The 55th Western Wildcats 6400
by Hap Rocketto
The Western Wildcats Rifle Club’s 55th Annual Smallbore Prone 6400 Championship, considered to be one of the nation’s premier 6400s, was contested over a four days from March 20-23, 2014 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix, Arizona.
Among the match’s many interesting facets is that it is the site of the first 6400X6400 ever shot, a feat accomplished by Tom Whitaker, 6400x574X, in 1975. It also requires that any competitor who is a Distinguished Smallbore Prone Rifleman, a supported athlete (e.g. USOTC or USAMU) or has fired five or more 1600 or 1200 scores be classified as a “High Master.” Toss in the sartorially splendid Wildcat sweatshirts awarded to the winner and first in class of any of the 1600, 3200 & 6400 aggregates and/or anyone firing a 1600, a generous prize table, as well as scope only and F-Class competition and you can see why 72 shooters from as far away as New Jersey and New York converged on Ben Avery.
The schedule alternates metallic and anysight competition over the four days and Olympians Mike McPhail and Eric Uptagrafft as well as Ken Nelson made their presence know by nailing down 1600s with iron sights on the first day. McPhail prevailed with an X count of 135. On day two Justin Tracy, a recent transplant to the Great Southwest, took the day with a 1600-147X any sights while octogenarian Joe Farmer and Reya Kempley also went clean, but with lesser X counts.
Day three saw several near perfect scored with iron sights as Uptagrafft won the day with a 1599-135X with McPhail hot on his heels posting the same score but with 129 center shots. Junior Allison Villa gave the Army shooters a run for their money with her 1598-117X. The third day also marked the completion of the metallic sight 3200 aggregate which saw Uptagrafft and McPhail separated by one X. Uptagrafft shot a 3199-264X to McPhail’s 3199-263X for the win. Villa was Master Class winner while John Giles, Hal Abel, and William Morris took Expert, Sharpshooter, and Marksman class honors.
The match concluded with a scope 1600 won by Steve Goff, one of the few shooters to have earned Distinguished Badges in International, service rifle and pistol, and smallbore prone and position rifle. Goff posted a 1600-147X besting seven other perfect scores. With both days of scope in the books Tracy and Kempley both had 3200s but Tracy managed 11 more Xs for the any sight aggregate win.
When all the brass was swept up and the scores totaled McPhail emerged the winner with a score of 6398-545X.Tracy was second and Kempley third with 6396-544X and 6394-541Xs respectively. The first three High Masters were Uptagrafft, Goff, and Kevin Nevius while Nancy Tompkins was named High Woman and Peter Church High Grand Senior. High Senior honors went to Lones Wigger while Villa was high junior.
Allen Thomas was top Master followed by Ken Nelson. Expert Oliver Milanovic won his glass in close competition with second place John Giles and bronze medalist James Gaines. Michael Toliver topped the Sharpshooters as Michael Hagestad and William Morris finished first and second among Marksman.
Scope laurels were won by Jack A. Arnold followed by Phillip Meyers, Jim Murphy was F-Class match winner and high F-Class senior was John Andres while Andrew Cyr and Rocky Felix were first and second Master.
2014-az-wildcats (PDF, 84KB)
Thanks for the report and the scores Hap.
Of interest, on first day of scope, Uptagrafft somehow managed a 397-39X on the 50 Yard match. That would mean his one non-X was a 7! The round may have had a primer but no powder, or vice versa. That hurts in a four-day match that was this close. A lot of other people dropped points at 50 yds during the week. Not a gimme.
Dennis L
I wonder if that is the same lot he was using at River Bend. My guess it was a 7 at 6 O’clock.
Mike