Week 1 Recap

The weather started out pleasant but after the sun dove behind the hill and a cool breeze kicked up it was downright chilly! Nonetheless, the line was packed with 22 shooters all eagerly anticipating the start of the 2007 smallbore silhouette season. First time shooter Dennis S. even drove in from the Corning area to get in on the action. There was quite a variety of guns present, especially comparing Charles M. and his vintage 1950's Anschutz to Jim F. and Bob J. sporting the latest Anschutz bling sitting in Pharr custom stocks.

Once we got under way the lead started to fly and the steel started to fall. Ron C. was even polite enough to "assist" Joe C. by shooting some of his pigs. Ray H. had a nice night but 2 good runs on turkeys and rams came up just short of perfection. However, Ray was ecstatic that he found the hammer spur that fell off his rifle at our last cowboy shoot on April 21! Brian S. was the model of consistency going 4-of-a-kind with 5's across the board in round 2. If all 10's is a Grand Slam, maybe we'll go with all 5's being a ground rule double. I was quite surprised to learn how many shooters are interested in birding. Several shooters even collected specimens of the Remington species from the range for later "study". Who knows, maybe we'll even see a dodo or two...

We capped things off with our raffle for a $10 gift certificate to Brothers 2 Restaurant. And the winner was...(drum roll, please)...Neal S.! Congratulations Neal!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 2 Recap

We had an early preview of summertime silhouette shooting as temperatures reached the mid 80's with a little humidity thrown in for good measure. The warm weather also brought out the wildlife as birds and groundhogs were lollygagging all about. Ultimately it proved to be very good conditions for shooting and the line was once again packed with 21 shooters cycling through rounds 1 and 2. Dana Be. joined us as a first time shooter and I'm pretty sure he's got the bug. Wayne C. started round 1 on pigs and after hitting 7 of them he had already beat his score from last week for the entire round - nice work Wayne! Brian S. flirted with pork perfection with a nice 9 on pigs.

By round 2, Dave L. was speechless (now there's a first!) and Ray H. decided to target the dandelions instead of the silhouettes. I guess shooting dandelions is better than pushing up daisies any day. We capped things off with a raffle for a free loaf of bread from Great Harvest Bread Company. Neal S. may be having a tough time knocking down the silhouettes but he's now 2 for 2 in the raffle after turning in yet another winning ticket - way to go Neal!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 3 Recap

We had another unseasonably warm day for spring in the Southern Tier but overall conditions were quite good for our shoot with sunshine and just a light breeze. Our great turnout continues as we had 21 shooters come to the line through 2 rounds. Jim F. and Pete K. were showing off their new hardware from their recent trip to Ridgeway, PA (was that the "Golden Sandbag" award, Pete?). In round 1, Pete K. started off by posting a donut on the turkeys but still managed a round of 20 - nice comeback, Pete. Jim F. scored a perfect 10 on the chickens and Jim M. took a 9 while sending one chicken to an early retirement in the process (more on this later). The poultry was unkind to Jim M. as scores of 9 chickens and 8 turkeys yielded no gold animals! Apparently some folks thought it was poker night as Dave M. went 4-of-a-kind with 3's across the board and Ray H. doubled that up with all 6's. Bob J. settled for 3-of-a-kind as he came up one ram shy of all 5's and Chris A. held on to 2 pair. Others said the night was just a royal flush.

In round 2, Ray H. was one shy of 10 chickens while Ron C. was doing trick shots on the turkeys. And Joe C., shooting with peep sights, nailed 7 rams and turned in a very nice score of 17 - nice shooting, Joe! We capped things off with an extra special 2-prize raffle: A $10 gift certificate to Russell Steak & Seafood House AND the chicken that was put out of commission by Jim M. After many tense moments the ticket was pulled and the winner was...Brian T.! Congratulations, Brian!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 4 Recap

The weather was just about perfect for an evening silhouette shoot with pleasantly warm temperatures and a light breeze. And the range looked great since the dandelions had just been mowed. Turnout continues to be strong and the line was packed as 20 shooters cycled through rounds 1 and 2. Pete K. was offering a version of his "flip-flop" blinders for shooters to try - maybe these will turn up on e-bay? Unfortunately Brian T. had the "hex" put on him when his allen key became hopelessly lost in the gray oblivion of the firing line gravel. Chris A. let me take a pop with his Savage with the Accu-Trigger and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it felt and functioned. Mr. Chong was showing off his home-grown CZ match trigger and Dennis S. broke out his Walther LG300 Hunter air rifle for some show and tell. And all the action was captured by our roving "paparazzi" photographer Matt L.

