Evaluating Steel Challenge - SCSA

I'm about to start "digging in" upon the sport of "Speed-Steel" shooting, within the rules and policies of the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA). Match Rules & Conditions available here >>  . In particular I'm interested on the rimfire variant, and I intend to compete with a .22LR Beretta 87 Target with a red dot sight.

Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA)

ISSF Air Pistol - Stuck on the 520s

Last two weekends, two ISSF 10 meter Air Pistol Matches - and the "curse" of the 520s persists. On the Olympic Day, at Jamor, Oeiras, Portugal, Feb. 13th, 2011, I scored 521 / 600. On the SREF Aniversary Tournament, at Feijó, Portugal, Feb. 20th, 2011, I scored 523 / 600. At least I'm consistent and not getting bellow the 520 mark - but I'm sure lacking "professional" coaching...

521 / 600 at the 2011 Olympic Day

My Morini 162 EI pistol and Varga 3000 frames at Feijó, SREF

Hot and Cold at BR50

Last Sunday, February 7th, 2011, at Jamor, Oeiras, Portugal, I competed at the "Montez" Tournament, and made my première at the International Sporter (IS) Benchrest 50 class. I also competed on my favourite "race"... the Heavy Varmint (ex-Unlimited) class.

Cold.
For the IS class I competed with my brand new kit - a JGA 1416 .22 rifle with a custom shop Leupold 6x competition scope - with extra thin 1/8 reticle and no dot. I used the Caldwell "old school" rest with leather Protektor bags. Ammo was the "traditional" Lapua Center-X .22 LR 40 grains. The end result was a disaster - 198 points and penultimate on the overall scores.

Hot.
For the HV class I competed with my "old and trusty" kit, nicknamed Viriato - JGA 1903, custom BR stock, Leupold 45x scope, using Varide Cicognani rest. I score 243 / 250, reached 3rd overall (tied in score with the 2nd, but lost it to 3rd with lower Xs hits) and 2nd place by teams. A nice result.

243 / 250 - my Heavy Varmint class target

Shooting... Heavy Varmint class

Close up on the "trigger pinch" technique

Close up on my custom shop Leupold 6x competition scope
(ultra thin, 1/8, reticle line without dot)

"Forced" to use sun glasses while shooting International Sporter Class
 - the Sun was way to strong on the targets

My "Roc-N-Soc" drummer seat used
as "BR competition tool"

Overall scores - Heavy Varmint Class
3rd overall, 2nd by teams

91 points out of 100 on my premiere at MLAIC competition

Last Sunday early morning, February 6th, 2011, at the Carregueira shooting range (Belas, Sintra, Portugal) I made it to my "première" at the first 2011 National match for black powder muzzle loading shooting (MLAIC).

I competed within the Kuchenreuter class (percussion pistol), with my custom Billinghurst made in Germany by Tilo Dedinski in .36 caliber, shooting 10 grains of FFF "Rio" black powder and using .36 round bullets (.354, 65 gr), cotton patches (24mm in diameter, and 0,24mm thickness) and lube made in Germany by Rifle Bullet Caster .

I scored 91 / 100 points and finished 6th within 17 competitors (tied with 5th on the same score, but with less "X" hits). I'm very, very proud with my result - in particular bearing in mind that a score of 94 grants the "master shooter" award, and that João Costa, current national record holder (99 / 100), scored 94 at this same match. Further more - this is the same score I reached on my best training session, so... let's keep up and focus !

91 score - target on the right was the first, target on the left was the second and last
Final score ditches the worst 3 impacts out of the 13, and sums up the best 10

My "shooting desk"... all tidy

My vintage chrono... made in the USSR, 1960-70s

My detailed score

The official national match poster
- my amateur design and production

+200 photo gallery at: http://www.cptpp.com/gallery/2011/index-20110206-i-cn-mlaic-carregueira.html

9,1 average and 5th place on iron sights 50 meter .22LR rifle match

With my loved vintage (1970s) original J. G. Anschutz 1400 .22 LR rifle, shooting standing, iron sights, ISSF precision target at 50 meters, I reached 5th place overall (14 shooters from 3 different clubs), with an average score of 9,1 out of 10 (363 / 400 points, 2x20 series, 40 impacts overall), on last Sunday, January 31st, 2011, at the "open" match held at Carregueira, Belas, Sintra (Portugal). For the first time I used a left eye blinder, on Varga 2000 frames - with great result: sights easier to acquire, more "crispy" and so much easier on eye muscle strain.

My vintage JGA 1400 .22LR rifle
along LAPUA X-ACT and AKAH X-TRAINER ("canned") ammo

Varga 2000 rifle shooting frames
(just using as a left blinder holder; no iris)

Unofficial overall scores
363 out of 400 and 5th out of 14

My first 20 impact series...

Photo gallery: http://www.cptpp.com/gallery/2011/index-20110130-carabinarecreio-tac-cptpp-carregueira.html