The Missouri Shooter - Online Edition - October 1999

OCTOBER 1999 ISSUE CONTENTS

* Annual Meeting * Rifle Raffle * CMP 22s * The Ultimate Clunker * Bears? * FREE ADS! *  A.S.K. * MO HP @ Perry * SUBMIT! * GV 2700 * Outdoor Bullseye Champs * Service Rifle Champs * HP Champs * SB Prone Champs * MSSA History * Pvt. Talley * MSSA Top Ten * Our mission... *

Pagemaster's Notes: This Online Edition of The Missouri Shooter is NOT identical to the printed edition, but will vary in both content and appearance. It is the policy of this WWWebsite to edit out all personal telephone numbers and street addresses (to reserve privacy), to keep email addresses, P.O. boxes and company street addresses when published (to preserve utility), and to replace (where possible) lists of printed information with links to websites which contain the same information (to conserve bandwidth). The print edition is ONLY mailed to MSSA Members and Affiliates; Join today!

Steve McGhee, MSSA President recently announced that the MSSA Annual Meeting will be held in the Auditorium of the Missouri Department of Conservation, Main Office Complex Center, on Truman Road, Jefferson City, MO, at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, November 6, 1999.

The MSSA Annual Awards Banquet will be held the same date, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at Viet�s Restaurant at Missouri Blvd. and Dix Road in Jefferson City, and is also open to all interested members. Please make plans to attend. Reservation requests can be made by sending $14.00 to MSSA, P.O. Box 10170, Columbia, MO 65205. Dinner reservations need to be received by November 3, 1999.

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M-1 Rifle Raffle to be Held by MSSA

MSSA will conduct a raffle for an M-1 Garand Rifle to be furnished by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP). Tickets will cost only $5.00 each as long as they last. Only 200 tickets will be sold, therefore each ticket purchaser will have a known probability of .5% chance of winning. The drawing will be held at MSSA's Annual Awards Banquet at Viets Restaurant in Jefferson City on November 6,1999. The winner need not be present to claim their prize.

To purchase tickets, send $5.00 for each ticket to MSSA Attention: M-1 Raffle P.O. Box 10170 Columbia, MO 65205

Please include a short note with your name, return address and phone number. Tickets will be sold in the order requests are received until all tickets are purchased. Ticket stubs will be returned by mail to all purchasers.

The CMP provides the rifles at a significantly reduced cost, to affiliated organizations such as MSSA, for use as fund raisers to support Junior shooting programs. The winner will receive a voucher for the rifle. He will then need to complete CMP's purchase requirement paperwork including a background check. CMP has promised to expedite the application process for this program. If an individual has already purchased an M-1 this year, this is an easy opportunity to purchase a second one for as little as $5.00. An M-1 Garand Rifle could be a fantastic Christmas/Hanukah gift. Please help support MSSA's Junior shooting programs by purchasing one

.22 Caliber Match Target Rifles For Sale Cheap

By Mitchell Peters

I know that got your attention. Sound too good to be true? Read on faithful followers and I�ll tell you how you can get yours. For some time the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) formerly known as the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) has conducted a .22 caliber target rifle sales program. The program was initially available only to qualified junior shooters, however April 1, 1999 the program was expanded to include adult shooters and affiliated shooting clubs that meet CMP rifle purchase criteria. What does all that mean? Simply put if you qualify now or in the past for a CMP M-1 Garand, you can get a CMP .22 match target rifle! I want to tell you they are one heck of a good deal, so read on.

Basic eligibility requirements are as follows.

• You must be a U.S. citizen aged 18 or older. This only applies to the parent or guardian when the purchase is for a junior shooter. Junior shooters must be younger than 21 years of age.

• You must be a current member of a CMP affiliated gun club or state association. This applies to both the parent or guardian and the junior shooter when the purchase is for a junior shooter. Please note MSSA is the state organization for Missouri.

• Satisfy CMP criteria for marksmanship participation within the past year. This only applies to the junior shooter when the purchase is for a junior shooter.

• Not prohibited by federal, state or local law from purchasing or possessing a rifle.

Additional information is detailed on the order form. CMP defines "marksmanship participation" and identifies the necessary additional documentation required. If you are ordering the guns for a junior shooter they are pretty liberal in what they define as marksmanship participation. State approved Hunter Education qualifies! You must include payment with your application. The easiest and most painless way to pay is by major credit card. The CMP will also perform A National Instant Check System (NICS)) when they process your application.

Now what kind of .22 caliber match target riles are available? When I originally wrote this article, four different models could be purchased. They are as follows:

• Mossberg Model 44 U.S. caliber .22 LR.

• Mossberg Model 144 U.S. caliber .22 LR

• Remington Model 541X Target Rifle Caliber .22 LR.

• Harrington & Richardson M12 Match Rifle .22 LR.

Unfortunately the Mossberg Model 144 U.S. and the Harrington & Richardson M12 Match Rifles were sold out as of July 1, 1999.

