It was fitting that there should be a fireworks display at the Autumn Action Weekend as the 2009 season certainly went out with a bang for Team Derby. The five Members scooped up 7 gold, 4 silver and one bronze medal.

The highlight was definitely Rob winning the McQueen outright. Apparently his puzzled expression was a picture when he was asked to shoot again. Why? He asked, because you have just equalled the highest score of 50/6 and now you need to shoot a tiebreak – which proved to be the best. Marianne was watching this and now had to shoot to beat Dad. Her first run was a disappointing 50/1 but she raised her game and shot a 50/5 to come 4th. (Perhaps there is a market for some “Team Skinner” shirts)

All this is remarkable, as they have only started shooting the event this year with a second-hand factory rifle.
The also-rans were not too far behind, Pete and Jim both scored 50/3 to come 7th & 8th, and Dave took part too.

Team Derby was dominating Short Siberia, the 200 yard range where these full-bore events are held. Dave, Jim and Pete were running the Any Rifle, Any Sights competition so were resident there all day.

Dave was first to shoot and set the standard with a blistering 163. Pete was struggling with the kneeling and scored 141. Jim waited until the rain got worse but it did not seem to bother him as he shot a personal best 169.

Rob and Marianne both did very well in the prone stages but not so steady kneeling, however good enough to be near the top.
1st, Jim 169; 2nd, Dave 163; 5th, Rob 146; 7th, Marianne 141; 11th, Pete 137.

The results can be found on the national website by clicking here but the DRPC1999 highlights are-

Timed & Precision 1 SB
Marianne was annoyed with only scoring 290 but she was only one point off the winner for silver.

Timed & Precision 1 CF
In X class Dave was our highest placed with 300/16 for 9th position. Jim suffered from the blast of a LBR loaded for bear shooting next to him, and the resulting flinch cost him a un-heard of 6. Pete was struggling to hold the gun steady and shot even worse.
Rob was disappointed with 293 after shooting so well in the Club event.

Marianne was shooting the CF for the first time and the big grin said it all – a 295 to beat Dad and she won C class too.

Timed & Precision 3 LBR

This is won or lost at the first or last stage and when Jim dropped a shot on the first and two on the last that was curtains for him.

The single handed stage cost Jim two misses.

Multi-Target CF
Jim and Dave shot shoulder to shoulder on the same line for added pressure and a pint, Jim scored 118 to come second and Dave 113 near the bottom.

1500 SB
Jim was promoted to X class in the spring and has shot poorly since, until Sunday when he improved on his PB to win X class.
Dave was shooting well and was happy with 1467 and came second in A class.
In C class Marianne was furious when a magazine jammed and got more annoyed with herself when she shot 100 points below par. She still came second, (shame there were only two in her class)

1500 CF (the Premier Event as Dave calls it)
Jim and Dave were on the same line and pushing each other. Jim took a slight lead and held onto it, to come second with 1488. Dave was third with 1484. Very close but another pint for Jim.

In B class Pete had settled down and a respectable 1471 got him 4th place.
Rob had an unsteady start but shot a 1414 to win C class.

1500 LBR
1445 was not great but all shots scored and it was the best Jim had shot this year and it won A class.

Advancing Target CF
Dave shot this on the Friday and his 179/180 lead all weekend until almost the last detail when he was pushed down to third place. Jim bottled his runs and gave Dave a pint.

(Dave started shooting this event this year and so far has only dropped two points, born natural)

Speed Steel Challenge.

Dave shoots the SB event and Jim the CF. Dave seemed to do better than usual with some blistering times but only managed 4th place.

Jim picked up the pace and for the first time shot sub 80 seconds to win the CF class. (Not bad for an old’un, less than 4 second average to come into aim and hit 5 steel plates at 22m)

Try something new
It is worth mentioning that at these Action Weekends there are lots of events shot that we don’t do at Derby. Next year go to Bisley for a day or two and as well as your favourites try something different.

Rob and Marianne arrived on Friday earlier than expected and they were given the chance (by friendly RO’s) to shoot a stage of the Speed Steel Challenge and the Advancing Target.
Marianne was miles faster than Dad at the steels but Rob got his revenge when he cleaned the Advancing Target twice.

Summary
Jim is still grinning after winning four gold and two silver medals, and Rob’s remarkable success in the McQueen must deserve another mention.

Next Year
Dates are already appearing in the 2010 calendar so start booking time off work and just ask any of the usual suspects for help and advice about courses of fire, techniques and equipment. The first event is in March so start getting ready now.

Dave gets down to finalising the design of his new rifle. It now has to beat Rob and Marianne as well as Jim, so an even bigger bag of gold needed. Some say, he would be better off buying a second-hand factory clunker.

Photos
Now the gallery is up and running again more photos can be seen here

PS for those of you following the Dave v Jim Beer challenge the revised score after the AAW is Dave 0 Jim 37