200 shooters gathered on Viale Range at Camp Perry on Sunday, 22 July to participate in the 6th National Rimfire Sporter Match. Last year 169 shooters competed in this fast-growing National Matches event. Match participants were especially lucky this year; the weather was absolutely gorgeous! With the sun shining and a gentle breeze, the day was just that, a breeze. Scores and the spirits of competitors and match staff were high. It was a fantastic day to be at Camp Perry.

Although the match took place on Sunday, shooters could check-in and get their rifles inspected on Saturday. They could also attend a Rimfire Sporter Clinic that took place that afternoon. Sunday, the competition day, began with a safety briefing. There were four full relays of shooters firing on a covered 70-point range that was set up just for this competition.

Each relay shot 10 shots in each of six stages, prone precision, prone rapid-fire, sitting or kneeling precision, sitting or kneeling rapid-fire, standing precision, and standing rapid-fire. Competitors fire with rimfire rifles that may weigh no more than 7.5 pounds, with sights and a sling. There were two classes of competition, the “O-Class” and “T–Class”. Shooters fired the prone and sitting/kneeling stages at the 50-yard-line and then moved up to 25 yards to fire the last two stages of fire in standing. After all four relays finished firing, all competitors enjoyed a cookout with hot dogs, bratwursts, baked beans, and fruit. Every shooter received a Rimfire Sporter Match T-shirt. An award ceremony where winners’ plaques and gold, silver and bronze Achievement Medals were presented followed the cookout.

Duane Tallman of Jonesboro, Georgia acted as Chief Range Officer and called the line for the match. He was assisted by a group of volunteer Range Officers. U. S. Army Reservists on active duty at Camp Perry provided target handling and logistical support for the match. Additional volunteers conducted rifle inspections. Scoring was done by a large contingent of CMP staff and volunteers. Throughout the match, scoring for one stage was finished and posted on the CMP’s Internet-based Competition Tracker system before the next set of targets arrived at the scoring tent.

The results were remarkable with many shooters improving from past years’ matches. Competitors made remarks at the scoreboard like, “Yes! I get a gold medal this year!” and “Much better than last year!” Many seemed to be saying that their dedication and practice in Rimfire Sporter Matches and practice sessions at their home clubs had paid off through a rewarding day at Camp Perry.

For the O-Class Championship match, Robert Elka of Willis, MI took the gold with an aggregate score of 575-12X. Elka’s scores were near perfect throughout the day with a 97-4X in prone slow fire, 96-1X in prone rapid, a 95-0X in sitting/kneeling slow fire, an impressive 99-2X for sitting/kneeling rapid, a 96-3X in standing slow, and a 92-2X in standing rapid fire. With only four points less than Elka, in second, was David Lantz of Saginaw, MI, with an aggregate score of 571-19X. Lantz kept the race for first place very tight, scoring a 93-1X in prone slow, a 98-3X during prone rapid, an excellent 99-7X in sitting precision, a 96-3X in sitting rapid, 95-5X for standing slow fire and a 90-0X in standing rapid fire. Another four points behind Lantz was Michael Craycraft of Beaverton, MI who shot a score of 567-14X. Craycraft’s scores were: 95-2X in prone slow fire, 94-2X in prone rapid, 95-2X in his sitting slow fire position, a 94-2X in sitting rapid-fire, 97-4X in standing slow-fire, and a 92-2X in standing rapid-fire. Elka received a first place trophy plaque and a Gold Achievement Medal. Altogether, 49 O-Class shooters fired scores that earned Achievement Medals; six Gold, 19 Silver and 24 Bronze medals were presented during the Award Ceremony.

For the O-Class Junior competition, results were also impressive with first place going to Charles Opalewski II of Vicksburg, MI, shooting an aggregate score of 563-11X. Opalewski blew everyone away, scoring 14 points more than the second place junior and 79 points more than the 10th place position. Opalewski was consistent throughout the match, scoring 92-2X in prone slow-fire, 92-0X in prone rapid, 92-2X in sitting slow-fire, a 93-0X in sitting rapid, a tremendous 98-4X in standing slow-fire, and a 96-3X for standing rapid-fire. Mitchell Shablesky Jr. of Beaver Falls, PA came in second behind Opalewski with an aggregate score of 549-11X. As the day went on Shablesky improved dramatically. He started the day at 84-0X in prone slow-fire, a 93-0X for prone rapid, and 88-1X for his sitting precision. In sitting rapid he shot a 92-1X, then 94-3X in standing slow and an impressive 98-6X in standing rapid-fire. Following Shablesky, coming in the third junior position was Eric Curavo of Northwood, OH, who shot an aggregate score of 546-7X. Opalewski also took the plaque for being the High 4-H competitor in the O-Class.

The O-Class High Senior award went to David Lantz, who came in second overall with his score of 571-19X. A 93-1X in prone slow, a 98-3X in prone rapid, 99-7X in sitting slow, a 96-3X in sitting rapid, a 95-5X in standing slow and a 90-0X in standing rpaid led him to the gold. Ernest Oelker of Youngstown, OH came in second with a total of 565-7X, 14 points more than third place winner, Herb Hudson of Anderson, IN who shot an aggregate of 551-10X.

For the T-Class Championship the first place trophy plaque was awarded to John Merges Jr. of Sparta, GA who fired a 587-24X on the first relay and then waited anxiously while that score held up through the remaining relays. Throughout the match Merges, who like Elka used a CZ 452 bolt action rifle, shot a perfect 100-6X in prone slow fire, a 96-4 in prone rapid, another perfect 100-4X in sitting slow fire, 99-2X in sitting rapid, a 97-4X in standing slow fire, and 95-4X for standing rapid fire. Merges finished three points ahead of the second place winner, Robert Elka, who was the O-Class winner. Elka ended the day with an aggregate score of 584-23X and never scored below a 94 x 100 during the match. Coming in third was Ron Springsteen of Otsego, MI who also fired a 584, but with fewer Xs. Springsteen won this match in 2005 and was second in 2006.

T-Class Junior scores were just as close. Matthew Kellgreen of Youngstown, OH took High Junior with an aggregate score of 569-10X, defeating second place Casey Harper of Dublin, GA, by only one point. Harper totaled 568-18X, to finish ahead of third place shooter Keith Stich of Portersville, PA, by two points. Stich finished with 566-15X.

The race for first place in the T-Class Senior Match was between Ronald Springsteen and David Lantz, with the gold going to Springsteen with a score of 584-18X, just 3X’s more than Lantz who scored 584-15X. Not far behind, coming in third was Ernest Oelker of Youngstown, OH, who had a score of 579-24X.

Casey Harper of Dublin, GA defeated Ashley Young and Clayton Peck in the 4-H Jr. T-Class Shooter Match, by firing a score of 568-18X, 18 points more than second place Young. Ashley Young, also of Dublin, GA, had an aggregate score of 550-11X. Behind Young in third was Clayton Peck of Leslie, MI, who scored a 547-9X for the day.

The 2007 National Rimfire Sporter Match was a huge success and anyone who missed it this year missed out on a terrific event! If you missed the event and would like more information about Rimfire Sporter, go to the CMP website at http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/rimfire.pdf and download the CMP Guide to Rimfire Sporter. Also, check the CMP webpage in April 2008 for the official program and entry information for next year’s National Rimfire Sporter Match. The CMP thanks all participants, coaches and volunteers for all the hard work they put in to make the 6th National Rimfire Sporter Match at Camp Perry a fun experience for all!

Complete results can be downloaded at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=2114 and pictures can be viewed at http://www.odcmp.com/Photos/07/Rimfire/index.htm.

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