J
Jeff Welker
Guest
On April 16th and 17th the Visalia Sportsman Association held a Sporter and Light Varmint competition at the Dale Wimp Rifle Range in Visalia, California.
Please Note - I am posting this report on behalf of Messrs. Dan Lutke; who is currently experiencing technology challenges and is "off line". Accordingly, this post will be lacking the normal excellence associated with Dan's reporting.
I must also confess to not being present for this shoot. I love shooting at Visalia. The funky range, great competition and the opportunity to rub shoulders with Steve Perry Sr. and Steve Perry Jr.! In an effort to level the playing field and handicap the competition, the Visalia Sportsman Association placed a physical limitation on shooters from Arizona. Specifically, they would only allow Arizona shooters that were less than 4' tall and had less than 50% of their hair remaining. This restriction resulted in only allowing Gary Ocock to represent Arizona - thus excluding tall shooters like myself that still have most of my hair.
Conditions were typical weather for Visalia this time of year. Temps ranged from the mid 50's in the morning to high 70's in the afternoon. Humidity averaged in the mid 60% and winds were tricky with the classic switches and no-see-ums that make Visalia so challenging.
The SP5-100 was won by Russell Hessey with a .2260. Second was the Clown Prince of Benchrest (Messrs. Tom Libby III) with a .2328 and third went to Rich Graham with a .2432. Small group for SP5-100 went to Norm Jeffery, who shot a nice .154 in Match #1.
The SP5-200 winner was Bob McGraw who shot a tiddy .2223. Like the SP5-100, 2nd place went to Mr. Libby with a .2651 (he clearly had his sporter dialed-in). 3rd place was achieved by Visalia veteran Bill Mellor with a .2706. Small group for SP5-200 was shot by Jim Nicolas who shot a .318 in Match #5.
The Sporter Grand Winner is Messrs. TOM LIBBY III. Tom shot a .2490 to take the grand. Bob McGraw was second with a .2535 agg and Jim Nicolas took third with a .2654.
The LV5-100 was won by Steve Epstein with a .2086. Gary Ocock was second with .2114 and Art Kawai took third with a .2414. Small group for LV5-100 was won by Gary Ocock with a .143 in Match #5 (nice finishing group).
LV5-200 was won by Carolyn Libby with a very tiddy .2122. As you know, Carolyn is one of the best shooters in benchrest and has achieved many victories while keeping The Clown Prince in check - way to go Carolyn! Second place went to Bob McGraw with a .2251 and third was achieved by Joe Stanovich/Steve Perry Jr. with a .2265. Small group for LV5-200 went to Carolyn Libby who shot a very small .182 in Match #5. To help salve the wounded egos of the masculine shooters, Carolyn provided each of them with a dose of Midol to help with their cramps
In a victory for the sub 4' and balding Arizona shooters, the Light Varmint Grand was won by GARY OCOCK. Gary shot a .2363 to take the grand. Second place went to Joe Stanovich with a .2530. While I was not there, I can imagine the grinning that Joe/Steve Jr. had on his face as he drove home Sunday. Third place went to The Clown Prince of Benchrest with a .2624.
THE SPORTER/LIGHT VARMINT 2-GUN CHAMPION IS HALL OF FAME ROCK STAR BENCHREST SHOOTER - GARY OCOCK. Gary shot a .2533 to take the title. Close on Gary's heels was Tom Libby with a .2557. Third went to Bob McGraw with a .2666.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS!
Complete match results are attached below.
Photos of the winners. Since I don't know everyone's name, let's just identify the group as friends of Steve Perry Sr. and Steve Perry Jr.
NOTE - NAMES OF WINNERS NOW AVAILABLE - THANKS BOYD & RYAN
Back row L-R: Jim Nichols, Bob McGraw, Joe Stanovich, Rich Graham, Lou Murdica
Front row L-R: Bill Mellor, Tom Libby III, Caroline Libby
L-R: Norm Jeffery, Steve Epstein, Rich Graham, Gary "The Oozer" Ocock, Tom Libby III "The Clown Prince of Benchrest", Art Kawai, Russell Hessey
Please Note - I am posting this report on behalf of Messrs. Dan Lutke; who is currently experiencing technology challenges and is "off line". Accordingly, this post will be lacking the normal excellence associated with Dan's reporting.
