Prone match???????????

[riflejunkie]

Mick, I see that the mztch is on the 1st Saturday of the month.  I'll have to get really busy training to make that match but I'd like to include that match in my schedule throughout the year.  BTW, the last time I saw Val he came down to shoot with us and we got rain blowing sideways and he loaded up his gear and daughter and left.  We were all soaked, gear soaked, we were miserable and cold but we finished the match anyway.  Is Val still active in prone?  I think he said he had been off for a year. Maybe I'm mistaken, anyway Val is a real intense competitor and I like that.

[Mick]

Hi Charlotte ... That sounds like the last Nationals I shot at Perry when the rain just bucketed down, with the wind hitting 45mph in the gusts ... the best part was laying there and watching the geysers of water spout up like Old Faithful every time a lighting strike hit out beyond the 200 yard line - lol !   At 50 yards I was aiming off, with fixed open iron sights on my CZ Lux, somewhere around 7 inches Left and 2 inches Low - Kentucky windage and a bit ?

As for Val,  it's been well over a year since I last saw him ... he told me then that his wife had been diagnosed with cancer - can't recall what type though   At that match he was - again, for the second time - banned from our CRC Smallbore events for poor sportsmanship.   I believe the same is true of his attendance at ORSA events.   As you say, he's a very intense competitior ... a pity because he really is a top notch Prone Smallbore and Long-Range High-Power shooter.

This year it seems that the current Smallbore Match Directors at CRC are running a fairly full Prone schedule ... for the past two years since I retired from the post they have only had 3-4 event per year compared to the 20-odd I used to run.  Just hope they get good support.

[derekmcminn]

This is an example of a prone position used by Olympic
athletes for the biathlon competition during the
Winter Games

[riflejunkie]

Great picture Derek!  Now, there are some very talented people who shoot from that position, most will bend and bring the right knee up toward the front of the mat and the left leg will be more on a parallel line with the spine.  Thsi shooters position is compromised by wearing skis.  When I am getting down in position I am wanting to keep the left side of my body in a straight line from ankle to armpit.  What this picture doesn't show is the angle of the body vs the line of sight.  Here is a youtube link that will teach you a lot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9t1oZ4FD40&feature=related  Note that they are all a little oblique to the line of sight, though the right leg for rh shooters will vary in position, the left leg is on a line with the body.  also note the sling and the forward hand is NOT gripping the forestock but remains loose.  It is just a platform.  TCup here is a lefty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq_VEmxUbBk&NR=1  
In the video with German Salazaar notice the shooter to his right and you will see the sling on the upper arm.