ATTERBURY NRA 2024

First topic message reminder :

Shooters,

I'm looking forward to my 2nd trip to Atterbury this year for the NRA national pistol matches.

Last year we had a thread to post questions about the venue, directions around base, results etc. The match is less than a week away so let's start it again.

I hope to see everyone there this year again and more. Consider sounding out if you're also attending - there's a rumor about low attendance! The first episode of American Rifleman TV this season showcased the 2023 match at its beautiful range. 

Good shooting, 
Andrew

45 DAY

Weather was even more delightful today. A lovely fog burned off to slowly reveal a landscape this Hoosier loves.

For the most part, things went smoothly. There was a range alibi during the team match which, well, was mishandled. I haven't checked the rules, but I think the bigger issue was that the initial call/announcement was changed.

Results of the .45 match
1 Shue 885-44X
2 Zurek 879-36X
3 Kupar 875-44X

The awards ceremony was kinda cool. It included drawings for prizes (a couple of 1911s, bricks of ammo, pounds of powder, a rifle?).

1 Shue 2665-155X
2 Zurek 2640-128X
3 Kupar 2619-119X

Metallic: Richard Kang 2485-62X

.22 Only
1 Isaac Hinkle 2577-72X
2 Thomas Desort 2500-59X
3 Ron Robertson 2454-60X

I'll post more later, promise.

Another one on the books and For the books, as far as I'm concerned. THANK YOU Volunteers!! And all the fellow shooters that participated as well. I endeavored to meet everyone and I apologize for the few I didn't get to. I didn't shoot to my expectations, but the comraderie I enjoyed certainly exceeded those and made it all worth it.  Getting to spend extended time with Shue with my 45 and General Haden at the on base lodging were yet more unexpected pluses. And us Illinois boys had a party like I've never been to with the guys at home. I'm very motivated to go again and wish it weren't over so fast; time flies when having FUN!

Thank you, Sara, for reminding me about that morning fog.  I actually miss it.  When I was there in prior years we did have some brief 
delays for pistol but it seemed as though high power was almost always delayed as we looked to see at least a glimpse of those targets 
1000 yards downrange.

Congratulation to Shue for winning ANOTHER National Pistol Championship as well as all the shooters who chose to participate.

I want to extent a special Congratulations to my friend, Michael Merritt, who won the SS class and received a gold medal and $50.
Mike is also a Grand Senior who has had multiple operations on his neck, shoulder, etc. and who still has enough passion for our sport
to "show up and shoot"!

Mike

Mike, I’m not so sure they were waiting to see the targets but rather waiting to see the impact area in Lake Erie.

Atterbury Wrap-up

If there is interest, I can post more results later but my dog would really like me to pay more attention to her today so I'm just going to hit a few more highlights and invite feedback.  I'll pass along any feedback to Aaron Farmer and the powers that be.

Weather: Beautiful.  Atterbury can have bad weather; it's just in April when there was snow, rain, sleet, wind; mud, water; sunny skies, light winds, and mid-70s in a three-day period.

Competitors: There were 71 spots filled on the line by 45 Day.  It was not the 150 that was hoped for, but the All Guard team was present and I liked seeing them again.  That "Miss Lt. Emmert" can shoot!  

Range/Facility Improvements: There were a number of improvements from last year.  
-- Shooting benches: they were more than adequate for my needs and height.  If there are suggestions on improvements (or paint colors lol) from the more experienced shooters, I would love to hear them.
-- New, level port-o-potties.  Much improved from the last two years.  Still wish there was ventilation but that is the nature of the beast.
-- Additional steps over the 25 yard line which reduced bottlenecks when scoring the long line and made it possible for folks like me to not feel rushed.  (My physical therapist would be annoyed if I messed up my knee, okay?)
-- Moving the benches back after the competitor meeting, after approval by acclamation, to help with the overhang/gutter issue.  It's a small thing, in one sense, but I think it fixed the issue for most folks.  Am I correct in that?
-- Prize drawings! 

Minor annoyances
-- Check-in.  I thought things were good for the most part, but the preliminary match scorecards were not included in the .22 only competitor packages.  There was also a bit of an issue with our team ticket not being included which caused me stress trying to rectify before the team matches started.
-- T-shirts.  Loved the design on the back and would have loved another one, but there weren't any available.

Matters of Concern
-- Volunteers, lack thereof.  I am putting this first because I think the other two issues could have been mitigated or avoided with adequate staffing.  Simply put, it was a skeleton crew which meant not everything could be done perfectly, not everything could be tested thoroughly, not everyone could be thoroughly trained.  The Indiana Guard stepped up and helped on the line, with OTJ training, it seemed.  Last year's staffing had better numbers, which made for a better experience.  (But kudos to the volunteers!)

-- Range equipment.  The turning target system had some issues on Practice/Prelim Day.  Is it the system?  Is it a failure to rigorously test the system beforehand?  Is it the control system as opposed to the turning system?  For the most part, the mechanics were worked out after the first day.

-- Range commands/timing.  There were some issues.  Delays between commands, which threw people off their rhythm, especially when it came to the target turning.  Failure to notice the line was NOT ready, which caused a good bit of stress and confusion.  Non-mechanical range alibis.  Communicating about delays (the check range, for example).  Paddle work.  Could drilling match scenarios as a range team prior to Prelims have helped?  Maybe; but, see Volunteers, lack thereof, above. 

I am not at the level where I time things out, but I could tell there were longer pauses than I am used to.  I don't have enough of a game for that to throw me off it (lol) but I know it upset other competitors, which meant I needed to block out their reactions.  

Feel free to address or add to these concerns, but keeping it civil would be appreciated, as I am a delicate flower. 

PERSONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

(.22 only, iron sights, Marksman, second year at Nationals)

Personal bests:
   Aggregate 2026-8X
   Match 703-2X (.45 day)
   22 EIC 255-5X (bronze achievement)
   Target 98-2X, Timed Fire EIC

Notables:
   First team match (Broadway Broadsides)
   24/27 targets had at least one 10
   8/27 targets had at least one X
   One target had four Xs
   Only one target had less than 60 points
   Three 84s (RF)
   Averages: 72.3 (SF), 73.4 (TF), 79.3 (RF)

Compared to some folks, these numbers are a bad day at the range.  Compared to my baseline on this pistol (May 2023, 1571-8X), these improvements are stellar.  

Happy Shooting!

Wobbley wrote:Mike, I’m not so sure they were waiting to see the targets but rather waiting to see the impact area in Lake Erie.

Ashley,

I was actually referring to the grassy and heavily treed areas of Atterbury where morning fog is commonplace.  I don't recall anybody
worrying about seeing the impact area on Viale Range at Perry except when the loonies show up in their boats or the eagle were flying.

Mike

The National Matches at Camp Atterbury are just about wrapped up -- Long Range Rifle starts tomorrow (packet pickup, at least). I volunteered to help out for a few days (today, tomorrow and Friday) since volunteers were thin on the grounds earlier this year.

It's been interesting and I'm impressed again by all the work that goes into making this event happen.