2011 Dillon Precision Calendar Prize

Damp and chilly. Brrrr!

The humidity was high and, with the cool 58 degrees, there was a decided chill to the air as we shot the Bullseye 900 last night. Everyone wore a light jacket or a shirt atop a shirt. I “warmed up” with 22 caliber and kept its temperature-sensitive ammunition in my pocket.

Spirits were initially muted, probably by the chill, but once we settled into the Slow Fire match, moods picked up and the usual side comments were heard as shots went downrange.

“Hah! An X!”

“Damn.”

“Somebody (!) jerked a shot on my target.”

“All right!!”

Bill, Felipe, Hank, Len and myself made up the small group that braved the cool damp to shoot the Luck Target, the 900 and to compete for the evening’s prize, a new 2011 Dillon Precision calendar.

Bill tossed the coin and it came up heads so the Luck Target went to the high score. Yours truly, shooting his Smith and Wesson Model 41 with Ultradot, tagged my model number’s points over the requisite three holes to win.

Then, in the 900 that started promptly at 7:00PM, the biggest group was the combined Sharpshooter, Marksman and Tyro classes. At the start, therefore, it was announced those shooters would be competing for the calendar hanging on display over the registration table.

Firing a variety of calibers, when the final scores for those three competitors were tallied, they were within ten (20) points of each other. Hank took first place and was decidedly pleased with the Dillon calendar and its attractive and “on topic” photographs.

Congratulations, Hank!

Between the small group and the chill, things moved along rapidly. We finished slightly after 8:30PM. One shooter jokingly complained he might have to drive around the block a couple of times to avoid setting a dangerous precedent by arriving home so early after Nighthawks.

November is one of those twice-a-year months with five Tuesdays. Next week will be that “fifth Tuesday of the month” and that’s when Nighthawks shoots an L-Match. If you haven’t shot one before, you have a real treat in store. Think of a gigantic X ring with an even larger 10 ring. Everyone shoots much higher scores; this is a great ego-booster after those tiny B-16 Slow Fire bullseye or the 3-second face time of the International Rapid Fire targets.

What’s your record X count? Are you ready to break it?

“Wow, I cleaned the target!” will be heard more than once next week. Maybe you will be the one to shout it out next Tuesday?

See you “On the line!”