The Mossberg Model 44 U.S. and Model 144 U.S. were produced in the 40�s and 50�s respectfully. They were often used as training rifles by the military services. Specifications are as follows: Bolt action, 7-shot detachable box magazine (missing), target type micrometer click sights, target stock, sling swivels. Weight is 8 Lbs. And overall length 43 �". The price is $80.00 for juniors and $90.00 for adults.

According to CMP:

"Most of these rifles are over 50 years old but show little evidence of use. Trigger guards are made of plastic which has become very brittle. Many of the trigger guards are cracked. Those that are not cracked may crack during shipment or later use. Replacement trigger guards are not available through the CMP. Although we have not had any reports of these rifles failing to function, they are sold "as is" with no warranty express or implied. Except for the condition of [the] trigger guards and missing magazines, the remainder of the rifle would be classified NRA very good to excellent."

Yes, the magazines are missing and not available through CMP.

The Remington Model 541X Target Rifles were produced in the 80�s. Specifications are as follows: Bolt action, 5-shot detachable box magazine (included), rear sight-Williams F.P., front sight-Redfield Globe, target stock, sling swivels. Weight is 8.5 Lbs. And overall length 45 1/2". The price is $250.00 for juniors and $260.00 for adults.

According to CMP:

"Rifles are new, but have been in storage for many years. Although we have not had any reports of these rifles failing to function, they are sold "as is" with no warranty express or implied. Rifles are classified NRA excellent to perfect".

The Harrington & Richardson M12 Match Rifles were produced in the 80�s. They are the Government specified version of the civilian Model 5200. Specifications are as follows: Bolt action, single-shot, rear sight-Redfield Palma, front sight-Redfield Olympic, extra heavy weight barrel with dovetail scope bases, target stock, sling swivels. Weight is 12.5 Lbs. And overall length 46 1/2". The price was $260.00 for juniors and $300.00 for adults.

Unfortunately these H & R rifles are "sold out", however you may start to see a few at the bigger gun shows.

According to CMP:

"Rifles are new, but have been in storage for many years. Some rifles have shown signs of corrosion on the bolt and metal parts that come in contact with the bolt. Although we have not had any reports of these rifles failing to function, they are sold "as is" with no warranty express or implied. Rifles are classified NRA very good to perfect".

I ordered one each of the Remington and H & R rifles, in mid April. I used the same documents as I did when I applied for my CMP M-1. Please note however the application is a little different. I am not a competition shooter, so why did I order the guns? I thought they seemed to be a great deal and they are; or maybe I just wanted one or two. I finally feel like I got something of value from the Federal Government; a small fraction of the 25+ years of federal taxes I have been paying has come home to daddy.

The Remington arrived at my door in about 6 weeks, via Fed-X. The rifle came in an original Government specified box. The heavy cardboard box had been opened and resealed a couple of times prior to my receipt. The rifle was greased and or waxed in a vacuum-sealed bag. The bolt, sights, spare sight apertures, magazine, and swivels, all came in separate boxes and wrapped in foil faced, anti-corrosion paper. An original owner�s manual and CMP receipts were also included. The gun had been very well blocked with cardboard spacers and fillers. For those of you that may be unfamiliar with Government Issue cardboard, it is much more like Masonite or plywood than paper.

CMP was very accurate in their description various labels indicated the gun being manufactured in March 1983. The overall condition was about new with very minor storage wear. I installed the bolt, sights and swivels. Next I lightly wiped the rifle down and placed it in my "To be cleaned" rack. I am very pleased with the rifle however I have two slight criticisms. The magazine is plastic and the lines of the stock are a little awkward and not aesthetically pleasing.

The Harrington & Richardson M12 Match Rifle arrived at my door in about 9 weeks, via Fed-X. Just like the Remington, the rifle came in an original Government specified box. The heavy cardboard box had been opened and resealed a couple of times prior to my receipt. The rifle was greased and or waxed in an unsealed plastic bag. Inside the plastic bag part of the rifle was wrapped in foil faced, anti-corrosion paper. The bolt, sights, spare sight apertures, and swivels, all came in separate boxes and wrapped in foil faced, anti-corrosion paper. An original owner�s manual and CMP receipts were also included. The gun had been very well blocked with cardboard spacers and fillers.

Various labels indicated the gun being manufactured about 1982? CMP was accurate in their description the overall condition was about excellent with some definite storage wear. The bolt and the inside of the receiver do show evidence of corrosion; some slight staining on "white" metal parts from light rust. Someone at the depot had lightly sanded away the corrosion and sprayed the surfaces with WD-40. The rubber butt pad is starting to decompose from age and or petroleum based preservatives. When I unpacked the gun, I was disappointed to find that about 50% of the finish came off the stock where it had been wrapped with foil faced, anti-corrosion paper. I installed the bolt, sights and swivels. Next I lightly wiped the rifle down and placed it in my "To be cleaned" rack. I am very impressed with the rifle. This is a big, heavy, man-sized rifle, definitely not a kid�s gun. If H & R would have produced more guns like this instead of those ugly revolvers, they might still be in business.

