BADLANDS
Long Range Tactical Rifle
Match
by
SFC P. Carpentier JR
TXNG
On 9-10 NOV 02 I shot the BADLANDS Long Range Tactical Rifle match. This match was held at the BADLANDS Tactical Training Facility's. This was the second match that was held this year. They had a team match earlier in the year.
Here is a run down on BADLANDS. The BADLANDS Tactical Training Facility is located in Grand field Oklahoma. The facility is comprised of over 1700 acres of training area. This includes a 1000 yard rifle range with moving target capability (you should see how this mover is operated), a 3 story tower, 3 unknown distance ranges that go out past 800 yards, a pistol range and a 200 yard tactical carbine range. They also have a land navigation area and several "stalk" areas for sniper training. The owner, operator is Bobby Whittington and he has Steve Suttles as his Chief Instructor. Both Bobby, Steve and the staff put on and ran a good match.
09 NOV
The first day of the match we had a shooters meeting. Bobby and Steve went over the course of fire for the next two days. We were then broken down into two groups. After that we drove out to the range and one group checked there zero and the other group did the KIM's Game.
Shooters checking there zero.
Our group start on the KIM's game. Steve briefed us on the event. He told us that were going to move to any area that was marked off. We were to do a slow patrol though that area. In that area was 10 items. We were to look over the area as we were moving. We could not stop or pick up any items. I have done a lot of KIM's games and this was the first time I had every done one like this. Everyone had good comments on how this event was run. After that we went to check our zero's.
The MAKE it and TAKE it target.
After our group checked our zero we fired the first match of the day, it was the MAKE it and TAKE it. In this event the shooter will have a target down range at 100 yards. There will be 5 circles of different sizes on the target. The circles go down in size. The shooter will fire one round at each circle and can stop at any time. If he has a hit on an one of the circles, he will receive 20 points for each hit. If he misses any one of the circles, he gets zero points. The max points on this event is 100. Several shoots went down to the third circle and many of them also had a miss. At one match that I was at, I saw a shooter put a hit on every circle. I am here to tell you that this is hard to do. The very last circle is the size of a bullet.
The Hostage target.
The next event was the 200 yd Hostage. Shooter had 3 minutes to fire 10 rounds on the target and not hit the hostage. Any hit on the hostage would cost the shooter 10 points. At this time I would like to say something about the wind. The wind was running about 10 to 15 mph. This would cause problems for the shooters the rest of the day. On this event the wind was blowing from right to left. Several shooters cleaned the event and several others had misses off the left. Again the wind was a factor at 200 yards. The max score for this event was 100 points. To make scoring easier, every event was worth 100 points.
The next event for our group was the Range Estimation exercise. In this event there was 10 targets at unknown distances. You had 30 minutes to range all 10 targets and recorded your data. Since you were allowed to use your scope with mil-dots to range the target, you were allowed only Plus or Minus 1 percent error on your ranging. The mil-dot reticle is suppose to be pretty accurate for ranging targets, if you know the targets size and the formula for figuring range. The targets were half silhouettes and full silhouettes. We were given the heights and widths of both of the targets. Several shooters got 100 points on this event.
Shooters engaging targets on the Unknown Distance event.
Our groups next event was the Unknown Distance match. In this event we staged in an area. We were given a briefing on the event by Steve and then we were called up to the line two at a time. We had 15 minutes starting at the time we were called up to the line. Once we set-up Steve gave use a targets number. We had three minutes to range and fire on the target. If we hit with the first round we were given 20 points. If we missed, we could fire again with another round. If we hit with the second round we got 10 points, if we missed again, we could fire one more round. If we hit with it was worth 5 points. Of course you had to fire all three rounds in the three minutes. Once the three minutes were up, Steve called out another target. There was 5 targets down range. The targets were 20 x 40 inch Iron Maidens with numbers on them. Once a target was called out, you had to find it, range it and then engage it. The closest target was 340 yards and the furthest target was 803 yards. Again shooters were fighting the wind. Several shooters got first round hits on each targets.
The next event of the match was the Know Distance. In this event there was four 20 x 40 inch Iron Maidens down range at known distances. The ranges were 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 yards. The shooter had to engage each target with four round each. Total round count was 20. Each hit was worth 5 points. Max score was 100 points. We started with the 600 yard target and worked our way out. Once we were given the signal to engage the target, we had five seconds to fire. They would call out your shooter number and that was your signal to fire. Again wind was a factor. It was a big factor at 1000 yards.