I must also confess to not being present for this shoot. I love shooting at Visalia. The funky range, great competition and the opportunity to rub shoulders with Steve Perry Sr. and Steve Perry Jr.! In an effort to level the playing field and handicap the competition, the Visalia Sportsman Association placed a physical limitation on shooters from Arizona. Specifically, they would only allow Arizona shooters that were less than 4' tall and had less than 50% of their hair remaining. This restriction resulted in only allowing Gary Ocock to represent Arizona - thus excluding tall shooters like myself that still have most of my hair.
Conditions were typical weather for Visalia this time of year. Temps ranged from the mid 50's in the morning to high 70's in the afternoon. Humidity averaged in the mid 60% and winds were tricky with the classic switches and no-see-ums that make Visalia so challenging.
The SP5-100 was won by Russell Hessey with a .2260. Second was the Clown Prince of Benchrest (Messrs. Tom Libby III) with a .2328 and third went to Rich Graham with a .2432. Small group for SP5-100 went to Norm Jeffery, who shot a nice .154 in Match #1.
The SP5-200 winner was Bob McGraw who shot a tiddy .2223. Like the SP5-100, 2nd place went to Mr. Libby with a .2651 (he clearly had his sporter dialed-in). 3rd place was achieved by Visalia veteran Bill Mellor with a .2706. Small group for SP5-200 was shot by Jim Nicolas who shot a .318 in Match #5.
The Sporter Grand Winner is Messrs. TOM LIBBY III. Tom shot a .2490 to take the grand. Bob McGraw was second with a .2535 agg and Jim Nicolas took third with a .2654.
The LV5-100 was won by Steve Epstein with a .2086. Gary Ocock was second with .2114 and Art Kawai took third with a .2414. Small group for LV5-100 was won by Gary Ocock with a .143 in Match #5 (nice finishing group).
LV5-200 was won by Carolyn Libby with a very tiddy .2122. As you know, Carolyn is one of the best shooters in benchrest and has achieved many victories while keeping The Clown Prince in check - way to go Carolyn! Second place went to Bob McGraw with a .2251 and third was achieved by Joe Stanovich/Steve Perry Jr. with a .2265. Small group for LV5-200 went to Carolyn Libby who shot a very small .182 in Match #5. To help salve the wounded egos of the masculine shooters, Carolyn provided each of them with a dose of Midol to help with their cramps
In a victory for the sub 4' and balding Arizona shooters, the Light Varmint Grand was won by GARY OCOCK. Gary shot a .2363 to take the grand. Second place went to Joe Stanovich with a .2530. While I was not there, I can imagine the grinning that Joe/Steve Jr. had on his face as he drove home Sunday. Third place went to The Clown Prince of Benchrest with a .2624.
THE SPORTER/LIGHT VARMINT 2-GUN CHAMPION IS HALL OF FAME ROCK STAR BENCHREST SHOOTER - GARY OCOCK. Gary shot a .2533 to take the title. Close on Gary's heels was Tom Libby with a .2557. Third went to Bob McGraw with a .2666.
CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS!
Complete match results are attached below.
Photos of the winners. Since I don't know everyone's name, let's just identify the group as friends of Steve Perry Sr. and Steve Perry Jr.
NOTE - NAMES OF WINNERS NOW AVAILABLE - THANKS BOYD & RYAN
Back row L-R: Jim Nichols, Bob McGraw, Joe Stanovich, Rich Graham, Lou Murdica
Front row L-R: Bill Mellor, Tom Libby III, Caroline Libby
L-R: Norm Jeffery, Steve Epstein, Rich Graham, Gary "The Oozer" Ocock, Tom Libby III "The Clown Prince of Benchrest", Art Kawai, Russell Hessey
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