Recently my army buddy LTC Tom Urich had visited on his way to Germany. Tom has been a competition shooter for over 35 years. He was very impressed with the quality and condition of both rifles. He ordered one of each prior to his move. He did tell me the sight sets on the H & R and Remington were worth at least $100.00 each, at gun show prices. How do the guns shoot? I haven�t had time to find out, but that would probably be a great story. Stay tuned.

My advice, if you are interested, get your application filled out and mailed as soon as you can. My informant says CMP is really getting backlogged and the current supply of guns will not meet the demand. What they thought was a 3-5 year supply may be exhausted by the end of the year. They will stop accepting applications when that number waiting to be processed equals the available supply. To obtain further information on the program to include small illustrations, you should look up the CMP on the Internet at: www.odcmp.com. Go to "Contents" and then scroll down to."22 Rifles". You can download and print out the order form, or request one is mailed to you. It is also an interesting website.

For those who may not have access to the Internet, try the following address and phone numbers.

   Civilian Marksmanship Program Attn: Caliber .22 Sales P.O. Box 576 Port Clinton, OH 43452 Telephone: (888) 267-0796 Fax: (419) 635-2802

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Shooting the Ultimate Clunker

By Larry Neckerman

In January of 1993, I was at a gun show standing in front of a table full of old, rusty military stuff. My eye fell on an old decrepit rifle. It was, very long, heavy and completely lacking style, grace or utility. A true clunker, I had to have it! Driving home I wondered if I could even identify it. Luck!, my research revealed it to be an Italian Vetterli model 1870/ 87/ 10. Wow! Three guns in one.

Italy acquired the Swiss Vetterli model 1869 action and built a unique and very ethnic single shot .41 caliber center fire rifle around it. Soon all their neighbors had repeaters so they hung a chunky, four shot box magazine under it. When WW1 broke out, they had their new 1891 6.5mm, Mannlicher-Carcano rifle on hand. But needing more arms they (dare I say it) decided to convert the Vetterli to the 6.5 mm Carcano cartridge.

The Italians must have been desperate to convert and modify their 40-year-old black powder rifles to smokeless powder cartridges. First a 6.5mm sleeve was brazed into the original drilled out barrel. Next the magazine was adapted to the Mannlicher-Carcano system. The arrangement uses a six cartridge clip, inserted into the magazine until it locks with a click. The clip drops free when the last round is chambered. Don�t lose the clip! , they are also collectors� items. The modified Vetterli rifles were probably not issued to front line troops. However they would have been valuable during an arms shortage to equip Border Guards, Artillerymen and Engineers. The second echelon units always get the leftovers.

The barrel is dated 1874 and it is the oldest gun I own. Now what do I do with it? Could I shoot it? Should I shoot it? The action looks weak and it is. Remember that it was designed for black powder metallic cartridges. The bolt has a big tulip shaped housing on the rear end, holding the firing pin and a huge coil spring. There are two locking lugs at the middle of the bolt similar to the British SMLE rifle. The assembly rides on a three-inch rail, but still flops around when retracted. A section of the cartridge rim can be seen when the bolt is locked. [This does not inspire confidence.]

I loaded all ammo light, just under starting loads. The Sierra 160-grain "pencil" bullet works well in the 33" gain twist barrel. Long bullets tend to heat the barrel rapidly; a minute between shots is a must. The open sights are�well�Italian, only slightly better than those of contemporary French arms. Struggling with those sights, I once managed a 3 �" ten shot group off the bench at 100 yards. However most groups are in the 4 to 6 inch range.

I have shot the rifle for 360 rounds over some 5 years. The brass is still good. I found it was fun imagining what it must have been like to be the poor Italian Jerk issued this dubious piece of 19^th century Italian craftsmanship in defense of life and country. There�s no other gun like it!

Next I think I�ll shoot a French Mannlicher-Berthier model of 1916, caliber 8mm Lebel, and straight from the trenches of WW1. I even get to make brass out of .348 Winchester. What a honey!

Editors note: Larry Neckerman is the Secretary / Treasurer of the Bucksnort Shooting Club, Marshall MO. I would like to thank Larry for a very original and entertaining article.

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Homesteading, Guns and Bears

By D. L. De Laney

So this will make some sense, I will tell you that at [the] time of this story, we as a family were involved in livestock in Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and Wyoming. So [I] guess we were a lot better off than later on, or today. In any event this [story] took place in northern Wisconsin, I guess around 1925 or so, and [it] was summertime.

Though I was a little kid, I remember very well, and I did know the firearms we had though not how to work them. There was an old "Long Tom" 16 bore, single shot with the REX-O-NOC brand on it. Which I later found was that of Hibbard Spencer Hardware Company, located in Chicago, and made for them by Iver Johnson. So it was an "owl head". Pa had a .351 [Winchester] self-loader, model 1907and a .22 rimfire, Savage model 1903; it was a hammerless slide action. The 16 bore was bought in 1910, they told me. So you see guns were part of our everyday life and when not being carried, sat in a chimney corner-"the inglenook". Oh yes, Pa had a .44 six-gun of some kind. I never knew what, as it was not used much. He finally traded it off.

