Just what the heck is Smallbore? Okay folks, it appears that there is a certain amount of confusion as to just what the heck "Smallbore" is anyway. Smallbore is generally accepted to mean one of two things. For the uninitiated, there are two types of smallbore "rifle" shooting. The International style uses a tough target with the "10 ring" the size of a pinhead. It has very strict rules regarding equipment and attire and you see a lot more rifles with a lot of bells and whistles. The original smallbore evolved over years into what is now also known as four-position shooting. The indoor gallery style of shooting that is done is the Willamette Valley League matches are this four-position stuff. It consists of 10 shots each fired in the prone, standing, kneeling and sitting positions. So there is a total of 40 record shots and unlimited sighters, all done in a set time period. The generally accepted format at most 50 foot indoor ranges around here is to shoot block times, that is, either two or all four of the positions, are shot under a broad time limit. This allows the shooter to spend his time as he sees fit, perhaps taking a lot of time on offhand and less on prone for example. At the ARPC we run a 55-minute block and let the shooters figure out how much time they want to spend on each position. At OSU and most of the other ranges they give you a 25-minute block to shoot two positions. There is a little break in between where the first two targets are pulled and a fresh set hung. At some ranges there is a lot of kibitzing during shooting and behind the firing line lending to a very relaxed atmosphere. At other ranges it is much more by the book and you will get frowns and glares if you exhale too loudly between shots, let alone carry on a conversation with your neighbor. The indoor season has wound down and the smallbore shooters have moved outside to shoot at 50 yards. We are doing the same thing four-position shooting that is, , but add in the factor of changing light, wind, rain and temperature, all of which can, and do, effect the path of the tiny little hunk of lead. Which leads to a lot of moans and groans when certain individuals forget to keep a vigilant eye on the wind flags. Smallbore is challenging on the indoor range, add in all the variables common to outdoor shooting and it ratchets up the level of frustration at times to an unbearable level. The name of the game, whether indoor or out, is building a good position and trigger control. Once a shooter has these two principals nailed down it allows them to focus on the watching for the little gusts of wind that cause mayhem. Now that everyone knows what Smallbore is, what the heck is Mini-Palma? Well, we take those same .22 caliber smallbore rifles, flop down on our bellies and shoot entirely from the prone position. This is where the rubber really hits the road. Mini-Palma at ARPC is typically shot at 100, 150, and 200 yards, all with .22 rifles. Each distance has 15 shots for record with unlimited sighters in a 20 minute time period. Here it really becomes critical to watch that durned wind, make windage corrections and shoot with careful trigger control. Out at 200 yards it takes awhile for that bullet to get there and thus the wind can really play hob with you if you are not paying attention to what is happening at the various distances. The purest shooters use iron sights for these matches. Almost all the juniors will be using irons (because we make them) and we have one senior who is a died in the wool purest that only shoots irons. The rest of the seniors are all using scopes in various flavors and powers. On alternate weeks, Thursday evenings will be split between these Smallbore/Mini-Palma practice sessions and the Hunter Sporting Rifle matches that was described last month. Since most of the senior smallbore members also shoot High Power Service Rifle we plan on sneaking some practice for those matches in as well. Most certainly the week before the ARPC Hi-Power matches (3rd Saturday of the month) we plan on having some practice for those inclined or in need. This outdoor shooting is all done just for fun, allowing the smallbore people to practice in a casual atmosphere, yet keep their skill levels up. If you are feeling the urge to try something different, plan on coming out and joining us. If you have your own gear bring it along. If you are short on equipment, come anyway as we are sure there will be enough extra to go around. Don't worry about not knowing the ropes. There are any number of folks at these gatherings that will be pleased to get you started and help you over those inevitable bumps in the road.