New Page 1

After exchanging several emails with JC Brown over the past couple weeks, catching up with our lives over the winter and plans for our big match here in June, JC mentions that he as an unused Dick Otten Popper field target that he picked up at the Roanoke Airgun Show and it's collecting dust. Somewhere in our conversation, JC says those magic words...."I'm think'n about selling this Popper target. You interested?" Well, the rest is history. Thanks again JC.

Back in January I posted an email on a couple of the field target forums I had received from a gentleman with the NRA wanting to come and see our field target range (“This should be fun…”.)

Rick -

I am the assistant manager of the NRA's Air Gun Program in Fairfax, VA. One of my jobs is to work with other organizations to promote air gun shooting. As part of this job, I am in the process of learning a lot more about air rifle field targets and how the NRA can help expand both your program as well as paper target air gun shooting.

I will be helping with an air rifle match at Capital High School on Jan. 27 and would like to visit your range on the 28th if possible, to see what all is involved with running a program. Thanks John.

John Venskoske

Well, on a very cold and really snowy January 28th, John Venskoske showed up and spent a few hours looking at each of our 26 lanes, the sight-in range, and otherwise trying to visualize what everything must look like on match morning in June. We discussed everything I could think of. From pistons to pre-charged, to scope-dope and the wind, to AAFTA growing the sport and reaching out to the youngest of shooters. I did the best I could to show the enthusiasm we all have for field target as an interesting, safe, and accessible shooting sport. When we both couldn’t handle the wind and cold any longer, we shook hands and said our good-byes.

On April 24th, I finally received word back from John about his visit to Mountain State Field Target Association. I think we did good....

I again want to thank you for the tour of the air gun field target range in Charleston, WV back in January. The NRA, with more than 3 million members, is always looking to respond to the needs of the shooting public. One area that has come to our attention during the past year is field target air gun shooting. The Competitive Shooting Division is looking to expand this discipline. Many of our members have expressed renewed interest and their requests have filtered to my department. The range at Charleston is one of the most challenging field target range I have seen. Much effort, time, and funds have been put into making that range one that is challenging as well as enjoyable for all involved. The reputation of your facility must be exceptional if shooters are traveling from many states away to attend a competition.

Not only is the field target range a great competition facility, it is also a great learning facility. Alot of effort goes into involving the youth of the community to learn the safety & enjoyment of shooting, but, effort is also applied to those adults, with disposable income, who want to enjoy some different form of shooting. Reactive targets provide many opportunities for this to happen with success.

John Venskoske

John Venskoske, Assistant Manager, Rifle Dept/Air Gun & Black Powder Programs
NRA Competitive Shooting
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030-9400
(ph) 703.267.1477
(fax) 703.267.3941
Check out: < <http://www.nrahq.org/compete/index.asp>> for the latest in Air Gun, Muzzle Loading, Black Powder Target Rifle information.
Competitors may now subscribe to periodic email updates on upcoming program and rule changes along with other information related to competitive shooting. To subscribe to this list, go to www.nrahq.org/compete/list_signup.asp. <https://www.nrahq.org/compete/list_signup.asp>

Sometime ago I delivered a very nice .177 Career Carbine to DaveG (thanks again Arnold.) It already sported a pretty good “tactical” DaveG stock, but I needed to take the Carbine another direction. I wanted something a little more FT friendly.

So…when it arrived at Dave’s shop, it looked like this…..

When it came home today…it looked like this….

And the obvious changes were not all that happened. In addition to the stock, a set screw had been added to restrict unwanted movement of the power-wheel. Then, when I was still working through the drooling part of “stock-shock” Dave’s lathe and mill were already spinning in the background and a 2-piece oversized scope knob for the Leapers 8x32 was beginning to take shape. When the scope knob was done, the Career was quickly disassembled and a couple springs replaced. Then an adjustment screw was installed in the trigger blade. All I could do was watch, pass the occasional allen wrench, keep a wonderful side conversation going with Amy (who looked as pretty and happy as ever) and otherwise moved out of the way as Dave navigated around his shop. A few shots across the chronograph, and then a few more out in the yard on targets at 10 and 50 yards from a seated FT position, and 5 hours had passed in what seemed more like minutes.

It definitely was one of those really good airgun days that don’t happen often enough. Of course, reflecting back on today will always be a small part of the enjoyment I get from shooting this DaveG Career FT Carbine.

Thanks Dave and Amy.

Here are some better examples of how a ZM thigh rest might be used and positioned. I just received this from Allen 2 weeks ago so I haven't had a chance to really get it set-up and adjusted correctly or shoot with it yet.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the addition of a thigh rest really adds to the overall stability. One of the primary reasons I decide to add a thigh rest to my Steyr was because the combination of a big scope sitting high on top of a narrow profile stock has always made my Steyr very side-to-side tippy. But now, as you can see in the third photo, I don’t really even need to touch this 14 lb. gun with either hand to have it sit very rigidly in the shooting position.

Hope this has helped give you a better idea of how one particular ZM thigh rest is used when shooting from a seated position.

Went to Home Depot today for one thing and came home with several other "airgun" related things. The first has a great potential to serve as a useful pellet holder. Made by Crown Bolt, Inc. and called the Clear Can, it comes in 3 different sizes (pictured is the smallest at 2"x4") The top screws off (the bottom is fixed) and can either be hung from an included wall-mount bracket, or connected to a second Clear Can. Most unique feature is the squeeze-to-open slotted lid, also shown in the pics below. Comes in a variety of colors and costs $1.98 each. Note: Too much lube in your pcp pellets and it might be able to leak through the top slot if stored upside-down.

Second is called "Twisted Mason's Line" and is made in Mexico for Home Depot. Comes with a variety of lengths (shown with 215' or a little over 71 yards) and colors (orange, pink and yellow) of #18 braided nylon string. While this string is not the best for resetting field targets, mostly because it stretches too much, it is not a bad inexpensive alternative to 50# Dacron. However, the built-in hand winder for a quick line pick-up and the price of $4.77 each make these certainly something to consider when you need reset string and handles for your field targets.