QUICK REMINDERS FOR 2025

SHOOT SCHEDULES:

The Benchrest shooting schedule 2025 is over. 

We would like to see you at the range in 2026 !

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2025 CLUB RECORDS/ GUN SHOW DATES/ NEW BRUNSWICK CLEAN TARGET RECORDS/ CONTACT INFORMATION

DECEMBER 11, 2025 - THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS

I have, in various posts in the last few years, referred to people who have given of themselves, their time and resources, to make shoots and matches possible. I have called this group  "PEOPLE TO THANK" and often referred to them as people without whose work the shoots or matches would not have been possible, or as enjoyable, or as efficient, etc. 

I am not referring to the executive members of our shooting clubs who do giant work to maintain the organizations and ranges. They also deserve recognition and our thanks.

I'd like to focus on those people who work during a shooting event and behind the scenes to make sure that we can do what we love to do - shoot benchrest for score - every weekend during the shooting season. In 2025, that shooting season consisted of 33 matches and fun shoots, (not counting cancelled shoots). These were hosted by the Petitcodiac Sportsman's Club and the Minto Gun Club. In these shoots, 29 individuals volunteered to provide the tasks that are needed to run a shooting event. Obviously, some people did more than one thing and so in total they carried out 424 tasks over the course of the year.

In these 33 events, 373 shooters participated. This is an average of 11 shooters per event. It is intersting to note that at the beginning of 2025, an average of 10 shooters attended while at the end of 2025, an average of 16 shooters participated in each event. In years past, these averages were much higher, but since COVID, the development of other shooting disciplines and the elevated price of ammunition components, the numbers have dropped. During the summer of 2025, the numbers were very low with, for example, two shoots attended by only 3 shooters.

Each of these events absolutely must have a Match Director, RO, Scorer, Score Verifier and Target Changer. Some behind the scenes administration must be done and I have added these people in the match director category.

                   1.     Match Directors - 6 people served as match directors - 37 times in 2025.

                   2.     Range Officers - 17 people served as ROs - 76 times in 2025.

                   3.     Scorers - 10 people carried out  scoring/stats duties - 36 times in 2025.

                   4.     Score Verifiers - 12 people served to verify the scoring and stats - 36 times in 2025.

                   5.     Target Changers - 29 people changed targets during shooting events - 121 times in 2025.

 

                    

                    6.     Treats during shooting - 12 people have brought treats - 65 times in 2025. 

                    7.     Meals/Food - At special events, when a lunch meal is provided, 5 people have brought/organised food for all participants - 14 times in 2025.

                      8.     Pics/results for Blog - This year, the Blog has relied more heavily, for pictures and results, on 4 volunteers.

So, we relied on the work of 29 volunteers in 8 categories and they did this 424 times in 2025. For a group as small as the Benchrest Shooters in New Brunswick, this is a huge contribution made by volunteers. They really deserve our gratitude and appreciation.

MANY THANKS FROM ALL OF US TO OUR VOLUNTEERS.

DECEMBER 7, 2025 - MINTO - ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOOT

Thanks to Dale H. for sending the results and to Barb J. and Darryl K. for sending some of the pics.

The car was covered in about 4 inches of snow and the temperature was about -11C when I left for the range this morning. Some roads were cleared but not all of them. Then the sun came out and it was like driving in a winter wonderland that gave a new glimpse around each corner of why we love New Brunswick in the winter.

By the time the range was in sight, the temperature had increased to about -7C and it further warmed to -5C by the end of the shooting.

Now, don't get me wrong! Sitting in a nice warm room with the stove cranked up and looking out was great, but our old carcasses complained outside in the cold. This was due to the wind which did not let up all day and was awful. It came from all directions and from all corners of the range. It was hard to find a dominant condition. I don't know what the wind chill was, but our fingers lost their feeling very quickly as it blew into the shooting ports and literally blasted us at times!

Enough of that - the fact that we were doing what we love, with good friends and good food more than made up for a little of bitter winter fury. What we were doing was shooting four fun targets including the famous, (maybe infamous), "Know Your Limits" aka "The Black Death Squares". We also shot two targets - "The Fox" and "The Racoon" 

that were composed of small bulls. Finally we shot the popular "Crows on a Fence" ranging from a large to a small crow on the fence and then the shooter shoots a flock of teeny-tiny flying crows. This last target tests a shooter's abilities like no 

"benchrest for score" standard target does in today's conditions. The "Know Your Limits" target tests strategy as much as shooting ability. A lot of fun!

It was great to spend the day with old friends as well as welcome a new shooter - Tharin T. - who actually shot as well as or better than some of the seasoned shooters in challenging conditions, even though this was his first time out. 

Congrats Tharin. We hope to see you in the coming year.

PEOPLE TO THANK:

Match Director - David C.

Scorer - John M.

Score verifier - Dale H.

Range Officers - Bert deV., Conrad L. and John McC.

Target setter/changers - Cecil H., Barb J., John McC., David C., Tharin T., Dale H., Dan B. and Mike B.

Treats during shoot - Barb J. - banana bread; David C. - coffee

Lunch feast - Bruce B. - beans; Barb J. - mince meat and apple pies and cherry cheesecake; David C. - Chili, brown bread, drinks, hot dogs and condiments

Pictures - Darryl K., Barb J. and Bert deV.