The idea of starting that place was Grandpa�s, but [I] don�t why. It was all very primitive and they were still logging the county. There was a steam-powered sawmill a mile west of the place. I guess operated by the Northwestern Lumber Co. or Nuy-Lusk and Hudson Lumber Co. (Or was it spelled Ney or Neu? Same sound.)

We raised horses and were getting started with Holstein dairy cows, and they meant to sell milk and they did. We had the first livestock operation in the county.

There was lots of woods around but mostly cutover country, with lots of big old pine stumps. It was the very beginning---The beginning of the beginning. It was pioneering (but I didn�t know that). And yes, I had my work and chores little kid or not. So as you see not at all like now. No electricity, no roads, no fences No water other than the well and creek, no plumbing of any kind anywhere, all primitive!

Experiences with bears and wolves were an on going thing, and all bad as far as livestock [and] people were concerned. This is a bear story. In the yard about 50 yards southwest of the shanty, was a big balsam tree. It was late afternoon; a black heifer with a yearling was lying under it. Grandpa and I, (no one else was around) saw the bear come out of the brush and tackle the heifer. He swatted at her but she wasn�t killed right off. Grandpa didn�t know what to do. As it so happened all the guns were gone and the people too. He wanted to kill the bear and needed a rifle.

There was a guy camped a scant mile west, just below a kind of a mesa on a flat place. He was one of the brothers [named] Minzuel. His name was Louis, ("Looy"). He had a rifle of course. So Grandpa took off at a long trot to get Looy Minzuel to come up and kill the bear. Looy and old D. L. (Grandpa) came trotting back up across the mesa and up a little hill into the yard. Looy had a rifle all right, but he didn�t get to use it. They were too late.

While they were coming the bear had killed the heifer and dragged her off into the brush. When old D. L. and Looy came along, the bear hid out. Neither of them got sight of the varmint. We just had a dead heifer. [I] don�t know if they ever got the bear.

[THE MORAL OF THE STORY]

So you see how important it was to always have a rifle or some kind of gun available. It was simply an ongoing need. So that�s all, and I guess you can see why firearms have always been of great importance to me. Also I am a veteran of WW2-all theatres and Korea too!

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ADVERTISING: FOR SALE / WANTED

A.S.K. for Hunters Day Camp is a Success the First Time.

By Mitchell Peters

The first annual A.S.K. for Hunters Day Camp was a great success. A.S.K. stands for Attitude, Skill, and Knowledge. The St. Louis County Parks and Recreation and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) jointly conducted the camp August 2-6, 1999, at the MDC, Jay Henges Shooting Range and Training Center. The facility is located in far west St. Louis County at I-44 and Antire Road.

The A.S.K. for Hunters Day Camp focused on advanced hunting, shooting and conservation subjects for youth hunters. The only prerequisite for the camp is each youth must posses an MDC Hunter Education Card. Each topic is taught by a staff member or volunteer who is an expert in their subject. The cost is the unbelievable low price of only $50.00 dollars. Each youth provided their own lunch and transportation. All other supplies and materials were provided including ammunition and use of the guns.

Each morning was devoted to shooting. The students were given the necessary firearm safety and range instruction. Marksmanship began with .22�s and then progressed up to .243�s. Shotgun training included patterning, trap and 5-position skeet with 20 gauge guns. The .22�s used were the popular Marlin Model 25N. The .243�s used were Remington Model 7-youth, mounted with 4-power Bushnell scopes. The scopes were donated to the MDC specifically for youth hunting by the St. Louis Chapter of Safari Club International. The 20 gauge shotguns were the classic Remington Model�s 870 and 1100 in the shorter stocked and barreled youth versions. Olin Corporation, East Alton, IL, donated all .22, .243, and 20 gauge, Winchester brand ammunition.

Hunting and conservation subjects were taught in the afternoon. Most instruction was conducted in the modern, spacious, and air conditioned classroom at the training building. Hunting subjects included fur and feathered small game, deer, turkey, duck, goose and upland game. Conservation subjects included wildlife management, habitat, preferences and land navigation with map, compass and GPS. The MDC provided booklets and pamphlets.

Twenty-one students ranging from 11 to 15 years old graduated from the 5-day camp. They were Tony Askins, Nathan Aubuchon, Steve Engelhardt, John Furrer, Jenna Gannon, Bradley Girard, Andy Goudy, Curt Gonzales, Cameron Hall, Vincent Kerr, John Krebsbach, Danielle Metzger, Adam Naumann, Greg Otterstein, Tanner Peters, Joel Rodgers, Ryan Rodgers, Matt Siebert, James Vest, Kyle Vogler, and Adam Zeiter.

The staff instructors were: Scott Corley, Jim Engel, Eric Johnson, Kurt Otterstein, Bill Seibel, Greg Toczylowski, Sonny Wolf and MDC Agents Charles Griffin and Steve Lenz, and MDC Wildlife Biologist Dan Crigler, and MDC Forester Mark Nelson.

A special thanks to the volunteer instructors: Steve Fleming, Eddie Hammond, Bob Hendron, Don Holdinghaus, Ed Knighter, Carl Mortz, Jim Ragland, and Ralph Redstone.

