Bruce Bethell

I don't know whether email confirmations are being sent out. If you make it here with the reasonable expectation that you are entered in the match, we will make it happen and you will shoot the match. Simple as that. Bruce at OFGC

STAGES ARE A FEW FINAL TWEAKS AWAY! The Design team conducted a teleconference tonight (a fancy term meaning Tom and I talked on the phone), and added a sand trap or two. Should get the final drawings out by Thursday at the latest. Round count is set, and goes as follows. Rifle, 103 rounds, few precision shots out to 300 yards, but most closer. Pistol will take 111 rounds. Shotgun slugs are 16, with nothing long range this time. Shotgun birdshot is 66. Total round count is 296. Tried to concentrate on the "Multi" part of multi gun, so the mix of stages and weapons looks like this: one S only; one R only; two RS; two RP; two PS; and two RPS. The S only stage actually requires use of two shotguns, but we will provide one of them, along with the ammo for those shots. Going to be another great match. Entry deadline without late fee is this Saturday, so get them in soon. Entry form is on Ron's post at the start of this thread. Match hotel info is somewhere above here. If you've got other questions, post them here, or call me at (479) 785-4558, daytime number. I'd much rather talk guns than work. Bruce, working the Rem 870, a/k/a Pump Daddy

Still not sure about making the AR Section Multi Gun Championship in Fort Smith on August 29 and 30? Try adding this to the deliberations. I just got confirmation that LaRue Tactical will be Match Sponsor for this event. Talk about sweetening an already great prize table. Entry form is attached to Ron's first post of this topic. Stages should be up soon. This great match just got even better. Bruce Bethell

Match hotel for the AR Section MG has been set. Candlewood Suites in Fort Smith. Web site is www.candlewoodsuites.com, enter Fort Smith, AR as location. Make your reservations ASAP to (479) 424-3800. Mention "Gun Match" and get a special rate of $81 for a single, $86.60 for a double (+tax). All the rooms have full fridge, cook top, etc. For the few of us left that will admit it, they even have smoking rooms available. This is just off Phoenix Avenue, as close to the range as you can get and still have indoor plumbing. This property is so new, you won't find it on GPS or Map Quest. Enter '3421 South 74th Street, Fort Smith, AR" and you'll get an Arvest Bank branch. The motel is just behind there, on a new street. Yes, it may be a little warm the end of August, but the shooting calendars for Sept and Oct were just too full. We've ordered cloud cover and a gentle breeze coming off the river, so that should help. Going to be another fun match. Lunch on Saturday will offer another selection of our infamous Arkansas Road Kill buffet (those are tire marks, not grill marks). Not to mention a full helping of our Old Fort Gun Club hospitality. Stages and round count will be posted soon. Entry form is linked on Ron's initial post opening this topic. If you've got questions, post them here. Feel free to email me direct at brucebethell@sbcglobal.net or call me at (479) 785-4558. Bruce, a/k/a Pump Daddy

Warm up for the MG season at Old Fort Gun Club in Ft. Smith, AR, next Sunday, March 29. Just a local match, but some pretty good trigger time to get in shape. Round count is 179, with a breakdown of rifle 80, handgun 52, birdshot 43 and 4 slugs. We're only setting up on our pistol bays, so nothing out further than about 75 feet. Directions to the River Range at www.ofgc.org. Sign in around 0930, shooters meeting at 1000. Come join us for a fun, easy going match. Bruce, a/k/a Pump Daddy (that's what you get nicknamed here for shooting a Remington 870 at MG)

Thanks to everyone who joined us to shoot the Arkansas Section MG Championship match. I hope everyone enjoyed the match, the Arkansas Road Kill for lunch, and the prize table. Final tally was 65 shooters, not bad for a State Section match. Special thanks to Michael Clark, who came in at kinda the last minute to work as Range Master. I couldn't have finished the match without him. Now I know why there is a special place in heaven for MDs and RMs. I appreciate all the positive posts here since the match. What I would really like is some positive criticisms about the match. We put this on for you, the shooter, and it is only through your input and suggestions that will allow us to make this match even better next year. Besides moving the steel plates 100 yards closer, and the weather, give us some recommendations. Specifically, what about starting two stages with a prop gun. I thought it added a little variety to the match, especially the part about shooting a flying clay with one remaining shot as it soared directly into the mid-day sun. Seriously, we want your input. How can we improve next year's match to entice you to come back and bring another shooter. Bruce

