CWSA Bowling Pin Shoot - 05/05/2007

It seems like it's been a long time since a pin shoot, but actually it was only a few weeks ago. I guess it's all the other matches in between that makes it seem that way. I DO know that shooting speed steel and falling plate matches really ruins you for matches where you have to slow down a bit and hit smaller targets, or in the case of pin tops, REALLY smaller targets!

Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to enter five of the six classes, and in the case of Rimfire Optic sight, I entered two guns. I was in for a busy day!

Timing in started with Centerfire Optic Sight, the one class I wasn't shooting. Next up was Centerfire Optic, where I was shooting my 9mm. Taurus PT92 'Econo' Race Gun. I had a couple of good table times, one terrible time, and a particularly good one for me, a 3.6 second run. The range record is 2.47 seconds, so my time was not particularly fast, just fast for me! Evil Al was just cruisin' though, and I actually had slightly better time than he did, which put me against him in the first round.

Revolver Optic went fairly well, too, with my time right behind Al. Once again I would get to meet him in the first round. Oh, Joy! I was trying to shoot way too fast in big bore revolver qualifying, and didn't post very good times at all.

Once the qualifying was over for the centerfire classes, we were ready to get into the matches themselves. I was busy making sure everything was ready and staged for the classes I was shooting, so I didn't get a chance to watch the Centerfire Iron Sight class. Since I had turned in the fast time for Centerfire Optic class, I would be in the first match up, and against Evil Al to boot! It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that I was going to get smoked, so I had nothing to lose. It was a very long day and I don't remember for sure, but I think I actually beat him on one table and tied him on one. Then he clobbered me big time two in a row, and I was eliminated from the Centerfire Optic class for the day. Revolver class went just about the same, with me meeting Al in the first round. This time, however, he only needed two tables to retire me from the class.........

LouG and Dean in Big Bore Revolver class, with Rainy running the round.

Big bore revolver class was a lot closer. Since this is a brand new class a lot of shooters are watching it to see if it looks like something they may want to enter in the future. By now a number of the pins were a bit the worse for wear, and seemed to have gained some weight, but we didn't care. We had four big bore shooters, and we had a number of really close matches. I ended up in the final against "Mad Gun" LouG, and it was pretty close, but I managed to sneak by for the win. Next match he vows to have the red dot sight mounted on his 44 Magnum, and then "I better watch out!" He's right, too!!

Once the dust had settled from the big bore revolvers, it was time to get into qualifying for the rimfire classes with the bowling pin tops. In Rimfire Optic class I entered two guns, my Volquartzen barreled High Standard, and a Smith & Wesson model 422. I narrowly had top time with the High Standard, but there was Al right behind! LouG was third, KeeWee was fourth, and I was fifth with the S&W, followed by Rainy (Mrs. AL) in sixth. A number of other shooters filled out the list.

It seemed like every time I went to the line today to shoot, there Was Al. At the last pin shoot Al thumped me pretty good, beating me two tables straight on his way to winning it all, but this time, I hoped, I could turn the tables! Al shot a little faster, but I shot a little more accurately, and took two tables in a row to advance to the next round. Some days the bear gets you, and some days you get the bear!

Last shoot KeeWee beat LouG two straight, but this time it was the other way around, with Lou taking two straight.

Mr. C. demonstrates the "Taco Grip" technique shooting one of the close tables against Rainy.

Then I came up against Rainy with my S&W 422, and that proved to be the absolute best match of the day. It was the first time at CWSA that I have ever seen three tie tables! I won the first one, we tied the second, she won the third, we tied the fourth, tied again on the fifth, and I finally won the sixth and last table. WHEW! The other club members threatened that if we shot one more tie table we would have to set our own pins, as they were getting tired of setting up pins for us! I had made the final round with the 422! Some days you get some "Lucky Rolls" of the pins, and today they were rolling off the table for me.

Then I came up against Lou with my High Standard, and managed to move it into the final too. Final standings showed me in first and second, with Lou third. It was a great deal of fun, and the match with Rainy was a highlight of the day!

Rimfire Iron Sight class was also very closely contested with a number of near-even tables. By using a lot of luck I managed to come away with the win, but not by much!

What a day! Lots and lots of really close matches, and the pins were rolling my way to boot! We all had a grand time, and weekend after next we get to do it again. I guess I better get to reloading!!

After the match I drove straight home and took a nap...............

Life is good!!