Today we have the second part of HAM Tester Eric Brewer’s very personal coverage of the 2018 AAFTA Nationals. You can check out the first part here.
The first competition at the 2018 AAFTA Nationals was the pistol championship on Friday. The highest Troyer maximum a pistol course can be is a 36 Troyer rating. This course was at 35.8 Troyer!
There were A LOT of really small kill zones and far targets so you really had to know exactly where your pistol was shooting.
Paul Porch’s custom targets were used through the pistol field and the targets were definitely custom!
There were 43 contestants and Mike Norris came out on top with a 38 and winning a shoot off with Bob Dye for Hunter Pistol and Tyler Patner winning first for Limited Pistol.
That evening we went out to dinner at a local steak restaurant and there were a few shooters there. Evidently the word was out because in the next hour we had about 40 of the 2018 AAFTA Nationals shooters at the restaurant!
Saturday was Rifle Day One at the 2018 AAFTA Nationals.
I got to the zeroing range to find that my zero was now 10 clicks high (opposite from the corrected adjustment yesterday)…
This made me nervous but chalked it up to the zero from yesterday being a fluke and hoped there wouldn’t be a problem. I clicked down and everything was on compared to my range card. I started off on Lane 8 in the middle of the shooting field.
There is a 70 yard wide path that is cut out of a bunch of trees. We definitely have a variable wind that is sometimes at 1 mph and at other times around 8 mph. This really plays havoc when choosing where to place the shot.
The TGAG group set up 10×10 tents for us to shoot under in case it rained or to use as sun blocks. This is the shooting range for the white course. Some targets were to the right across the large open areas and into the woods and some targets were to the left into the woods.
My squad was Ron Brinbaum shooting Hunter PCP, Vasyl Povroznky shooting WFTF PCP and Ken Hughes also shooting WFTF PCP.
It was great to meet these really good shooters and have the opportunity to talk with them.
After a very hot day things looked really bad for me. The scope shift came back to haunt me and even after several face plate shots to determine where the pellet was going, I couldn’t adjust enough to get the long shots. I finished with a sad 20 points.
This is going to happen to us all at some time and unfortunately it was apparently my turn. Oh well – at least I was outside on a nice day with some new friends.
Above. That’s Ron Brinbaum shooting.
Saturday after Lunch, the AFFTA governors meeting was held. This went over very well this year and my complements to the governors for answering all the questions brought up by the crowed.
We found out that the 2019 Nationals were going to be at our friends’ place in Louisiana as well as that in 2021 USA will be hosting the Worlds.
Sunday was Rifle Day Two of the 2018 AAFTA Nationals.
First we had our shooters meeting and then I was on the Blue course in the woods.
I was squadded with the same guys that I sat with on Saturday. Another very hot day so I was glad I was in the woods. The report from the photographers was that the people on the white course in the field looked as if they were melting. Phew!
No breeze on Sunday to help cool them off. I did better with a 38 for the day but there was no chance I could catch the leaders. That’s OK, another good day shooting with friends…
Below, the Hunter Pistol winners. First, Mike Norris; second Bob Dye; third Ray Barnett; fourth Paul Porch; fifth Paul Walker.
Now, the Limited Pistol winners. Tyler Patner was first; Scott Hull placed second; Nathan Thomas was third; Rizalde Marquez fourth.
The Open Piston winners were Scott Hull, first. Lonnie Smith placed second.
Below. The WFTF Piston winners were Steve English, first with Virgilio Gonzales second.
The Hunter Piston winners. Paul Manktelow placed first; Greg Shirhall second;Michael Finchum third and Kevin Kunkle fourth.
Now we have the Hunter PCP winners. Dennis Himes was first. There was a shoot off for 2nd place between Ammon Piatt and Bill Day and Ammon Piatt won. Another shoot off wasbetween Tom Himes and John Knapp for 4th and 5 place. Tom Himes won.
Now for the WFTF PCP winners. Greg Suave placed first. Lauren Parsons was second and Neil Younggren third.
Then there was a 3-way shoot off between Ken Hughes, Peter Brooks and Doug Vinson. Pete Brooks missed the first shot so he was out. Ken and Doug missed their first shots together but both got their 2nd shots. Then they went to kneeling…
Both got the first kneeling shots so they went to the 2nd target kneeling. Unfortunately Doug had a misfire and that normally would have been a missed shot but Ken, being a good sport, said that he should continue. Ken missed his shot and Doug got his Putting Ken in fifth and Doug in fourth.
Now for the Open PCP winners. Last, but certainly not least! Will Piatt won, followed byHector Alfaro in second place, Brian Van Liew third and Gary Palinkas, fourth.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Even though I didn’t shoot well I still had a good time. I think everyone else did, too! I applaud the Tar Heel Air Gun Club for a great, challenging match and a well-run 2018 AAFTA Nationals.
Thank you! Eric Brewer
And Eric, thank YOU for your great coverage of the to the 2018 AAFTA Nationals! I know that it’s not easy to compete and report on a competition, but you’ve done a great job again!
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