2017 NRA National Smallbore Prone Rifle ChampionshipsDay Three-Day One Any Sights
(Based on Preliminary Scores
Your Correspondents in the Field
Joe Graf and Hap Rocketto
After the stormed tossed last day of metallic sights the shooters arrived at the range to find it hot, humid, and still.
With scopes replacing metallic sights and the wind barely fluttering the flags it was soon pretty evident that this would be a day that would be decided by Xs. Mark Del Cotto set the pace, and the tone of the day, with a perfect 400-40X. Right on his heels were Kerry Spurgin and Mike McPhail who slid into second and third respectively with a 400-39Xs.
Dan Pempel, of the Air Force posted a 400-38Xfor a win in the Dewar. A pair of 400-37Xs scores pitted Jimmie Fordham and McPhail for second and third with Fordham getting the nod for the silver.
Individual competition for the day ended with Kevin Nguyen, from the AMU, blasting out a 400-38X at 100 yards. Ron Wigger and team mates McPhail and George Norton all shot 400-37Xs and had to have the final places settled by the Rule. Wigger was awarded second, McPhail third and Norton was on the outside looking in.
There were no less than 13 perfect scores fired! McPhail prevailed missing the X ring only seven times for an astounding 1200-113X, just a few Xs short of the National Record. Hank Gray, hanging on to his overall aggregate lead, posted 110 X with his perfect score for second on the day. Eric Uptagrafft was just an X short of Gray shooting a 1200-109X.
After individual competition ended the Dewar Trophy and Randle Cup International Postal Matches were shot. Kevin Nevius, assisted by wind coach Shawn Carpenter, cleaned the 50 meter international target with 15 Xs and had a 196-10X at 100 yards to record the highest score for US Dewar team and earn the Edward Crossman Plaque. Ginger McLemore was presented the “Fast Freddy” Scielzo plaque by Jim Miller of the US Dewar Shooters Club, for being the most senior shooter on the team.
Randle results were not available at press time.
Day four of the tournament features the last day of any sights and team matches.