All the shooting went off without a hitch despite a sub-par performance by the range officer (it's hard to find good help these days!). In round 1, Jim M. plinked 9 chickens and Dennis S. pegged 7 chickens and 8 rams on his way to a nice score of 25. In round 2 Jim M. pounded some pork with a 9 on the pigs and Neal S. let loose with a 9 on the rams - good shootin'! We capped things off with our raffle for a $20 gift certificate from Number 5/Lampey's. This week Dan C. was the lucky winner as he stepped up with the winning ticket to claim his prize - enjoy Dan!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 5 Recap

We enjoyed much better weather for smallbore silhouette than we had for air rifle 2 days earlier: No hail, no rain, no lightning - just sunshine with a few puffy clouds and pleasant temperatures with a bit of a light breeze. Turnout continues to be great with 19 shooters over 2 relays for round 1 - Keep it up folks! Wes F. and Ben F. made their first trip to the range this year, and on Wes's anniversary! I'm always happy to see shooters who have their priorities straight. Vincent C. also made his first visit to the range this season. Things got off on the wrong foot as our primary tractor pooped out during set-up (more on this later). And the malfunctions continued for the shooters as Charles M. had to bow out thanks to his rifle deciding to shoot on it's own and then not shoot at all, and Greg S. was battling a tricky scope problem.

Fortunately these seemed to be the only issues as all else went smoothly. Ben F. arrived at the range just in time to go right from his car to the firing line in relay 2. Neal S. turned in a nice 29 in round 1 and got 7 rams in round 2 thanks to some extra layers of paint on the targets. Jim M. got his mojo back for round 2 with a very nice 34, which included 10's on both the chickens and pigs - nice shooting, Jim! We capped things off with our raffle for a free pound of coffee from Tom's Coffee, Cards & Gifts in Binghamton. Despite some shooters getting an "arms length" of tickets it was Erik S. who won the joe - enjoy, Erik!

After the match we encountered more malfunctions as the back-up tractor ran out of gas. After some mid-air refueling that would make the Air Force proud we tied a line to the still non-functioning primary tractor for a tow back to the garage. Jim F. was leading the way and Ron C. hopped on the lame duck and asked "Where are we going?", to which Jim F. replied "Just follow me"...

Round 1

Round 2

Week 6 Recap

Week 7 Recap

We finally caught a break with the weather as the heavy rain and thunderstorms slid just south of the area and we enjoyed ideal conditions throughout the evening - some sun, mild temperatures, and a light breeze. Attendance was good with 17 shooters on the line over 2 relays. Ken J. made his first pilgrimage up from PA this season - welcome back, Ken! Pete K. was putting his "best foot forward" as this is his last shoot before going in for a tune-up. Bob J. was sporting yet another new gun with snazzy red trim. As for the match, everything went smooth. Greg S. gave new meaning to "turning the other cheek" as on consecutive shots he swung pigs around 90 degrees and got the full moon of pork. Jim F., Pete K., Ed P., and Neal S. all nailed 7 chickens and Bob J. popped 8 piggies. Ken J. had one of those "mystery shots" that occur every so often as Mr. Pig went down in slow motion but the bullet impact was visible some distance away. Hey, down is down and that's all that matters in silhouette!

In round 2, Neal S. got 7 pigs and Jim F. got 8 pigs and 9 rams on his way to a very nice score of 30 - nice shooting, Jim! We wrapped things up with our raffle for a $10 gift certificate from Phil's Chicken House. This week the winning ticket belonged to Pete K. who jumped ship after round 1 and won the raffle in absentia, despite several requests for a redraw from Pete's "friends".

Round 1

Round 2

Week 8 Recap

Here we go again with the thunderstorms! I certainly hope this pattern changes because we're dodging raindrops during just about every silhouette shoot! Thankfully most of the rain fell during set-up so we were mainly contending with an occasional spritz and humid conditions that made glasses and scopes fog up. Despite the soggy conditions we still had 17 diehard shooters on the line for 2 relays over 2 rounds. And we were pleased to have first timers Katie A. and Butch R. join our waterlogged fun - welcome aboard!

In round 1, Erik S. found a nice groove and nailed 9 rams on his way to a nice score of 26. Jim M. whacked 8 chickens and 9 pigs while Neal S. and Ed P. were content to just turn the animals with edge shots on the chickens and pigs, respectively. In round 2, Jim F. got a "shot of confidence" with a fast start of 9 on the pigs. Neal S. followed that up with a 9 of his own on the pigs and Jim M. popped 8 chickens. Erik S. got 7 pigs and concluded a good evening with a round 2 score of 21 - nice shooting, Erik! Joe C. was the model of consistency using his open sights to twin scores of 13. However, 13 is not so lucky for Greg S. as he has vowed to shatter his personal "glass ceiling" or *GASP* go back to golf!

We concluded our festivities with a raffle for a $10 gift certificate to the Plantation House in Vestal. Apparently it was destiny as initially I mistakenly handed Jim F. the gift certificate instead of his tickets, but he wound up with the winning ticket anyway and claimed his prize. Afterward, when explaining the difficulty of silhouette to Butch R., Joe C. said it best "...that's why it's called shooting and not hitting".