Last year the first Hunter Education youth day camp was conducted jointly by STLC Parks & Rec. and the MDC. The first camp was so successful that the A.S.K. program was developed as a sort of Hunter Education II, for both last year�s graduates and other youths that have their Hunter Ed. card. This year the second annual Hunter Education youth day camp was conducted June 21-25, 1999.

The original concept for youth hunters� day camp was the brainchild of veteran Recreation Supervisor Kurt Otterstein. Kurt is also the administrator for the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation program, popularly known as "Gone Fishin". He got the idea for a youth hunter camp, based on the success of the youth fishing camp. The "Gone Fishin" program has grown in recent years to encompass hunting, firearms training, archery and other outdoor activities. As far as Kurt knows this is the first youth hunters� day camp in the state and maybe the nation sponsored at state level. Kurt was the driving force coordinating approval of his idea into a reality. Kurt approached Bill Seibel and Greg Toczylowski of the Missouri Department of Conservation to jointly collaborate on the project. Both were very enthusiastic supporters of the idea. Bill Seibel is the Protection Regional Programs Supervisor for the St. Louis Region. He is also well known as the co-host of the "Outdoor Show" which can be heard on KMOX radio. Bill wrote the syllabus and rounded up most of the instructors, volunteers and materials. Greg is the Training Center Supervisor at the Jay Henges Shooting Range and Training Center. Greg provided the facility, guns, ammunition, targets additional volunteers and gave full support to the camp.

When talking with Scott Corley, Kurt Otterstein, Bill Seibel and Greg Toczylowski, one is immediately impressed with their attitude, skills and knowledge. These are some of the most dedicated men of principle you can find in any field. Each has a different background of experience yet they are completely devoted to presenting a positive adult role model to young hunters and shooters. Each echoed the same sentiments of the ideals of giving back to the shooting sports, mentoring and continuing the shooting and hunting traditions and heritage. These men are the real heroes of our times.

Both camps will be offered again next summer. If you are interested, Please contact Recreation Supervisor Kurt Otterstein at 314-391-3474. They are also looking for sponsors, and donations of new hunting and shooting items to give away as awards to the young hunters.

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Missouri High Power Shooters Excel at Camp Perry

By Phil and Shiela Daniels

The Missouri State Service Rifle Team had a pretty good showing at the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio this year. With their best showing to date, the Missouri Team placed second in the civilian category of the National Trophy Team (NTT) match on 6 August. The 6-person team fired a score of 2861-84X, only 6 points behind the first place team from Georgia. Team members were Jerry Bohnert (team coach), Phil Daniels (team captain), Shiela Daniels, Mike Barron, Kevin Thomas, Chris Stark, Sr. and Chris Stark, Jr. Forty-four civilian teams together with 36 teams from the armed forces and junior ranks competed in the NTT this year. The NTT match consists of 10 shots fired from the offhand position and 10 shots rapid sitting both at 200 yards, 10 shots rapid prone at 300 yards and 20 shots slow prone at 600 yards. No sighting shots are allowed so the shooter must know his equipment and be on his/her toes. This is strictly a service rifle event; the increasingly popular AR-15/M16 and the tough M1A/M14 are the 2 most favored rifles in this match. The rifles must maintain the external appearance of the service issued rifles but are hardly standard equipment internally. Rules allow for the use of match and floated barrels, bedded actions, and upgraded triggers and sights and custom hand loads. Shooting conditions were bright and clear with fairly challenging winds at 600 yards. Jerry Bohnert acted as team coach and did a great job scoping the wind changes and coaching every point out of the shooters.

Our Missouri junior shooters also garnered some much earned recognition. Chris Stark, Jr. won the ROTC Award during the National Trophy Individual Match. Not content with that, he also won the Porter Cup Match, 1000 yard with a service rifle. He earned both awards shooting an M14 (who said the stick is dead?). Nick Gordanier and Chris, Jr. shot together as the Missouri junior team on the Whistler Boy match earning a score of 932-26X, just a few points from a bronze medal. The Whistler Boy is a 2-person junior team event firing the same 50 shot course as the NTT. Another junior shooter, Kiki Chosid took first place as an individual shooter during the Whistler Boy Match firing a score of 463-5X, her career best. In the event of an incomplete squad, a competitor can shoot for individual honors. Kiki finished at the top of the individual list.

Congratulations go to all of our Missouri shooters for their efforts at Camp Perry this year.

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Editors Note: Regarding Submissions for Publication

I gladly welcome any true and original shooting, hunting or firearm related article, experience or story submitted by MSSA members. This is your opportunity to pass on your personal experiences and promote your interests. Any junior members are also welcome to submit their school compositions and reports that relate to the above subjects. You don�t have to be a Hemingway. Just write it like you would speak it. I can fix spelling and grammar errors. Include your name address and phone number, in case I need to contact you regarding questions, or editing. Please contribute regularly.

Deadlines for publication will be:

1) Dec. 20, 2) Mar. 25, 3) June 25, 4) Sept. 25.

