Rifle E-Postal match for May: "Cricket"

SailorCurt at Captain of a Crew of One, this month's host for the e-Postal rifle (and handgun) match "Cricket" has his post up, and he's done a great job of coming up with a challenging match. It's based on a dart game called "cricket", but he's changed it a bit for those of us throwing slightly higher powered darts, so to speak!

Here's a mirror of his entire post:

Rifle E-Postal match for May: "Cricket" posted by Sailorcurt at 10:36 AM

I have the great privilege of hosting Mr. Completely's E-postal rifle match for this month.

The target can be downloaded in PDF format HERE (right click the link and select "Save As" to save the file to your computer). Click here if you need the free pdf reader.


This will be familiar to anyone who has played the game of Cricket on a dart board.

This is a simplified version of the same game. If you have never played the game it may seem a little complicated but It really boils down to this:

The objective is to score three "hits" on each of the following:

15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, Bullseye

Any hit on any of the listed numbers counts, you do not have to hit three in succession and you do not have to hit the numbers in order...as we say in billiards: slop shots count.

Now the complicated part:

The outer alternating red and green ring is the "double" ring and counts as two hits for that number.

The inner alternating red and green ring is the "triple" ring and counts as three hits for that number.

A hit in the white portion of the wedge, whether inside or outside the triple ring, counts as a single hit on the number associated with that wedge.

The black center portion of the Bullseye is the "double bull" and counts as two hits on the Bullseye.

The red portion of the Bullseye is the "single bull" and counts as one hit on the Bullseye.

A shot that breaks a line will be scored as a hit.

The shooter is allowed 30 shots per target.

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You can enter as many different weapons as you want and you can shoot the target as many times with each weapon as you like, but please only submit the highest scoring target for each weapon you enter.

Capability to fire two calibers from one weapon (i.e. .357 Mag and .38 Special) does not qualify it for two entries; it is still the same weapon, please only enter it once. (clarification: different shooters can enter using the same weapon. One shooter cannot enter the same weapon more than once)

If you want to enter something unique (black powder, airgun, etc) feel free to send it in, if three or more entries are recieved of that type of weapon, I'll create a class for them. Take a couple of friends with you to the range and have them enter with your unique weapon to ensure its status as a class of its own.

Class 1: Rifles with unmagnified sights and optics.

Distance 50 Yards

Any position including bench rest. No vises or clamps allowed.

Class 2: Rifles with MAGNIFIED optics

Distance 100 Yards

Any position including bench rest. No vises or clamps allowed.

Class 3: Handgun with unmagnified sights and optics

Distance 10 yards

Any Position including bench rest. No vises or clamps allowed.

I will add more classes if there are enough entries to do so.

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Determining the winner:

Please send your completed targets to sailorcurt AT cox DOT net. If you have no way to scan or digitally photograph the targets, just email me with your results...i.e. how many shots to complete the task (if you completed it) and how many single, double and triple hits on each number.

Whoever completes the task (three hits on each number) in the least number of shots is the winner.

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Tie Breaker

It is important that those who do not send an image but only report their results identify the number of singles, doubles and triples on each number for use in the tie breaker.

In case of a tie, the shooter who had the highest scoring single shot is the winner. (In other words, Both shooters complete the task in 18 shots, one hit a triple 20, the other hit a triple 18, the shooter who hit the triple 2o is the winner). If still tied, the second highest scoring single shot, if still tied, the third highest single shot etc. For the purposes of this scoring method, any triple beats a double bull. The double bull beats any other double.

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TIPS:

A spotting scope is virtually required for this contest. You have to be able to keep track of your hits on each number to know when to move on to the next. Many ranges have spotting scopes to rent. At 50 yards, a decent pair of binoculars will work.

Having your sights properly zeroed is critical. Luckily for me, the 1 MOA adjustable sights on my M1 give me some pretty fine tuning at 50 yards.

Start out shooting for the bull. Since slop counts, if you miss the bull completely you may hit another number that you can count so it's not a completely wasted shot.

Make sure you know the relative position of the number you are shooting for on the target, you will not be able to read the numbers without magnified optics (unless you've got MUCH better eyesight than me). The minimum number of shots to complete this task is 8 (Triples of each number, a double bull and a single bull). If you hit only singles of everything with no misses, it would take 21 shots to complete. This should not be too difficult to complete in 30 shots.

I shot this once just to see how difficult it is. I shot it at 50 yards with my M1 Garand with iron sights. It took me 26 shots and I got hung up on 17...I hit 5 triple 2s and a single 2 before finally hitting a single and then double 17. I was afraid of overcompensating so I mentally resisted adjusting my point of aim which resulted in about a 3/4" group around the triple 2.

I'll shoot it at least one more time before the month is out to try to better my score.

Have fun and good luck. Feedback on this contest would be appreciated...too hard, too easy, was it fun, was it challenging etc.

And remember: "Aim small, miss small"