Round 1

Round 2

Week 9 Recap

Finally! We had just about ideal weather to start the second half of our silhouette season with a mix of sun and clouds, mild temperatures, and just a bit of a breeze to stir the air. It was nice to stay dry for a change without getting soaked by raindrops or perspiration. The nice weather made for a strong showing by local shooters with 21 on the line over 2 relays for round 1, and we even had a few spectators! If this keeps up we'll have to put in some bleachers. Ish made his first trip to the BCSA range this year (refreshed from his time in Nevada with 116F heat) and Stuart G. joined us as a first time shooter after trying his hand at silhouette during the BCSA Open House back in June - Welcome aboard guys! In round 1, Jim F. was giving the targets a thorough workout as 8 pigs and 9 rams lead him to a score of 30 - nice job, Jim! Also in round 1, Jim M. got about 11 pigs since he ran 9-in-a-row and on his last shot he pulled the trigger and - click - a misfire. Then when he attempted to clear the round it would not extract so he closed the bolt to try it again, this time getting number 10 by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin. And with a score of 19 his first time out, it looks like Stuart G. may have found a new hobby.

In round 2 Dave L. had enough so he packed it in and pulled up a seat to shoot the breeze - in this type of shooting Dave is Master Class with several long run records :) On the other hand, Greg S. was full of determination for round 2 and wound up shooting a new personal best of 18 - nice job, Greg! Ed P. found out that "3 is a crowd" as he went 3-3-3-3 and Brian T. went 5-in-a-row as he cleared the second bank of rams with some coaching from Jim M. When the coach gets 9 turkeys and a second round score of 32 it's a good idea to take his advice! We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen free wings from Nirchi's Pizza in Conklin. Ron C. showed his boys how it's done as he cashed in his winning ticket to claim the prize - enjoy, Ron!

At one point in the evening I pointed out to Greg S. that it has been said a working definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result. Isn't that what silhouette is all about? Hmmm...

Round 1

Round 2

Week 10 Recap

Again, we were back to dodging the raindrops as threatening skies remained overhead throughout the evening but we only saw a passing light shower and everyone pretty much stayed dry. The ominous weather was apparently no deterrent to area shooters as we set a new attendance record with 2 full relays of 24 shooters for round 1! Unfortunately we were actually +1 so Neal S. had to wait for openings in round 2. Among the shooters were first-timers Chris C., Mike C., and Dave S. as well as returning vets Jack E. and Jocko L. - a hearty welcome to all! Pete K. made his return to the range after getting out of the "body shop" and was sporting a fancy shooting boot...er...medical device to speed his recuperation. Jocko L. left his gloves at home to avoid another "glove-gate" controversy and it didn't take long for Jack E. to fit right in as he taunted Dave L. about numerous issues. There was also a discussion with Bob J. about how to tell when bling turns into blung.

In round 1 Joe C. used his open sights to pound 7 rams into the ground while Ish and Mr. Chong both smacked down 8 chickens. Wayne C. led his clan with a 12 and Jim F. nailed 8 little piggies on his way to a score of 27. Butch R. was on his way to a nice round but his rifle went belly-up on the rams. The ranks thinned out for round 2 but there was still a good number of shooters on hand. Pete K. used his shooting boot...er...medical device to good effect to get 7 pigs and Jim F. had crazy 8's on the pigs and rams for a score of 28.

We wrapped things up with a special double raffle for a free pizza from Michelangelo's and a free pound of coffee from Tom's. Lots of tickets were handed out but Ron C. took home the pizza and Brian S. won the joe - enjoy guys!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 11 Recap

Aside from the oppressive humidity we had no adverse weather to speak of with warm temperatures and an occasional light breeze. Turnout was strong once again with 20 shooters cycling through 2 relays over 2 rounds. Before the match, weighmaster Pete K. opened up his portable scale and Bob J. broke out his trigger weight gauge so interested parties could check their rifles. In round 1, Ed P. used his new rig very effectively as he nailed 7 rams and posted a solid total of 20. Jocko L. was on target despite whacking his scope on the shooting stand and dropping his rifle. Joe C. posted a nice 17 with his open sights and Bob J. went 7-7 on the chickens and pigs to post a nice first round score of 22. Ron C. and Wayne C. posted nice scores of 18 and 15, respectively, and Chris A. was quite amused by a fainting turkey. Pete K. suffered from "premature congratulation" as he celebrated my 10 on the rams after number 9.

In round 2, Butch R. continued his steady improvement with a 21, Jocko L. and Neal S. both popped 8 pigs, Brian T. was catching on to his new ammo, and Wayne C. was looking for the "wobble adjustment" knob on his rifle. We wrapped things up with a raffle for one dozen donuts from Apple Hills. Many long strings of tickets were handed out but in the end Chris A. found enough gold animals to wind up with the winning ticket - enjoy, Chris!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 12 Recap

Seems like this year we're either dodging raindrops or sweltering in the heat. This week was dry but temperatures around 90 made for a hot time at the ol' silhouette range indeed! But it takes more than some hot air to deter our silhouette shooters and we had 22 on the line over 2 relays for round 1. Speaking of hot air, the "peanut gallery" was out in force with a lot of hootin' and hollerin' going on throughout the evening. Jocko L. was doing his community service by resetting the animals for Pete K. as he continues his convalescence. In round 1, Butch R. got 7 chickens, Jocko L. got 8, and Jim F. got 9 - nice shooting, guys! Chris A. shot a new personal best of 15 and Joe C. was having a good time until the bolt broke off his Remington and ended his night early.

