Vern, I can say this.
When Gene gave me back the targets, they were in a nice box, with the addresses of all of the Committee Members, so I guess this was the box used to ship them. In short, they were well protected, Gene saw to it that NOTHING could happen to them, as has happenned in years past, and they appeared to have no bends, folds, cracks, or any kind of damage that would have affected the Committee Memebers arriving at their measurements.
In my opinion, the Records Committee did their job. What I am beginning to see is what we have is a desrepency in how targets are measured, when getting down to measurements this small, the way individule places the reticles, and the way the individule ascertains exactly what is "bullet black', what is paper extrusion, etc, is open for interpretation. In the end, the Records Committee has no choice but to record what they believe is the largest possible measurements, because once they are a record, it cannot be taken back.
I have said before, I accept these measurements as far as the Official NBRSA Record is concerned. I simply think that, in my opinion, they aggregate is a tad smaller than the official measurments.
I have also taken these targets and laid them beside targets with 6mm holes in them. In my opinion, there is a lot more of that spiderwebbing emmitting from the 30 caliber holes that the 6mm holes. I do not know what causes this, but you can sure see it when you look at them with a magnifying glass.
Perhaps in the future, the Sanctioning Bodies will look into this.
.Records have very little to do with our everyday shooting. But, it is a important event in the life of an individule, and the excitement of even being considered is something to cherish. But, If a record is not a record, then the last thing we want is for the committe to "give the shooter a break". This is a tough game, it should remain that way. That keeps us all coming back in order to do better......jackie