The next event was the Sitting. In this event you engage a 20 x 20 inch Iron Maiden at 400 yards. You had to fire from the sitting position. In this event you fired 10 rounds. Each hit was worth 10 points for a total of 100 points. Again once our group was loaded and ready, our shooter number was called out and this time we had 20 seconds to make the shot. I saw a lot of different sitting positions used. The said as long as your butt was on the ground, that was sitting. Of course you could not used any support that touched the ground. Also you could not use tall bipods. I did see some shooters put a sandbag on there knee and fire like that. Of course everyone used some type of sling. Once were done with this event, the other group was done firing there event. We were then all gotten together for the KIM's test. We were all given paper in which to fill out with every item we saw. All this had to be done in 2 minutes. Of course there was several thing you had to put down for each item. They were size, shape, color, serviceability and what it appears to be. This is hard to do in 2 minutes. To try to recall all this information and write it down. Once were done, we waited for it to get dark for the Night fire match.
The last event of the day was the Night Fire match. Again each group was taken up to the line. Once in position a target was lighted up down range. The shooters had three minutes to range the target. Once the three minutes were up, the lights were turned off and the load command was given. Then the lights were turned on. Again your shooter number was called and you had 5 seconds to engage the target. A first round hit was worth 100 points. If you missed you would have to wait and then your number was called again and you could engage the target. If you hit with the second shot, it was worth 50 points. If you missed again, you were allowed one more shot. If you hit with the last shot, you got 15 points. If you missed with all three, then you got no points. I can not say it enough, the wind was still a factor. The wind was still blowing some even at night. The wind was coming from right to left. Many of the shooters were missing to the left with there first shot. Of course the shooters that got first round hits were either holding off or put in the wind corrections on there scopes. The target was at 430 yards and again it was a 20 x 40 inch Iron Maiden.
10 NOV
On this day we reported to the range. Again each group went to different events. The first event for our group was the Target Detection exercise. Again Steve briefed us on the event. We were only allowed to use one optic on this event. We could use our rifle scope, bino's or spotting scope. Everyone used at least one optic. Once we were ready we moved to an area. In this area there was 10 items layed out. Your job was to located them. Of course they were not easy to find. Once you located an item, again you had to write down shape, size, color, serviceability, and appears to be. Also on the back of the paper in which you were recording your information you had to draw a sketch of the area and where the item you saw was located. There was only two positions you could be in to observe. Kneeling or sitting. You were given a total of 30 minutes to observe the area. Every ten minutes you were allowed to move to a different position to be able to observe from another location. One thing that was interesting about the area was that there was a stack of pallets. But in the pallets there was an SKS rifle in it. During the briefing we were told that the pallets were not part of the items out there. Some of the shooters did not even look in there. They did not see the rifle. That was the first thing I found. A few of the shooters found all 10 items.
The next event for use was the Cold Bore. In this event our group was brought up to the line. We were told the distance to the target. The target again was a 20 x 20 inch Iron Maiden at 500 yards. Once everyone located the target, we were given the command to load. Once we were ready, our shooter number was called out and that was our signal to fire. We had 3 seconds in which to shoot. Again a first round hit was worth 100 points, second round hit 50 points, third round hit 15 points. Again this day brought wind. The wind was about the same speed as the day before.
The next event of the day was the Position shoot. In this event there was a paper target down range at 300 yards. The target was a full size silhouette with three scoring rings. The center ring was worth 5 points, the next ring was worth 3 points and any other hit on the target was worth one point. The shooter had 15 minutes to fire 20 rounds. He had to fire 5 rounds Standing, 5 rounds Squatting, 5 rounds Kneeling and 5 rounds Sitting. Just about everyone was finishing with a lot of time left over. Most them finished in 7 minutes. It was hard to judge time while you were shooting. The highest score in my group was 37 points. This was a difficulty event.
The last event of the day was the Stress Fire match. This was a very interesting event. You staged your rifle between the start point and the firing line. On the command to go you ran to a point to look at the target that was down range. The target had three rows of triangles of different shapes. You looked at the target, ran and picked up your rifle, run up to the firing line and tried to find the shape on the target and engage it with one round. All of this in one minute. A hit on the right triangle was worth 100 points. There was a lot of zero's on this event. Some people ran out of time or they shot the wrong triangle. This was a great event. A lot of good comments about this event.
All in all this was a good match. There was a lot of good comments about the different stages and the staff got a lot of feedback about what the shooters would like to see for the next match. Next year Badlands is planning on putting on a three day team match. If it is anything like the matches they have run before, it should be great. Plan on making there matches. You will not be disappointed.