Now to something dear to every shooter's heart - the food! Thanks to Bruce B. we were able to enjoy some terrific beans. David C. brought the very excellent Chili. Both of these were complimented by David C.'s famous brown bread. For those relishing a more traditional range meal, there were David C.'s hotdogs. To top it all off, Barb J. outdid herself with very tasty mincemeat and apple pies as well as a delicious cherry cheesecake. There were many songs of praise for all the items on the menu and no-one left hungry - quite the opposite!

RESULTS OF ALL TARGETS – ( * Indicates Gift Card Winner)

L to R:
Barb J. - winner of Fox Target
Dale H. - winner of Racoon Target
Wayne LeB. - winner of Know Your Limits Target
Cecil H. - winner of Crows Target

Shooter Black Death Fox Crows  Racoon

Bruce B. 15 48 DNF DNF

Dale H. 6 50 33 70*

John M. 0 49 21 66

Barb J. 6 50* 24 57

Cecil H. 22 50 57* 69

John McC. 6 48 13 50

Tharin T. 0 48 40 66

Wayne LeB. 24/3X* 50 47 70

Mike B. 7 49 5 64

Darryl K. 16/2X 46 14 65

Wayne K. 10 44 40 67

George M. 9/2X 49 24 55

Dan B. 16/1X 49 50 66

David C. 16/1X 49 20 67

Bert deV. 15/1X 49 49 70

Conrad L. 0 8 DNF DNF

Gerry J. 6 18 DNF DNF

After the shooting was finished and the results tallied, the winners were presented with a gift card prize for their great performance in today's conditions.

This was followed by the presentation of awards for shooting excellence during the regular scheduled events in 2025. Congrats to the following shooters who were the recipients this year:

L to R:
David C., Wayne LeB., Bert deV., Guy H., Bruce B. and Cecil H.
Absent:
Dan G. and Gerald D.

High RF Open Match score = Bert deV. - 400/32X 

High RF Open Single Target = Bert deV. - 200/18X 

High RF Sporter Match score = Wayne LeB. - 400/26X 

High RF Sporter Single Target = Wayne LeB. - 200/16X 

High CF Open Match score = Bert deV. - 300/23X 

High CF Open Single Target = Cecil H./David C./Bert deV. - 100/9X 

High CF Sporter Match Score = Guy H. - 149/12X 

High CF Sporter Single Target = Guy H. - 50/5X 

The Terry McNeill Rimfire Championship Open Class winner = Bert deV. - 400/29X

The Terry McNeill Rimfire Championship Sporter Class winner = Wayne LeB. - 400/23X

The Annual Minto Centerfire Championship - Open Class = Bruce B. - 298/12X

The Annual Minto Centerfire Championship - Sporter Class = Dan G. - 149/12X

The Annual Minto Rimfire Pistol Championship = Gerald D. - 255/2X

The Annual Minto Centerfire Pistol Championship = Dan G. - 175/2X

WE WISH ALL OF YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

NOVEMBER 30, 2025 - PETITCODIAC - 22ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOOT

Many thanks to Barb J. and Darryl K. for sending these results and pics. Also, thanks to Volker T. for adding important information.

This weekend, the Petitcodiac Sportsman's Club hosted it's 22nd annual Christmas shoot with 18 shooters from across the southern half of New Brunswick attending. It was the last scheduled shoot of the 2025 season for Petitcodiac with only the Minto Christmas shoot left to go. It appears that everyone had a good time shooting fun targets, having a dinner together,and sharing in the Christmas prizes. Again, no-one went home empty handed.

Thanks to the following for all their help:

Target Scorers: Becky McC., Dan G., Grant H., and Verifier John McC.

Target setters: Dan G., John McC., Grant H., and Volker T.

Range Officers: Dan G., Dale H., and Volker T.

Meal: Barb J and Dorothy McC., for the cookies; Wayne LeB. and Bruce B. for the timbits. David C. for the home made brown bread and Bruce B. for the homemade beans. Chris S. and Grant H. for the food service, sandwiches, etc.

Behind the scenes admin, organization and prizes: John C.

The shoot consisted of 4 fun targets:

1.     THE "LUCKY TARGET":

2.     THE "KNOW YOUR LIMITS TARGET":

3.     THE "FLIES TARGET":

4.     THE "MATCH STICKS TARGET":

RESULTS - ALL TARGETS: (* denotes winner of Turkey)

                              Good Luck           Limits           Flies           Match Sticks

Norbert S. -                  32                      13                 13                     30

David C.  -                    30                      13                 21                     41*  

George M. -                  37                      21                 19                     28

Darryl K. -                    30                      15                  33                     35        

Dale H. -                       37                      13                  24                     40

Becky McC. -               32                       0                   10                     25

John C. -                      19                       4                   DNF                   DNF

John M. -                      32                       0                   37                     30

Volker T. -                     32                      25*                 41                     37

Dan G. -                        42*                      0                   22                     29

Grant H. -                     29                      10                   34                     34

Chris S. -                      35                       6                    26                     34

Cecil H. -                      24                      16                   35                     35

Bruce B. -                    30                        8                   30                     28

John McC. -                 37                        6                   41*                   40

Wayne LeB. -               24                        3                   18                     32

Barb J. -                       27                        3                   12                     21

Richard M. -                 39                       17                  26                     31

A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE