FCWC Official ozfclass.com Blog

[AlanF]

Your chief blogger has finally arrived in the US. I haven't reached Raton yet - staying in a motel in Decatur about 80k west of Dallas, then driving for most of tomorrow through NW Texas across the border to northern New Mexico and Raton, just in time to miss the first Australian team meeting. The whole team will be in Raton by then, after some spent some time practicing at a nearby range (Capitan). The main shoots start on the 18th (US Nats).

If any other team members want to contribute to this with pics or gossip you can add posts yourself, or otherwise e-mail pics or text to me on alanpfraser@netspace.net.au . I understand there is a wi-fi hotspot set up at the Whittington Centre (thanks Rod) so all those who want the internet should have it there. For sending things to me, could you please observe a daily deadline of 8pm

If I'm not too late arriving, will post again tomorrow night.

Alan

[AlanF]

Hello again,

Made it to Raton. Good roads all the way - scenery was boring for a start, a bit like the Nullabor but slightly greener. But getting nearer to Raton it starts to get spectacular, with some very rugged looking plateaus and peaks. They say I haven't seen anything yet - there's some canyons that are pretty amazing.

Tonight its unpacking, tomorrow gathering supplies and setting up a reloading system then maybe a bit of chrono testing to see how the US powder compares.

Back tomorrow night, hopefully with some gossip from other team members.

Alan

[AlanF]

Back again. The team is complete. We had a zeroing session late this afternoon. Will be testing and loading again tomorrow, then its the US Nationals on Sunday, 1000yds every range . We've been seeing some widlife - I saw a group of 4 elk cross the road in front of me only about 200m from the Team accommodation tonight. Rod Davies has had a disastrous start in that all his prepped brass and projectiles was lost by QANTAS. He's been desperately trying to get more brass here. He's always been a good improviser so hopefully will come through relatively unscathed.

Its reloading time. More tomorrow night.

Alan

[DannyS]

Shit Rod, that will make it hard, dont worry, we have faith in you. Sure, you will do us proud. Go for it.

Cheers
Danny

[AlanF]

Hello again,

Testing at 200yds and reloading for nearly everyone in the team today. Most of the other teams are here - e.g. Canadians, British, South Africans, Spaniards, NZers. Tomorrow its 1000yd practice for everyone competing in the US Nats.

A couple of things - Rod got some new brass and prepped and fire-formed it today.

Also, in case you hadn't guessed, the wi-fi setup at the accommodation isn't working - hence the lack of posts from other team members. I was hoping they would provide photos etc. so will ask for contributions on memory sticks from tomorrow.

Back again tomorrow night.

Alan

[ecomeat]

Alan,
Are you Aussies allowed to compete in the US "Nationals" that apparently start today at Raton, or is that restricted so that you foreigners cant compete ?
Tony

[IanP]

Tony, Aussies can and will compete in the US Nationals. Its a matter of being invited and applying to compete and the team has been invited but not all have taken up the option to compete!

Ian

[MROFD]

Picture file from Raton.
http://imageshack.us/g/1/10277636/

[AlanF]

Hello again from Raton,

Yes Tony we are invited to compete in the Nationals and nearly everyone in the Australian team is competing. It started today. When the results are available they'll appear HERE. I can tell you that Marty Lobert is running second at the end of day 1 (in a field of nearly 200 I estimate). A few others of us are not too far back, probably in the top 20. Which is okay considering most of us are still trying different loads to suit the US powder.

Another piece of good news is that Rod Davies is currently on a trip to Albuquerque to pick up his lost ammo.

Weather was oppressively hot this morning at the range but then we got some cloud cover, then a thunderstorm and shooting was stopped for an hour. If today was any indication we're in for some long and taxing days (and nights reloading). But we knew all along it wasn't going to be a holiday.

I uploaded some photos from Steve Lazarus's camera - will sort through them later and post here.

Got to rush - eat, reload, sleep....

Photos later.

Alan

[Craig McGowan]

Got sick of waiting so found this. Don't understand this High Master Master stuff but a good showing by the Aussies. I have not highlighted all Aussies present, I apologize to those I have missed.

Dag nab it. Can you upload pdf files......?

[Craig McGowan]

Sorry guys gave up trying to upload the results.

See link to our Club web page.

BRC http://www.brisbanerifleclub.com.au/?page_id=280

[AlanF]

Thanks Craig. Where did you get that?

[Craig McGowan]

Accurate Shooter Forum. But tonight they are a bit slow.

[Mike Sam]

Looks like the Aussies are doing well today, good luck and keep up the good work.

[AlanF]

Accurate Shooter Forum. But tonight they are a bit slow.

Thanks Craig. Seems odd the results are coming up there before the BERC site. Today they were very slow with posting results at the range. I left before they were up. I've contacted "lmmike" and asked if he can send the results to me daily, so we'll see what happens there.

Day 2 of the Nationals was hot again, but with no thunderstorm relief in the afternoon. I know that Marty dropped 9 for the day, so he may have slipped a little from second. Rod Davies spent the day testing with his Australian brass. Dave Mac seems to have overcome initial problems with vertical, so expect to see him go better in the Worlds. I'm still going okay, testing different loads at every range and got my first "clean" (150.10) at the first range. I'm afraid I didn't get much info on others but would have heard about anything spectacular. We had a team dinner last night - fully booked a small restaurant. The menu was steak or ribs - nice meal and a good team get together.

I apologise about the tardiness of the results. If there was something to photograph at the range, I could do it that way, but they're very slow. Hopefully the Worlds will be better.

Still haven't had time to post those Stev Lazarus photos, but working on it.

Alan