In round 2, Jim F. had a great run of 7-in-a-row as he started on turkeys and finished the round with a solid 30. Erik S. and Pete K. popped 7 and 8 pigs respectively, Butch R. and Brian S. had 8's on chickens, and Neal S. whacked 7 rams. At one point things went "Make Ready, BANG, Fire" as Mr. Chong had an itchy trigger finger, but it was my bad on the other end as I called a cease fire too early leaving Mr. C with one in the chamber. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a gift certificate from Cracker Barrel for dinner for 2. Pete K. said that if he won, he would take Jocko as a thank you for setting his animals all evening. In a twist of fate it was Jocko who won the prize, leaving Pete K. jilted at the alter.

Round 1

Round 2

Week 13 Recap

Well, you can set your watch by it - if we have a silhouette match it's going to rain. Thankfully the threatening skies only sprinkled on us and we stayed dry for the most part. On the bright side, with lots of clouds around the sun was limited so temperatures were not too hot. Despite the gloomy weather we still cycled 17 shooters through 2 relays over 2 rounds - nice job folks! Pete K. was back on his feet, or is it back on his foot, and is now fully functional. Joe C. broke out his scoped rifle for a change of pace and Neal S. skillfully slipped into relay 1 so he could share the Anschutz with his boys. And apparently it was "birds and bees" night at the range as many of us admired a green heron that dropped by for a visit and a nest of yellow jackets got stirred up in the parking lot.

In round 1, Chris A. was on his mark as he almost tied his personal best at 14. Bob J. and Brian S. had 8 chickens, Jim F. popped 9 piggies, and Neal S. put the Anschutz to work with 8 rams and 9's on the chickens and pigs for a very nice score of 32 - way to go, Neal! In round 2, ET phoned home but the call went to Bob J.'s cell phone with a funky ring tone. Joe C. was doing the ol' "herky jerky" and Dave L. wanted to make it a team effort by having Neal S. shoot some of his animals. Jim F., Bob J., and Brian S. posted 7's on the chickens and Bob J. and Jim F. added 7 and 8 pigs respectively. Neal S. went for the wide bodies with 8 pigs and 9 rams on his way to a 29, capping off a solid evening. And thanks to the thick cloud cover we were pretty much in the dark for the last animal, though some would say silhouette shooters are always in the dark. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen wings from Bobby's Place. In the end, it was Jim F. emerging from the darkness with the winning ticket to claim the prize - enjoy, Jim!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 14 Recap

Week 15 Recap

I guess the Farmer's Almanac can add another "rule of thumb" next to the woolly bear caterpillars - if there is a smallbore silhouette shoot at BCSA it's going to rain. However we were lucky this time as the showers were brief and confined to the time after range set-up but before practice so we all stayed dry. We also had to deal with a breeze that kicked up from time to time and thick clouds that once again made things get dark quick. Yet our intrepid silhouette shooters still turned out in force as we cycled 18 shooters through 2 relays over 2 rounds! Even Parker made a special cameo appearance at the range and tried to eat Bob J.'s earplugs. For a while it looked like we were going to shoot silhouette the old fashioned way as 6 turkeys were wandering around back by the rams before practice. And despite repeated dousings with spray the yellow jackets are still buzzing around by the parking lot.

In round 1, Jim F., Butch R., and Neal S. all had 7's on the rams and Jim and Neal added 9 pigs and 8 chickens, respectively. In round 2, Jim F. had 8 pigs while Ken L. nailed 7 of the porkers. Bob J. was one shy of perfection on the chickens and Neal S. bagged another 7 rams. Brian S. was so dialed in on the chickens he was shooting them 2 at a time. Erik S. was also doing some trick shots as he turned a turkey 90 degrees. We wrapped things up with our raffle for a dozen bagels from Nezuntos Cafe. Jim F. was able to parlay his gold animals into a winning ticket as he claimed the prize - enjoy, Jim!

Round 1

Round 2

Week 16 Recap

We got somewhat lucky with the weather for our last smallbore silhouette shoot of the season as the rain stayed away but thick clouds and waning sunlight made for less than optimum lighting conditions. Our season of record attendance finished with a strong showing of 24 shooters over 2 relays through 2 rounds - great turnout folks! In round 1, Jim F. had a nice run of 8 on the rams on his way to a nice score of 29. Meanwhile, Pete K. hammered 7 in a row and wound up with 9 rams! Unfortunately for Pete the one ram left standing was gold - that's what you get for making little girls cry, Pete! Greg S. used 2 pair to tie his personal best at 16 and Pete K. solicited a polite "golf clap" from the crowd for my 10 pigs.

By late in round 2 it was just flat out dark, except for Greg S. with his illuminated reticle. Mr. Chong and Bob J. went 7-7 on chickens and pigs for nice scores of 23 and 22, respectively. Ray H. went 9-8 on chickens and rams for a good second round recovery of 28. Jim F. encountered a brick wall of rams on the first bank and despite another good run of 8 rams Pete K. missed the gold - again. Jack E., Ken L., and Ed. P. all went for 7 chickens while Butch R. opted for 7 pigs. Ron C. was practicing trick shots making rams do a balancing act and Dave L. made a nice recovery after doing the funky chicken.