This will correspond with the quarterly issues. I would prefer that you e-mail your articles to me as an attachment, in Microsoft Word. We would also like to try to incorporate some graphics or photos. If you can gain access to either a scanner or digital camera, forward the image as an attachment to e-mail. I am looking forward to hearing from you soon. My e-mail address is: [email protected]

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Results � Green Valley 2700 Pistol Match

By Kent Finlay

The Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club hosted an NRA approved Outdoor 2700 pistol match Aug. 15th at their Columbia facility. 9 competitors attended, including 1st time shooter Mike Sears of Madison. James Scott of St. Louis fired his personal best aggreate at the match. Our next match will be fired October 17. For match info contact Kent Finlay. Scores are as follows:

Mike Sears MU 2175-15X

Kent Finlay EX 2548-86X Match Winner

Dennis West EX 2535-68X 2nd Place

Phil McFall EX 2511-70X

James Scott EX 2508-50X

Will Sisson EX 2479-51X

Chris Guerrero EX 2411-58X

William Wolf MK 2202-22X

Carl Robertson MK 2000-25X

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MO State Outdoor Conventional Pistol Championship Results

By Kent Finlay

The Arnold Rifle and Pistol Club near Barnhart, Mo. hosted the Mo State Outdoor Conventional Pistol Championship July31/Aug 1, 1999. 15 shooters vied for the state title with Championship honors going to Jim Henderson of Festes, his 2nd time as state champion. Bill Reinhold of St. Louis took his 1st Senior Championship title. Results are as follows:

Jim Henderson HM 2630-141X Champ

Dave Jones HM 2589-93X

Leroy Williams MA 2575-80X

Bill Reinhold EX 2546-65X 1st EX & Sr. Champ

Kent Finlay EX 2544-78X 2nd EX

Phil McFall EX 2494-60X 3rd EX

James Scott EX 2470-50X

Will Sisson EX 2467-50X

Gary Martin EX 2443-36X

Bill Warren EX 2422-51X

Charles Grassham EX 2387-40X

Chris Guerrero EX 2305-41X

Kenneth Dreyer SS 2383-36X 1st SS

Darrell Wilson SS 2298-28X

John Dreyer MU 2119-20X

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Missouri State Service Rifle Championship Results

By Kent Finlay

The St. Louis Benchrest Rifle Club near Wright City hosted their 1st Missouri State Service Rifle Championship at their new facility on July 10-11, 1999. 62 competitors from 4 states spent 2 pleasant days on the 20 point 600 yard range. Although the grounds were a little muddy, the weather was great and the staff did an excellent job. Kevin Thomas of Sedalia won his 1st Service Rifle Mo. State Championship. Individual place winners are listed below.

10 teams fired the 30 shot President's 100 course for team honors. The match winning team was Illinois State Rifle Assn. team (1144-29X) consisting of J. Hollinger 298-7X, D. Moran 287-10X, D. Stone 282-4X & A. Roy 286-8X. The 2nd place & Mo State Champion Team was Missouri State (1124-18X) J. Chosid 286-6X, P. Daniels 281-5X, D. Schmidt 278-4X, & C. Strannigan 279-3X.

38 shooters fired in the Distinguished Rifle Match, with the match winner being Alonda Roy of Illinois firing a 487-17X. Those shooters obtaining points toward their distinguished badge would be: Philip Daniels 471-12X, Jason Imhoff (a junior from Arkansas) 469-5X, and Steven Cothren 468-7X.

• High Master Class (7)

John Hollinger 791-34X Match Winner

Alonda Roy 780-27X 2nd place

Don Moran 775-22X 1st HM

• Master Class (16)

Kevin Thomas 778-21X 3rd place & Mo Champion

Jack Arnold 759-17X 1st MA

Chris Strannigan 759-14X 2nd MA

Phil Daniels 758-13X 3rd MA

• Expert Class (19)

Jason Imhoff 755-16X 1st EX

Joe Bruch 753-14X 2nd EX

Fred Smith 751-12X 3rd EX

Shiela Daniels 720-9X Woman Mo. Champion

• Sharpshooter Class (8)

Charles Wilson 731-2X 1st SS

William Elam 721-7X 2nd SS

Kiki Chosid 706-13X Junior Mo. Champion

• Marksman Class (12)

James Jackson 720-7X 1st MK

Sam Murphy, Jr. 713-3X 2nd MK

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MO State Highpower Championship Results

By Kent Finlay

The Bucksnort Shooting Club near Marshall, Mo. hosted the Mo. State Highpower Championship on June 5-6, 1999. 59 shooters from 5 states attended the match. Mike Barron fired a 984-26X to become Champion in both the Open and Senior catagories. Shiela Daniels took the Woman's catagory with a 928-14X, and Christopher Stark fired a 938-19X to win the Junior catagory. 8 teams fired for the championship with MO 4 winning top honors with a 1932-44X aggreate. Team members were M. Barron 487-13X, J. Bohnert 474-8X, J. Semmons 483-12X, and K. Thomas 488-11X. Place winners are as follows:

• High Master Class (8)

Mike Barron 984-26X Champion

Ken Spears 971-30X 2nd place

Donald Teusaw 968-20X 3rd place

Christopher Stark 967-22X 1st HM

• Master Class (22)

