Airgunning Atlanta Weather Warriors
By: Jon Oswald (The Weather Impervious) Oswald
Airgunning Atlanta
January Monthly Match
Yet Again I'm writing another monthly match report for Airgunning Atlanta (Kirby
you'll write it next time if I have to bring a lap top to the range with me, LOL).
David, Doug, Tim, and myself have yet again shown our true dedication to the great
game of Field Target by not only showing up to shoot in 18 degree weather but for
totally owning the course with our extreme proficiency in marksmanship skills.
Now anyone that is willing to read on must first understand we are southerners,
as in not cold weather lovers, so saying that please read on. Id like to say that
we had reservations about shooting on Saturday night before the match, we looked
to our fearless leader and club president Ken Hughes for guidance and leadership
in our time of indecision about shooting on such a frigid day like today. Ken was
truly into the shoot, I believe his exact words were Into the fray men, put on
your long johns, quit whining and shoot like men who do not feel cold!. He went
on to say The numbness and stinging pain in your fingers is just weakness leaving
the body! With that I realized it was a call to arms against the metallic horde
that awaited me in Covington, Georgia.
I wasn't the only one that was inspired by our leaders words of motivation and
courage. Doug Vinson, David Kirby, and Tim Rorabaugh also were inspired so, as true
field target competitions they readied their gear despite the warnings of ice coated
roads, and an almost sure chance of a most severe case of frost bite would meet
them when the arrived for the match.
Slowly but surely the weather warriors of Atlanta trickled in unsure of their fate
in such cold temperatures, but they made it. After the tales of harrowing travels
and tales of great pain and suffering we settle in for a little practice, but we
just couldn't help but shed a tear for our leader who was at that point MIA. We
truly hoped his long danger filled drive on the icy roads of Georgia did not claim
one of Field Targets best men. We shot practice like true warriors, but we
couldn't
help the conditions pellets landed left, right, up, and down despite our refined
skills with the rifle. Even the best of the weather warriors gets a little cold
so Doug suggested we make a long trek to make sure the metallic horde would fall,
and stay that way once we unleashed lead hell on them.
We then began the match of matches, in the blustery unyielding wind, and
frigid
temps. Doug proved his shooting prowess by hitting target after target. Tim and
I not only battled each other, but in the end our skills proved to be equal. David
was perhaps the bravest of all, a DK tuned and woods and water sporterized R-7 was
his weapon of choice for this harshest of winter of days. We finished the match
with cold fingers, wind burned faces, muddy knees, and various lumbar problems.
True grit is the only way to explain the day, and we came away from the experience
a band of brothers.
Now that I am at home, and had time to reflect on the experience, I cracked open
a cold one, and toasted our fearless leader Ken who I know tried his best to make
it, but it just wasn't in the cards for him, but I take comfort knowing he is in
a better place now. I know he is in the big Field Target match in the sky knocking
down metal targets down with the big man.
PCP DIVISION
Place Score Gun Scope Pellet
1st Doug Vinson 46 AA Pro Target Leupold comp 35X CPH 10.5
2nd Tim Rorabaugh 41 Daystate FTR Burris 8-32X CPH 10.5
2nd Jon Oswald 41 USFT NS 10-50X CPH 10.5
PISTON DIVISION
Place Score Gun Scope Pellet
1st David Kirby 19 DK R-7 Simmons 4-12x JSB Express 7.9