We wrapped things up with our raffle for a $10.00 gift certificate to Theo's Southern Style Cuisine. It was tough to see the numbers but Jack E. used the flashlight to verify his winning ticket and claim his prize. Jack was also the recipient of a special "chicken finder" to aid in his recovery of the elusive birds. Just make sure you're in the right line, Jack!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday April 21 Recap

What a great way to kick off the 2007 BCSA Silhouette season! After snow less than a week ago, the weather was absolutely perfect with lots of sun and just an occasional breeze to stir the air. Round 1 kicked off with 9 shooters spread over 3 relays for a relaxed atmosphere. Pete K. wasted no time jumping into cowboy silhouette, but unfortunately he wasted a lot of ammo due to a sight problem. Dale B. and Ray H. had no problems as they took down 10 chickens and pigs, respectively. Actually, Dale was one of a trio of shooters sharing the gun of Jim M. Dave L. got so wound up talking about gas prices he almost missed his relay.

In round 2, Bob J. helped Pete K. get on track and the steel started to fall. Pork was a popular choice the second time around as the only 10's to be found were on the piggys. Brian T. picked up a loaner rifle with some sight issues and still did quite well. We capped things off with the raffle for a $20 gift certificate from Sharkey's Restaurant. Despite the fact that Jim F. dissed us for greener pastures after round 1, he won the raffle in absentia. Enjoy the clams, Jim!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday May 19 Recap

We started out with quite pleasant conditions but the clouds moved in and it was almost a duplicate copy of the weather from Thursday - cloudy and cool with a bit of a chilly breeze. Despite the less than ideal conditions we had a great turnout with 13 cowboys on the line over *4* relays in round 1! Al F. joined us all the way from Williamsport, PA. It was a very relaxed atmosphere throughout the shoot. The field got off to somewhat of a slow start in round 1, except for Jim M. and Al F. who went 37 and 36, respectively. Jim F. also started strong by getting 10 turkeys to complete his smallbore cowboy grand slam - way to go Jim! Meanwhile, Ray H. was tripping on some bad salt & vinegar potato chips and promised better things in round 2.

Things definitely picked up in round 2 and the piggys really took a beating. Bob J. was trying to convince us that his pig really did fall down (is that a bell in your pocket Bob or are you just happy to be shooting silhouette?). Bill C. was finding the cowboy game more to his liking than air rifle and Jim M. and Al F. turned in more great scores. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a free pound of coffee from Tom's Coffee, Cards & Gifts. And the winner was...Dave L. Congrats Dave, enjoy the joe!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday June 16 Recap

Lots of sunshine, pleasant temperatures, and a light breeze - all the right ingredients for a great day of smallbore cowboy silhouette shooting! We had a packed house again as 15 cowpokes rode in from near and far. And it was great to have so many first time cowboy shooters - Paul D. Al H., Frank G., Aaron M., John L., Josh L., and Clayton M.- Welcome aboard! Frank G. was using a vintage 1954 lever gun that he bought as a youngster back in the day and - Wow! - was it in great shape for over 50 years old! We had a full day of shooting as 4 relays were used to cycle everyone through.

Paul D. led the pack of rookies in round 1 with a nice 33 and is now 1/2 way to his Grand Slam! Aaron M. turned in a solid 31 and Jim M. flirted with perfection a few times on his way to a 34. In round 2, Jim M. paced the field with a 37, Ray H. pegged 10 chickens and 10 pigs on his way to a 35, and Dale B. pounded the pork with a 10 of his own. And after working through a few malfunctions Brian T. plunked 9 turkeys. Ray H. put an end to the malfunctions with a quick shot of cleaner - One word Jim: boresnake! We capped things off with our raffle for a free pizza from Michelangelo's Pizzeria. A lot of tickets were handed out but in the end Jim F. emerged with the winner - enjoy the pizza, Jim!

Some tummys were grumbling by the end of the shoot and folks were looking for the chuckwagon. Don't worry guys - next time the Spam is on the house. YeaHaw!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday July 21 Recap

We had great weather for our smallbore cowboy shoot with lots of sun and pleasant temperatures with a little breeze to make things interesting. The favorable conditions also made for a good turnout with 14 shooters on the line for 4 relays in round 1. First time shooter Jason L. got in on the fun and Butch R. was eager to see what his old Savage semi could do. Pete K. convinced his "friends" to reset his targets so he could rest his bionic foot, and Ray H. took the kids milk money so he could buy gas for the trip up. In an ominous foreshadowing of things to come, before the match Clayton M. asked what to do in case of a misfire. He and Jason L. then battled constant misfires from the Wal-Mart special ammo for the rest of the day.

In round 1, the pigs took a pounding as Jim M. scored a 10 followed by Jack E., Ray H., Pete K., Butch R. and Brian T. with 9's. Jim M. also had 9 chickens and a pair of 8's on turkeys and rams for a nice score of 35. Ray H. put the milk money to good use as he added 9 turkeys and 8 rams for a 33. Jim M. tallied a 29 before he had to bow out to attend a clam bake and Jack E. gave'em heck with a 28.

In round 2, Ray H. got off to a fast start but ran into a brick wall of rams. Bob J. and Jack E. claimed the pigs were welded down and Jim M. is still searching for his elusive 10 rams to wrap up his Grand Slam. Aaron M. almost missed his relay doing range maintenance cleaning up the duds. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen bagels from Nezuntoz Cafe. Several folks got an arms length of tickets but only one mattered and Jack E. had it - enjoy, Jack!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday August 18 Recap

We got off to a cloudy and cool start but it warmed up some with more sunshine as the day wore on. What didn't change was the rather cool stiff breeze that occasionally blew down some turkeys and rams. If only they went over that easy when you shoot at them! Apparently word is out about how much fun this cowboy silhouette thing is because we had a packed house with 20 shooters over 5 full relays for round 1! Rob C., Dave S., Rob S., and Jordan S. all made their first trip to the BCSA range - welcome aboard guys! Then there is always the usual cast of characters with lots of "friendly fire" going on between relays. Aaron M. decided to pass the down time by reading a Japanese comic book/graphic novel, though most of us would feel more comfortable with something along the lines of Speed Racer. In round 1, Dale B., Jim F., and Josh L. pegged 10 piggies each. Ray H. did the dirty bird as he went 9-in-a-row but missed turkey number 10. Josh L. was kind enough to reset two of my rams that blew over so I could knock'em over for real. Jim M. then offered to buy my 10 rams but terms of a sale could not be reached.

In round 2, Josh L. was having so much fun he jumped in to fill a vacancy in relay 5 for a double header. And as conditions gradually warmed up so did the shooters. Ray H., Bob J., Dave L., Aaron M., and Jim M. all went for 10 porkers and Jim F. and Jim M. nailed 10 chickens as well. Ray H. finished out the round with a very nice score of 35. And Dave L. was in the zone all day as he fired back to back personal best scores of 32 and got his first 10-in-a-row ever - nice shooting, Dave! We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen wings from Nirchi's Pizza in Conklin. This week the raffle tickets were awarded based on the two round total of turkeys. Several folks had an arms length of tickets but in the end it was first time junior shooter Jordan S. who won the wings - congratulations, Jordan!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 15 Recap

The early morning rain had moved through leaving us with chilly and breezy conditions for our cowboy silhouette shoot. Despite the less than ideal conditions, we still had a smallbore cowboy posse of 18 shooters over 5 relays for round 1 - nice turnout folks! Chris B., Jocko L. and Greg S. all made their first trip to the cowboy range this season - welcome aboard guys! Apparently the gloomy weather helped us dial in to the targets because there were a lot of nice scores turned in. In round 1, Dale B., Ray H., and Rob S. nailed 10 pigs and Dave L. had 9 turkeys in a row but needed an alibi shot at number 10 because one turkey had blown over. But Dave was not to be denied as he nailed that lone surviving turkey - nice shooting, Dave! Other nice scores from round 1 included Josh L. with a 30, Jocko L. with a 31, Butch R. with a 32, and Dale B. with a 33 - good job fellas! And in authentic western style Ray H. had to contend with a "tumble weed" (actually an old paper target that was blowing across the range) as he shot turkeys. He retrieved the target and showed us a hole in the bullseye he claimed was his shot. Leave it to Ray to shoot some bull...

The ranks thinned a bit for round 2 but we were still running 4 relays. Several shooters requested that the chickens be painted white for this round instead of our usual orange so we gave it a try. Unfortunately the mix of sun and clouds played tricks with the white chickens on the rock background and we wound up with peek-a-boo targets for a while. This didn't seem to bother Jocko as he went 10-10 on chickens and pigs on his way to a very nice score of 33 - nice shooting, Jocko! His score would have been higher but he rang several rams by hitting them in their "private parts". Joe C. found a nice groove and scored a 32 and Dale B. turned in another round of 33. Jack E. did his best Colonel Sanders imitation as he had some issues and "choice words" for the chickens. And after starting with some dancing turkeys I went 10-10-10-10 for a clean round of 40. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse. Many tickets were given out but the winning ticket belonged to Jim F. who won the prize in absentia - Enjoy, Jim!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday October 20 Recap

We started out with some sunshine but things slowly went downhill as the wind increased, the temperature decreased, and even had to deal with a brief shower during the match. Turnout was quite light but we were pleased to have first time silhouette shooter John R. make the trip in from the Sherburne area and Chad H. joined us for the first time as well - welcome aboard, guys! In round 1, Ray H., Butch R., and Dave S. all popped 10 piggies, Dave L. choked on a pork chop, and Bob J. found out he shoots just as well without his glasses as he does with them. In round 2, Butch continued to dominate the swine with another 10 while Ray H., Dave L., and Dave S. fell one short of porcine perfection. We wrapped things up with a special double raffle. Tickets were given out based on the two round total score on chickens. Dave S. found himself in possession of the winning ticket in the first drawing and took home a gift certificate for a dozen donuts from Apple Hills - congratulations, Dave! The winner of the second raffle was none other than Bob J. and he won a dozen bagels from Nezuntoz Cafe - enjoy, Bob!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday May 15 Recap

The weather was warm and pleasant for our first air rifle silhouette shoot of the season. It was just about perfect...except for the wind as a stiff breeze made for challenging air rifle conditions. Fortunately the wind only affected the pellets since the shooters were all snug inside our newly remodeled air rifle silhouette house! It's so nice that even the bees want to move in. Dave L. came to the line with his PCP Falcon TRL and bright yellow SCUBA tank while the other "manly" shooters used springers ;) As for the shooting, everything went off without a hitch (until Dan D. dumped his tin of pellets on the floor). Dave L. had a nice run on the pigs in round 2 but after 8-in-a-row, number 9 proved to be uncooperative. Most folks also had a case of "gobble wobble" as the turkeys were tough to take down.

We capped things off with a raffle for a free loaf of bread from Great Harvest Bread Company. MegaMillions may sell more tickets but nothing beats the excitement of the BCSA silhouette raffle. After several tense moments the winning ticket was drawn. And the winner was...Dana B. - Congrats Dana! Enjoy the bread!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday May 29 Recap

The weather was just about perfect for an evening of air rifle silhouette shooting with sunshine, pleasant temperatures, and just a bit of a breeze. We were pleased to welcome Greg S. to the line as a new air rifle silhouette shooter. It's always good to add another member to the fresh air club! Despite the good weather it was a small core of air heads for the evening shoot and things went by rather quick. Round 1 got off to a slow start but as Emeril says we "kicked it up a notch" and things improved for round 2. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a free pizza from Michelangelo's. It was almost even odds who would win but in the end it was Dave L. who claimed the prize - enjoy the pizza Dave!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday June 12 Recap

The weather was less than optimal to say the least as thunderstorms with heavy rain, gusty wind, and even small hail rolled over the range throughout our shoot. Thankfully we had the new air rifle house to keep us out of the elements! But air rifle shooters are a hardy bunch so we pressed on. Things got off to a slow start but scores picked up a bit for round 2. Dennis S. was liking the performance of his new toy and Greg S. was trying to spook the groundhogs with the reset cord. Funny how the groundhogs were unfazed by the air rifles and the pistol match next door but made a bee line for cover when Dave L. topped off his PCP with air. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a $10 gift certificate from Niko's Diner. Dennis S. made the trip across the Southern Tier in bad weather pay off as he had the winning ticket and claimed the prize - enjoy, Dennis!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday June 26 Recap

We started our air rifle shoot with true summer conditions as temperatures rapidly approached the melting point of lead. Aside from the stifling heat and swarming bugs it was perfect conditions for a silhouette shoot - I guess it's better than another hail storm! It was suggested that we pull our cars to the line so we could shoot in air conditioned comfort but NRA rules prohibit "drive-by silhouette" so we toughed it out. Dan D. was kind enough to provide cold seltzer as a refreshment but it left Dave L. looking for a chaser. As for the shooting, I think the heat welded the turkeys in place since they were tough all evening. Round 2 provided interesting scores with everyone getting a good "ace and ten" BlackJack hand, depending on how you look at it. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen free bagels from Nezuntos Cafe. Dan D. proved that nice guys don't always finish last as he had the winning ticket and claimed the prize.

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday July 10 Recap

We had another summer scorcher with hazy sunshine and temperatures in the 90's for our air rifle silhouette shoot. Once again Dan D., aka "The Waterboy", was providing ice cold bottled water for anyone seeking to avoid dehydration. Dave L. gave his CO2 gun a try but felt more confident with his trusty PCP after sending a CO2 cartridge zooming into the trees. And Greg S. was right on target during practice using the temperature adjusted ballistics he found on-line.

As for the shooting, we all managed to get through the sweltering heat to complete our shoot. In round 2 Greg S. had a nice 7 on the chickens and Dave L. had 7 chickens and 9 rams to finish with a strong 23. I followed Dave's lead and had a 9 of my own on the rams but I rang number 10 with an edge shot. We concluded our festivities with a raffle for a $10 gift certificate from The Spot Restaurant. Dave L. was able to convert his hot shooting into a winning ticket and took home the prize - congrats, Dave!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday July 24 Recap

We had ideal conditions for air rifle silhouette - sunshine, pleasant temperatures, and just a light breeze. However, it was a bit noisier than usual as trap shooters to the left and pistol shooters to the right drowned out our little "BB guns". Dave L. has been bending the ear of Dominick U. so he finally decided to take a few pops and borrowed a PCP from Dave. The shooting moved along right quick and our two rounds went nice and smooth. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen wings from Nirchi's Pizza in Conklin. The raffle was hotly contested but in the end it was Dave L. who emerged to claim the prize - enjoy, Dave!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday August 7 Recap

As we have come to expect this season, the sky looked ominous at the start of our shoot and sure enough we were dealing with showers for a good part of the evening. Despite the threatening conditions Art D. rode his motorcycle up from Williamsport PA to join us. Pat S. also decided to get in on the fun and try air rifle silhouette for the first time, using an gun from the air armory of Dave L. In round 1, Pat S. had a very nice 11 for her first match, Dave L. pegged 7 piggies, and Art was warming up to his new Diana. We also had several opportunities to try air rifle trap as clay birds occasionally flew through the range from the trap guys. In round 2, Greg S. took some pops with his CFX, Dave L. got 7 pigs again, and Art found his comfort zone with 7 chickens and pigs. We capped things of with a raffle for a free calzone from DP Dough. And the winner was...Art D., making the wet ride home worth it!