Fred Bertelsman 949-22X 1st MA

Kevin Thomas 947-23X 2nd MA

Frank Hull 943-16X 3rd MA

• Expert Class (15)

Michael Dodson 938-23X 1st EX

Mark Henrichs 937-17X 2nd EX

Shiela Daniels 928-14X 3rd EX

• Sharpshooter Class (5)

Kevin Huber 916-19X 1st SS

• Marksman Class (9)

Kiki Chosid 885-10X 1st MK

Michael Dufford 875-9X 2nd MK

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Missouri Small Bore Rifle Prone Championship

By Harold Miederhoff

Twenty-one competitors were at Bucksnort Range in Marshall on September 11-12 for this years version of Small Bore Rifle Prone State Championship shooting. They were treated to warm (for September) windy conditions on Saturday and rain that fell straight down (sometimes hard) on Sunday. The scores for the 2 days are very revealing of the conditions. The best score on Saturday was a 1591 and no one had more than 95 X's. On Sunday there were four 1599's and ten shooters had over 100 X's. Among the resident shooters, Bob McCammon from St. Joseph came out on top to claim the state title. It is his first SB Prone Championship. He previously has won several High Power Championships. Dan Rebhan from St. Louis won the Junior championship for the second year. Congratulations to Bob and Dan, the 1999 Missouri State Small Bore Rifle Prone Champions.

Results summary:

• IRON SIGHT AGGREGATE

Win D. Mayfield 1591-95

Second C. Daniels 1591-90

1 Ex/Ss R. Sedlacek 1586-80

2 Ex/Ss J. Semmons 1582-85

3 Ex/Ss B. McCammon 1579-74

1 Mk D. Rebhan 1555-64

2 Mk S. Rebhan 1554-64

• ANY SIGHT AGGREGATE

Win R. Parsons 1599-143

Second C. Daniels 1599-126

1 Ex/Ss B. McCammon 1599-112

2 Ex/Ss J. Johannes 1599-106

3 Ex/Ss K. Thomas 1598-126

1 Mk G. Carder 1588-89

• GRAND AGGREGATE

Win C. Daniels 3190-216

Second D. Mayfield 3187-215

1 Ex/Ss B. McCammon 3178-186

2 Ex/Ss R. Parsons 3177-218

3 Ex/Ss J. Semmons 3175-190

1 Mk S. Rebhan 3118-119

On Saturday afternoon a special 200 yard Small Bore Rifle match was fired using pit operated targets. Kurt Schinze from St. Joseph was the winner, David Mayfield was second, and James Semmons was third out of the ten participants. It is a real challenge to get a decent score with a small bore rifle in gusty wind conditions.

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A Short History of the MSSA

The Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) of today traces its roots to the Missouri State Rifle and Pistol Association (MSRPA) founded in 1928. The MSRPA was first organized and led by E. E. Dittbrenner of Jefferson City, MO. Mr. Dittbrenner and a handful of sportsmen and shooting enthusiasts formed the organization to administer match rules, establish state championships, and support competitive shooting programs.

In 1982, the association realized its importance to all shooting sports to include Second Amendment rights and hunting. A short time later the charter was amended and the MSRPA officially became the Missouri Sport Shooting Association. Today the reorganized MSSA has expanded its role from its original purpose of administering competitive shooting. MSSA now supports firearms legislation, education and training, hunting and conservation. Additionally in 1995, MSSA went online with a web page and began an expanded quarterly newsletter.

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Pvt. Frank Talley

By Terry Crihfield

(Pagemasters Note: If you were an MSSA Member you would have gotten the print edition of The Missouri Shooter, and right here you'd be looking at a picture of Pvt. Frank Talley, A.E.F. during WW1 somewhere in France, early fall of 1917. He is armed with a caliber 30-06, 1903 Springfield rifle with the model 1905 16" bayonet attached. Ready to join MSSA yet?)

This is a picture of my grandfather, Pvt. Frank R. Talley of Memphis, TN. He was formerly from Pine Bluff, AR. He served as a caisson driver with Battery A, 115^th Field Artillery. However he started out with the 1^st Tennessee Infantry. He later volunteered for duty as a caisson driver to get out of the infantry. Nonetheless during WW1, life as a caisson driver was no less dangerous than that of an infantryman. Pvt. Talley saw action at Chateau Thierry, Belleau Wood, and the Meuse-Argonne.

Grandpa Talley is armed with a caliber 30-06, 1903 Springfield rifle with the 1905 16" bayonet attached. The 1903 is one of the finest bolt action service rifles ever made. The U.S. service history of the rifle is probably only eclipsed by that of the currently issued M-16 rifle. The 1^st Tennessee Infantry, were country boys and as such experienced rifleman before joining the army. With marksmanship training and the 1903 Springfield rifle they could take a man out at 600+ yards.

Our grandpa used to tell us stories about "The Great War", and we got a pretty good education. He told us how the "Heinies" would sit on top of their trenches at night and smoke or sing. "When the Tennesseeans got there� it quit". "Any killing in raids on the German trenches was mostly done with grenades, pistols and entrenching shovels. The 12 gauge pump shotgun was also popular, they were known as "trench brooms"." Grandpa said his 16" bayonet was mostly used to cut dead horses and mules out of the traces.

