Bringing a team or teams to the National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio is no simple task. First of all, you need several people who 1) have expensive equipment, 2) can afford the time and expense, 3) know how to shoot, and (this is most important ) 4) get along with each other.
The service rifle program at the Nationals is basically four days of shooting with one day off in the middle. On Monday it is the President’s Rifle Match (P100), an individual match where coaching is not allowed. Tuesday is the National Trophy Individual (NTI), another individual match. I shoot these matches to get a taste of the Lake Erie winds and hone my wind reading skills for the coming team events.
While there are a bunch of matches on Wednesday, Whistler Boy, Hurst Doubles, Vintage Sniper, etc. I feel it is time for a break and take this day off.
Thursday is the National Team Trophy Match, or “Dogs of War”. This is a team match where the team consists of six shooters, a captain and a coach. Additionally, each team must provide two target pullers for pit duty. And on top of all that, there must be one shooter on the team that has never shot this match before, the new shooter. And that is not all! Each team needs to score an adjacent team. So, for those of y’all who have been keeping count, you will know that eleven is a nice number of people to draw from. A short handed team can get by with only six on the line, taking turns shooting, coaching and scoring, but two target pullers are still required as there will be no pit change.
For more on the rattle battle visit http://www.theblindhogs.com/bhhome.htm.
To contact Ray, email ray.brandes@gmail.com.
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