Sagebrush Long Range Buffalo Match

Blackpowder Burn · July 06, 2020, 05:48:37 PM

Having just retired, I now have time to go to some of the long range shoots I've read and heard about for years. I'm going to the Sagebrush match in Alliance, Nebraska this summer. Hopefully, I won't embarrass myself too badly, but would like to see what I can do at 1000 yards. The farthest we can shoot at our club range is 600 yards.

I'm really looking at this year's match as a scouting trip to learn about what I really need to make a decent showing. Next year, I'll have my new 1874 C Sharps, which should be well capable of effectively competing if I can do my part. This year I'll be shooting a Browning Highwall BPCR in 40-65.

Have any of y'all shot this match? If so, do you have any words of wisdom?

Ranch 13 · July 07, 2020, 12:47:55 PM

The wind and mirage at Alliance will leave you dumbfounded and confused at times. It is a fun place to shoot. It can get awfully hot during the August match. You can dry camp at the range, and there are several good motels about 10 minutes away in Alliance.

Blackpowder Burn · July 07, 2020, 05:39:40 PM

I have an RV spot reserved in Alliance, so I'm good there. A fella by the name of Jim Bourne is taking over running the match this year since Harlan is ill. I've spoken to him and am supposed to get together with him a couple of days before the match to do some sight-in.

Ranch 13 · July 07, 2020, 06:04:48 PM

Jim and his wife are friends of mine, good people.
They usually open the range a couple of days ahead of the match for folks to come early and practice.

Blackpowder Burn · July 09, 2020, 10:50:02 PM

That's good to know. Are you going to the match?

Ranch 13 · July 10, 2020, 07:54:26 AM

No, but I will be shooting the Dean Scoggins Memorial match a week or so ahead of the Sagebrush.

Ranch 13 · August 06, 2020, 10:30:29 PM

How di the match go?

Blackpowder Burn · August 16, 2020, 04:55:25 PM

I just got back from the match Friday, dallying a bit along the way. I really didn't want to return to the weather on the Texas Gulf Coast at this time of year!

I had a great time overall. While it was frustrating at times, I learned a lot and will be better prepared for next year. I need to build a good set of tall shooting sticks to start with. When they said you can shoot from either sitting or prone, I assumed sitting meant with my ample posterior planted on the ground. Little did I know that you could use a stool to shoot on! That made things much easier, but, of course, that requires taller shooting sticks, too. Fortunately, I had some friends in attendance I could borrow a stool from and the really nice folks at the match had extra tall shooting sticks to loan.

Dealing with the wind on the prairie at 1,000 yards was also a humbling experience, as well as shot calling when there was no berm behind the target. However, I did learn a lot and managed to place 29th out of 71 shooters. I wasn't skunked on any of the targets and managed to shoot the 200 meter offhand clean, which made me feel much better.

One thing I really noticed was the lack of a set trigger on my rifle. While I've had Lee Shaver work on, and greatly improve my Browning BPCR, there were a lot of times on the longer ranges where a lighter set trigger would have helped me break the shot more precisely.

Oh well, next year I'll have my new 1874 C Sharps set up just the way I want it, and hopefully have had plenty of time to work up a good load and get comfortable with it.