Round 1

Round 2

Tuesday August 21 Recap

Well this was certainly a nice change of pace - it rained all day but stopped just in time for our shoot! While it was nice to stay dry conditions were not exactly ideal with cloudy skies, temperatures only around 60 degrees, and a cool breeze. Greg S. was enjoying the cool weather while reminiscing about his time spent in an underground jart league. Dave L. was trying to fix a leaky fill adapter - again. Time for a springer, Dave! We even had a small audience that drifted over from the high power range. As for the shooting, everything went off without a hitch. In round 1, Pat S. mowed down 8 chickens and turned in a nice score of 17. Most impressive since Pat is trying to shoot with her non-dominant eye! Dave L. was still ironing out the wrinkles in his BAM-50 project while Greg and I were left to contemplate the madness that is piston powered air rifles. Our raffle prize this week was a $20 gift certificate to Kovarick's True Value Hardware. Pat S. parlayed her strong shooting on chickens to a winning raffle ticket and claimed the prize - nice going, Pat!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 1 Recap

What a great way to kick off our September Saturday air rifle silhouette shoots! The weather was absolutely perfect - a few early morning clouds gave way to brilliant sunshine with cool temperatures. Bob J. made his first trip to the air rifle range this year, a clear sign that the cause of the cool weather was that hell had frozen over. Dan D. was in desperate need of his morning caffeine fix so he ventured out to find a dime bag of french roast.

As for the shooting, in round 1 Dave L. hammered home 9 pigs while Greg and Pat S. fired mirror image rounds of lucky 13. In round 2, Bob J. popped 8 rams, Greg took a walk on the "dark side" and nailed 7 turkeys, and I finished up with 10 chickens to double my score for the round - yikes! We wrapped things up with a raffle for a dozen wings from Bobby's Place in Endwell and Dave L. took home the prize - enjoy, Dave!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 8 Recap

We had rather pleasant weather for our early bird air rifle silhouette shoot and all went well, though we all got off to a sluggish start. In round 2, Dave L. found a groove and plinked 7 piggies and Greg S. took another walk on the "dark side" with one of Dave's PCP's (use the force Greg, use the force!). We capped things off with a raffle for a gift certificate to Our Country Hearts. Pat was delighted that Greg had the winning ticket and was eager to swap prizes from her previous raffle victory - Enjoy!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 15 Recap

Things got off to a cool and soggy start with some showers and a bit of a breeze to contend with. Greg S. was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his new TX200 from FedEx, but it is still en route. Dominick M. was also ready to try out his new toy - a nice Air Arms PCP he wound up getting a great deal on.

In round 1, Bob J. used his finicky bumble bee Steyr to pick off 8 rams while Greg S. was pounding 7 pigs. Mine was the "one that got away" as I left pig 10 standing. In round 2, Bob J. turned his attention to getting 8 pigs, Dave L. was flummoxed by the turkeys, and Dan D. had the wrong kind of bagel for breakfast. We wrapped things up with our raffle for a gift certificate to Number 5/Lampey's. Bob J. put his tickets to good use and took home the goods - Enjoy, Bob!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 22 Recap

What a great morning for an air rifle silhouette shoot - Lots of sunshine, pleasant temperatures, and just a bit of a breeze. It doesn't get much better than this! Great weather certainly helps to bring folks out and we had almost 2 full relays with 7 shooters on the line for round 1! Greg S. was eager to take some pops with his new TX200 and Pat S. came along to avoid another white water rafting trip through the living room. Dominick M. was rationing his pellets since he misplaced his last box and Dan D. was contemplating yet more wheeling and dealing for another air rifle. As for the shooting, everything went smooth and we all had a good time. Bob J. and Greg S. were wishing for 20ft/lbs as they both rang several rams and Dave L. ran into some dark meat on the turkeys. We wrapped things up with a raffle for a pound of coffee from Tom's Coffee, Cards, & Gifts. After several tense moments a ticket was pulled out and the winner was...Bob J. - Enjoy, Bob!

Round 1

Round 2

Saturday September 29 Recap

Apparently we got all of the bad weather out of the way during the summer as we had yet another fabulous day for our final morning air rifle silhouette shoot of the season. The usual suspects were once again on hand and we all had a great time. Pat S. was enjoying our blue light special of buy one, get one free on the chickens, while Dave L. was ready to just buy a ram. Dominick M. got a fresh delivery of pellets and was putting them to good use and Bob J. found out that no matter how good the gun, it will only shoot well if you close the bolt. Greg S. put his TX200 to good use coming up just one turkey short of tying his personal with a round 2 score of 18 - nice shooting, Greg! We capped things off with a raffle for one dozen donuts from Apple Hills and Bob J. was pleased to claim the prize.

Round 1

Round 2