Had a question about Heavy Metal at the AR Section Multi Gun match. We will recognize Limited Heavy Metal, but not Tactical Heavy Metal. That means you can leave the optics for the .308 at home. Bruce

The National MG is over, but there is another great MG match coming up in just a couple of weeks, October 25 & 26. Entry deadline is this weekend for the AR Section MG match. Slots are still available. Stages, info sheet and entry form are on an earlier post. Save a few bucks and get your entry mailed this week. Bruce Bethell

Stages for the AR Section MG Championship are up and attached. We tried to make them challenging, but not overwhelming. This is going to be a fun match, so get your entry in. Bruce AR_2008_all_MG_Stages.pdf 2008_MG_info.rtf

I'll wait to see how the pictures translate onto the ground for final judgment on the match. I just hope the mud doesn't come up over the top of the shoes, like last week at USSA. Final staff assignments aren't out yet, but I'll see all of you on some stage at Princeton in a couple of weeks. Jack mentioned the AR Section MG Championship match. I'll be posting the stages in that thread here shortly. We've tried to make them challenging, but not overwhelming. Bruce

Yes, there were problems with the Palm scoring system. When they took the cords off telephones, everyone had problems finding a lost handset, but we all adapted. Having my files on those neat floppy disks made it easy to take stuff from one computer to another, until they developed those damned hard drives, be we all adapted. Everyone has pretty well survived the demise of 8 Track tapes and Texaco folding road maps. I've even given up using MsDOS as a primary operating system. I also understand that updates are already available for Windows v. 3.0! The Palm system has several wrinkles to be ironed out. I dare say that using the system at Nationals was as much a learning experience for the developers of the system as it was for the Staff and shooters. Every suggestion I made to the tech staff about the Palm was taken seriously, and I think improvements will be made as the system is used more at larger matches. Every time we had any problem, the tech staff was there promptly with very patient instruction to those of us who still can't figure out a digital watch. More staff training would have been helpful. I can personally attest to the fact that the Staff was up to their ass in 'gators with this match, and the schedule simply didn't have those extra hours available. Extensive training would have required yet another day off work for folks who already sacrificed at least six days of the workweek to volunteer. BYT, I can't be very sympathetic to shooters who complaint that they didn't get finished in their allotted one-half day. Most of the staff needed their headlights getting to the range by around 0700, and then getting back to the motel 12 hours later. That was the norm for most days. Sure, there is high tech stuff out there that would equate scoring matches with Star Wars and beyond. Finding someone who will design software for a very limited application is yet another question, as is the cost of hardware. The developer of this system took an existing PDA device, integrated it with existing scoring software, and in my opinion made some great strides. Having another warm body on each stage dedicated to entering scores in a Palm while others run shooters is simply not a practical solution. Has anyone making this suggestion ever volunteered to work a National match? I can tell you from experience, the MD and the RM's spend time on the phone calling around the country asking people to work these matches. Staff gets a set maximum travel allowance, that will get you to the match if you live close enough. I got one-half of my motel room paid, and a free burger during my very short lunch break at the range. A small per diem covers my gas to and from the range each day, and maybe a cold beer in the evening. In spite of the shortcomings, as an RO I personally liked the Palm system. It took a little use to get comfortable, and I am sure the learning curve was different for many RO's. I reviewed Palm entries with every shooter who asked, even after the squad was finished, and there were very few. Like everything else, I am sure both the system and the operators of the system will improve over time. And then some smart-ass came and stuck an electrical cord on my black Underwood typewriter. (If you understand this, you are showing your age.) All in all, a great match, at least from this RO's point of view. Bruce

