Independence Day 2021 Shoot

Military Rifle Shoot - By Tim Brown

July 4th, Independence Day, and what better way to celebrate than with breakfast and a shoot.  And so it was for the dozen shooters who arrived at the Lower Range on the morning of July 4th to partake of a pancake breakfast and then shoot targets with military type rifles representing those issued between WWI and the Viet Nam era.  Targets for this event consisted of silhouettes painted to represent solders of the ‘blue and gray’, a large bullseye paper target, and a medium sized steel gong.

The first round of fire consisted of participants carrying five rounds into ‘battle’ and shooting them at their targets as they advanced in five pace increments moving between 80 to around 60 yards from their targets. 

Then for the second round, participants took five more rounds and moved to 50 yards from their respective targets and fired all five from the standing position.

After completing this, participants returned to the line at about 80 yards from their targets for the third round of the shoot.  Here each participant fired five rounds each from the kneeling, sitting, and prone positions. 

The final round was shot at 200 yards.  Here each participant had five rounds to attempt to hit the steel gong as many times as they could.  Each participant shot three rounds at the gong from the sitting position and two from the standing position.  Shooting had to be suspended for awhile when five deer wandered in front of the 200 yard target and proceeded to nibble away at the grass, berry vines, and other plants.  When it became clear that they were in no hurry to leave, one participant went down range and persuaded them to move on so the shooting fun could continue.

When the smoke had cleared and the scores tabulated, shooting honors for the day went to:

1st Place       Jim R.

2nd Place     Bill M.

3rd  Place    Doug H.

4th Place     Aaron G.

5th Place     Barry G.

Many, many thanks to those who came out and ate, and shot, and celebrated our nation’s birthday at this event.  And a special thanks to Bob Chambers for cooking all a fabulous breakfast.  What a way to celebrate, with a breakfast and a bang.