Probably the best IPSC rifle competition that we have so far attended, the yearly Estonian Open Rifle, is less than week away.
Last year we shot in Semiauto Standard division and now it is time for Semiauto Open division!
Here are some videos from the last year ( or as a playlist: EOR 2014 )
Video from best of Special Squad in Pikijärventie SRA 2015
I recently acquired some USGI style magazines. The magazines were Brownells branded and “3rd generation” (light brown colored and non-tilting follower). One note about the followers was that the “top round” bulge is on the other side than in magpuls and my previous usgi magazines (gen1 and gen2)
I ran into some problems while test firing the magazines in my tuned competition rifle: the action made some rounds stood up and collision to inside corner of the barrel extions and bolt slipped to the rim. This of course happened on stage 2 in a small weekly competition ( http://youtu.be/ISoByoDOwyY?t=16s )
Special Squad took part in Pikijärventie 2015 which was an SRA competition with 7 stages. The stages were well built and adequately challenging without being too complicated or memory games. The theme was “Operation Overlord” (Allied code name for Battle of Normandy). Stage descriptions in Finnish, with pictures
Stage 1 was a “sniper stage” with targets from 200 to 500m and allowed to be shot with a larger caliber rifle including a proper scope. The used targets were Jasters, a type of electronically functioning (reset, set up/down) large metal sheets. The organizer provided a .308 AR with a Leica scope, free of charge. Only one of us was able to shoot all 6 of the targets (200, 300, 2×385 and 2x500m) with the help of his own and familiar AR-10..
Stage 2 had a tank prop and it was nice and fast shooting with some close-up papers and 6 Jasters in a little distance. Stage 3 was a pistol stage with some paper targets and four poppers that were required to be shot strong hand only. Stage 4 had a very slow sledge that was activated from front of the stage, by the sandbags.
Stage 5 was nice variation from most of the stages we have shot. It simulated being stuck in a tree with a parachute! On stage 6 there was a Sig made AR-15, provided by organizer and readily set up with four rounds in the mag. In start you had to rack, shoot two papers, make safe and leave the rifle, continuing with pistol. Stage 7 was sort of a run and gun with shotgun, requiring minimal 16 shots.
We had two team entries, one for open (avoin) and one for standard (vakio). In combined results the open team won and standard team came second. Individually we won the lady category, had second on standard division and third on open.
Special Squad took part in Finnish IPSC Minirifle Championships as match officials, providing significant work contribution in form of a CRO, two ROs and one general official.
As officials we shot in the pre-match and thus took some handicap: when in pre-match, besides shooting the squad must also do all the necessary stage work and there are always some differences on the found ways to solve the stage challenges. For example on stage 2 we did not shoot the 10cm plates from prone (the stage was designed this way, but the main match showed that there were some faults on prop placement, allowing the prone position) and on stage 10 we actually stood normally on the start, instead of putting the barrel into the hole (this was apparently allowed in the main match).
Two of us shot with the NEA15-22 which was tuned as described in the NEA15-22 saga and we had zero failures, i.e. all rounds fired and no ejection problems. There was 12 stages and minimum rounds per shooter was around 165, actual count was of course higher.
Some pictures from Loimaa Cup 2015, first match (rifle).
Shot 2015-04-26, ordered by stage number.
Video from best of Special Squad in VaRes Cup II / 2015
Few pictures from a small SRA competition, videos will follow later.
Special Squad took part in Vindimurja 2015 IPSC Level 2 Competition held 3.-5.4.2015 in Estonia. The competition was stretched for 3 days, but for one shooter, the competition took only half a day.
The range type was familiar from Rewal 3gun, being a rock crushing /mine work site in the middle of a forest. Besides piles of boulders, sand and rock, there was a lot of mud and even a little “lake”.
The weather was quite cold (~ +5 deg C with some wind and a lot of moisture). This was no issue, as it was not the first time for us to be at the range when it is not summer, plus all the action kept us warm.
All paper targets were mini-IPSC and there were several No-Shoots to make the shooter to take the shots even more carefully. There were some swingers, one mover and also some longer range poppers (200, 130 and 80m). Stage descriptions can be read from Vindimurja 2015 EN stages.
Only negative thing that comes to mind, was that there were only two safety areas on the range and they were located over hundred meters from some stages. Thus it was not very convenient to adjust anything on the rifle, partly because they were far and partly because there was only 5 shooters in the squad, which meant very little spare time between shooting, preparing and all the filming/photographing.
This was the first time for us in Rifle Semiauto Open Division and there were a lot of mistakes when trying to decide what bipods are good for where, which magnification should I use or should I use the offset red dot and of course the optic it self is still “a new thing” after several years of shooting in the Standard Division with irons.
All the inconveniences a side, we really enjoyed the shooting and had a blast.
The video will tell the rest:
Some photos by Special Squad from Vindimurja 2015 IPSC Rifle Level2 Competition + trip.