(Editors Notes: Terry Crihfield has been interested in 1903�s for a while due to his grandfather, Pvt. Talley�s influence, however he has only been studying them for a short time. Terry suggests the books by Col. Wm. Brophy, Bruce Canfield and Major J. Hatcher for those seeking an understanding of the 1903 Springfield rifle. He also says that there are a number of good forums on the Internet. If you would like to contact him, his Email address is: [email protected] or [email protected])

Collector�s interest remains high for 1903�s, variants and accessories. I have seen the prices about double in the last 15 years. The best pieces seem to command top dollar when they are infrequently resurrected from some "black hole" collection. Common pieces in Very good to excellent condition can still be had for $500-$600. The WW2 guns are the least expensive and can be usually found for less. There are many variations, be very aware of what you have before you buy.

I would like to hear from anyone else with a good 1903 Springfield rifle story.

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TEN GOOD REASONS TO JOIN THE MSSA

By Mitchell Peters

I would like to encourage every member to try to sign up one new member by the end of this year. Please don�t laugh, but let me continue. Current membership is a little less than 700. It would be fantastic if we could attain 1000 members by the end of this year, and phenomenal if we could attain 2000 members by the end of 2000. I know there are at least 200 times that many people in this state who enjoy shooting, firearms and hunting activities.

From my limited exposure to the MSSA, it appears to be a group primarily composed of competition shooters. The goals of MSSA are to promote the shooting sports of which competition shooting is only one of many facets. I am not a competition shooter and never will be. My cousin Kenny is a member and does not even shoot. (For him it�s a fear of government, political statement kind of thing.) The time is now to reach out to your family, friends and acquaintances that may have an interest in shooting, firearms, hunting or their Second Amendment rights. I believe the only way to expand this organization is to recruit shooting, firearms and hunting enthusiasts whom are not competition shooters.

My sales strategy will be as follows. I am going to make ten copies of the newsletter. I am going to identify ten good "targets". I figure at least one in ten will take the bait. I will compose a personal letter listing ten reasons why they should join MSSA and enclose a copy of the newsletter. Lastly I will follow up with a low-pressure phone call. I think this will work for me. However it may or may not work for you. Figure out your best approach, develop a plan and execute.

The trick is to get one potential member to part with the $15.00 membership fee and then retain them as a member. Each member needs to sell one non-member on the idea that there is value to be had in belonging to the MSSA. Therefore I propose the following ten good reasons to join the MSSA.

• The MSSA is the Missouri State organization affiliated with the, Civilian Marksmanship Program, National Rifle Association, USA Shooting and the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

• The MSSA is the only statewide promoter of shooting sports and competitions; MSSA is the NRA recognized governing body of state championship matches.

• The MSSA sponsors shooting camps, training and seminars in pistol, rifle and shotgun.

• Membership is a prerequisite requirement to obtain your CMP M-1 Garand or .22 cal match rifle.

• If you want your children to have access to firearms and hunting you must support the state organization that is trying to advocate and defend your Second Amendment rights at the state level.

• There are no employees, only dedicated volunteers.

• MSSA supports the free exchange of ideas and information related to shooting, firearms, hunting and related topics.

• There is a website at http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/2506/index.htm

• You will receive the MSSA quarterly newsletter: The Missouri Shooter. Members may place free ads, which alone is worth the price of membership

• At $15.00 a year it is inexpensive and a terrific value. Junior dues (under 18) dues are only $5.00 which is really inexpensive.

JOIN MSSA TODAY!

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The Mission of the Missouri Sport Shooting Association

Edited by Mitchell Peters

The MSSA is the Missouri State organization affiliated with the, Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), National Rifle Association (NRA), USA Shooting and the Conservation Federation of Missouri. The shooting sports and gun ownership has been an important part of Missouri�s heritage. However that doesn�t mean that those freedoms will always be around for you and your children to know and enjoy. The future of shooting sports, hunting and gun ownership will be determined by the actions that you take today and tomorrow.

• Purpose

(From the Bylaws of the Association)

The purposes and objectives of the Missouri Sport Shooting Association are:

To promote and defend the individual citizen�s right to keep and bear arms for all legitimate purposes.

To promote and further marksmanship training and competitions in the use of rifle, pistol, shotgun, and archery equipment to the end that such skill shall be of use and benefit in defense of person, property, state and nation, and in all shooting sports.

It shall be the further purpose of this association to promote and perpetuate the legal sport of hunting.

• Mission Statement

The mission of the Missouri Sport Shooting Association (MSSA) is to help protect and preserve the shooting sports at the state level. MSSA will promote and improve the shooting sports by sponsoring marksmanship training and competitions throughout the state of Missouri. MSSA will work for the rights of the gun owner, shooter, collector, hunter, archer, black powder enthusiast, and trapper. MSSA will support the free exchange of ideas, information and education related to gun ownership, shooting, hunting, firearms and related topics.

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