More details about the Arkansas Section Multi-Gun Championship coming up October 25 and 26 in Fort Smith, AR. Had an inquiry about the match hotel. The Match Hotel is the Seasons Inn located at 2219 South Waldron Road near Central Mall in Ft. Smith. Relax after the day on the Range in the indoor pool. A block of rooms have been reserved at a special rate of $50 per night plus tax, and to get this rate, mention the “Arkansas Section Multi-Gun Championship”. Their telephone is 1-877-452-4880. Close to the Range, shopping and dining. Ten stages, good mix of all three guns. Round count is pistol 98, rifle 92, shotgun 73, including some slugs. Got a little surprise to start two of the stages. We'll shoot all day Saturday and finish on Sunday, so everyone can hit the road early Sunday afternoon after awards and the prize table. Speaking of the prize table, we are at $20,000 and growing. Not bad for a Section match. Includes quite a few guns, some by random draw. Something new to encourage folks like me, who are challenged to beat the team from the State School for the Blind. After a trip to the prize table, there will be a special additional prize for LOW OVERALL in each division, guaranteed to be worth the entry fee. With some help, I finally learned how to post to forums such as this. Still have no idea how to include an attachment. I've got an information sheet on the match, which is yours for the asking. Email me at brucebethell@sbcglobal.net and I will return a copy. Match entry forms are available at www.ofgc.org or casarange.com/arsection. Or check the next issue of Front Sight. Ask anyone who has been there. They'll tell you the AR Section Multi-Gun is well worth the trip. Bruce P.S. After typing this, I may have figured out how to include attachments, so the entry fee and info sheet may be included. 2008_MG_info.rtf 2008_Ar_Section_Multi_Gun_Entry_Form.doc

No problem, Chris. Note on the app's who you want to squad with. If it is already mailed, call me at (479) 785-4558 (office number) and either let me or Gayla know who all to put in the squad. Bruce

Wanted to make sure everyone caught the new date for the AR Section Multi-Gun Championship. October 25 and 26, Fort Smith, AR. Old Topic had the old dates on the byline. Still some good posts and info there. Match is shaping up great. Three stages pistol only, including a Classifier (99-10). One each with rifle and shotgun(s) only. The other five use two or three guns on each stage. Lot of variety. Entry form is on the other topic, or at www.ofgc.org or www.casarange.com/arsection. Round count looks like pistol, 98; rifle, 92; shotgun, 73, including some slugs. Bruce

I did even worse at the Production Nationals in Tulsa. I shot first on a stage, then rotated down to last on the next stage. Lots of time before I shot the next stage. Reloaded all the mags, including 11 rounds in the barney mag I carry in my pocket to "load and make ready." No sense carrying all that weight of 4 loaded mags on my belt until the last of the next stage, so I pocket the barney and lay the rest on the range bag. You guessed it! On the next stage, load the barney from my pocket, the first 8 rounds go great, drop the barney and reach for a reload. My arms just won't quite reach back to the range bag. Talk about the Dumb Ass! I'd have given anything for a belt full of partial loaded mags. Bruce

Info I received from NROI for staff also lists as motels with special rates the Microtel Bossier City, 318-742-7882, and Quality Inn and Suites, 318-742-7890. Didn't give addresses, but I think they are all in the same general area. Bruce

Rodeway Inn, 3033 Hilton Dr., Bossier City, LA 318-747-2400. Right off I20, close to the Range. My daughter who lives in Shreveport checked it out, and says it is a pretty nice property. Good rates for that area. Shopping, places to eat, are close by. Bruce Bethell

Bring it on to Old Fort for the match. This will be better than last year. Stages are looking great. We'll start one, maybe two, with a prop gun, for a little variety. Prize table looks to include ten guns, some by random drawing, so us D Class shooters have a chance. Six MGM steel targets are up for grabs, along with lots of other goodies. For those who shoot in the basement along with me, we have a special prize for Low Overall, guaranteed to be worth your entry fee. Match hotel and other details will be posted soon. Bruce Bethell