have *just* the rifle for you..." as he lifted the long blue and white box (with the red Winchester logo) from where it was concealed behind the counter (Thanks once again, Dad!). We lived on the outer edge of suburbia, so after I discovered CB Caps, that rifle accounted for many rabbits and squirrels. It's been years since I used the iron sights, though. :-) As for other rimfire cartridges, there was a short-lived Remington 5mm Rimfire. The owners of the bolt-action rifles so chambered have taken to modifying the bolt to fire a tiny centerfire round called the 5mm Craig. Hopefully, the new .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire will fare better. It's already been nicknamed the ".17 Hummer" - I take that as a positive sign. :^)

I'm glad to see that the USPS "Priority mail" is holding true to their claim of 2-3 day delivery, at least for some of you.

Targets arrived in Louisiana yesterday, 5/30.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I got my targets yesterday. Thanks.

[Charles Martel]

Whoops... looks like my source for old Winchester stocks has dried up. All the Model 69, 72 and 75 stocks are listed as "sold out".

Try HERE instead.

[Shooter 2.5]

I went to the shooting lease today with a friend that voluteered to sight in three .22 and a Mini-14.

It's a good thing I brought my 10/22 because last night I took the barrel off to clean it. I bought a little tool that looks like an end mill from a milling machine. When a .22 has been shot a great deal, a guy named Merril found out that .22's will have a build up of lead at the end of the chamber. This tool is the size of a .22 cartridge and has a brass cutting surface at the end. It will remove the "Merril's ring" of lead that builds up. I did take off some lead but it wasn't a lot. After I went to the lease I noticed that the front sight was crooked and I had to straighten up the barrel again. The 10/22 is sighted for the windage and I'll go back in a couple of days to see if they cut the grass so I can shoot at 100 yards.

[Shooter 2.5]

Thanks for the information on the Outback range. I'll try to get there after the Paris match. There was a article about it in the Dallas Morning News. That lease I have has a open area for 300 yards and I hung a bowling pin out there a month ago. The pin is still there.

[glasseye]

Howdy: Could I get a ruling on a rules issue? Are hand losds acceptable? I would like to shoot a mod 96 mauser and 6.5x55 factory is a bit strong for this old gun,(made in 1907). My reloads are 150gr round nose, just sierra hunting bullets. Otherwise I have another rifle that would work okay. Thanx in advance.....glasseye....:-)

As of this afternoon, no targets yet in California.

[GRRRRR]

Remington .270 @200 yards, scoped, factory Winchester rounds.

GRRRRRRRollin'

[Shooter 2.5]

No problem with the round nosed bullets. I think there is a post that I wrote that mentioned as long as it wasn't loaded with a match bullet, the ammo is all right to use.

[CapandBall]

Officially confirming shooter 2.5's ruling about reloads.

In all cases, Shooter 2.5 is duly deputized to adjudicate any questions for this match.