DroptineNW
FNG
I’ll be at both matches also! Should be a couple good ones
2026 NRL Hunter Thread
- Thread starter Bobrobheimer
- Start date
Pilsner
WKR
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2018
- Messages
- 867
Just got home from the Best of the West match in Oklahoma. Had a great time despite gear issues like a Vortex optic that took a sh!t on me on my 4th stage, a tripod head (old crappy one on a new 2 Vets inverted tripod - new 2 Vets 55mm head is already on order) that decided to have a kinetic come apart and bounce down the rocks mid-stage, and having to finish up with a buddy's AR10 that I had never shot before using it today. NRL-H events and gas guns do NOT go together well. I was the only idiot using one and now I know why.
The RO's were awesome and Jim, the match director(?), was quite helpful diagnosing my optics issues.
It was the first match for my buddy and myself - we shot Skills division. MurphyTheWonderDog, my chocolate lab service dog, helped keep morale high during the weekend. The first day I needed the morale boost.
The BBQ truck was amazing!
The facility where we shot was also fantastic with mostly well thought out stages.
The steel targets with the vitals that had to be hit for score were a total sh!tshow though. Unpainted steel wouldn't show splash even for the RO's using spotters and the vitals would swing just enough to make you think that you hit them only to hear the dreaded REENGAGE! command. The lack of splash meant that you hit the steel life size critter somewhere but gave zero feedback on where on the critter you impacted, making corrections nearly impossible. They also broke several times making nearly half the range cold at any given time. This happened many, many times each day. At one point we were waiting on the same stage for 90+ minutes. We also were not allowed to skip ahead to the side of the range that was hot to keep shooting stages during the target repairs. Those targets often had zero shooters because everyone was backed up on the side that was cold. Not a huge complaint but the event was so well run that that was our biggest/most frequently heard complaint.
Our plan is to RO/volunteer/Range Medic (I am a retired military combat medic) for our next event to get a better handle on the rules and to shoot with the other RO's, who as a group seem to be the better/more experienced shooters, and then enter Open Heavy to actually start attempting to compete.
As an aside we met a fellow shooter who had a 3D printed case for the Sper Scientific talking timer that most folks seemed to have but he couldn't recall who made it - anyone have any idea who is making them or where to find the print file for it by chance? Or the belt hooks folks are using to hang their rear sandbags from? Trying to set up our gear for smoother and more efficient usage.
The overall feeling of the event was one of a tight community - once they found out that I was taking a knee so to speak due to gear issues I had two different RO's offer me their personal rifles to finish shooting the day with. Another shooter tried to throw me his truck keys to go grab his spare optic so I could keep shooting. We luckily had a backup rifle (sadly a gas gun) with a verified and zeroed optic back at the hotel, so it was all unnecessary but was very, very kind and welcome offers to receive. I cannot think of any other community where some complete stranger would try to hand you many thousands of dollars' worth of combined gear/optic/ammo just to ensure that a new member had a good time at an event. I was impressed and humbled.
Thank you for coming to my slightly unhinged Ted Talk and if you met us this weekend let me know who you were. None of us morons thought to take pictures so if you did, please let me know.
-Doc Jaynes
The RO's were awesome and Jim, the match director(?), was quite helpful diagnosing my optics issues.
It was the first match for my buddy and myself - we shot Skills division. MurphyTheWonderDog, my chocolate lab service dog, helped keep morale high during the weekend. The first day I needed the morale boost.
The BBQ truck was amazing!
The facility where we shot was also fantastic with mostly well thought out stages.
The steel targets with the vitals that had to be hit for score were a total sh!tshow though. Unpainted steel wouldn't show splash even for the RO's using spotters and the vitals would swing just enough to make you think that you hit them only to hear the dreaded REENGAGE! command. The lack of splash meant that you hit the steel life size critter somewhere but gave zero feedback on where on the critter you impacted, making corrections nearly impossible. They also broke several times making nearly half the range cold at any given time. This happened many, many times each day. At one point we were waiting on the same stage for 90+ minutes. We also were not allowed to skip ahead to the side of the range that was hot to keep shooting stages during the target repairs. Those targets often had zero shooters because everyone was backed up on the side that was cold. Not a huge complaint but the event was so well run that that was our biggest/most frequently heard complaint.
Our plan is to RO/volunteer/Range Medic (I am a retired military combat medic) for our next event to get a better handle on the rules and to shoot with the other RO's, who as a group seem to be the better/more experienced shooters, and then enter Open Heavy to actually start attempting to compete.
As an aside we met a fellow shooter who had a 3D printed case for the Sper Scientific talking timer that most folks seemed to have but he couldn't recall who made it - anyone have any idea who is making them or where to find the print file for it by chance? Or the belt hooks folks are using to hang their rear sandbags from? Trying to set up our gear for smoother and more efficient usage.
The overall feeling of the event was one of a tight community - once they found out that I was taking a knee so to speak due to gear issues I had two different RO's offer me their personal rifles to finish shooting the day with. Another shooter tried to throw me his truck keys to go grab his spare optic so I could keep shooting. We luckily had a backup rifle (sadly a gas gun) with a verified and zeroed optic back at the hotel, so it was all unnecessary but was very, very kind and welcome offers to receive. I cannot think of any other community where some complete stranger would try to hand you many thousands of dollars' worth of combined gear/optic/ammo just to ensure that a new member had a good time at an event. I was impressed and humbled.
Thank you for coming to my slightly unhinged Ted Talk and if you met us this weekend let me know who you were. None of us morons thought to take pictures so if you did, please let me know.
-Doc Jaynes
partsunavailable
FNG
- Joined
- May 29, 2023
- Messages
- 5
Ive made some of this stuff. I could modify it to fit your needs. Otherwise there are guys on eBay that sell them.
LongWayAround
WKR
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2015
- Messages
- 3,787
@Pilsner
It's amazing how helpful a bunch of people you have never met can be.
A guy I met at our local range loaned me his extra tripod for a few weeks. An RO let me shoot his personal rifle for a side stage since I was low on ammo. Another guy took the time to help me diagnose magazine feeding issues. I've overheard a bunch of similar offers from others too.
It's a pretty cool little community that I'm happy to be able to participate in.
It's amazing how helpful a bunch of people you have never met can be.
A guy I met at our local range loaned me his extra tripod for a few weeks. An RO let me shoot his personal rifle for a side stage since I was low on ammo. Another guy took the time to help me diagnose magazine feeding issues. I've overheard a bunch of similar offers from others too.
It's a pretty cool little community that I'm happy to be able to participate in.
Man I'd love the stl for that time holster! I'd print one for me and print some for my squad!
Pilsner
WKR
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2018
- Messages
- 867
How much to make/ship me one in safety orange?
Slowly chaning over all of my earth toned and camo gear to blaze orange so i quit tripping over and losing track of shit I set down while shooting.
partsunavailable
FNG
- Joined
- May 29, 2023
- Messages
- 5
I'll start a 3d printed NRL gear thread tonight. Don't pollute the match thread.
I shot the Mason Valley Match in CA, first time ever shooting NRL Hunter or any sort of comp. I had a lot of fun, it was definitely challenging, frustrating, and exciting all wrapped into one.
I definitely need to work on time/gear management, asking ROs better questions, and get better at my wind calls.
Gear to improve on for next one would be a dedicated shooting tripod, and Rangefinding binos with on board ballistics.
I shot light open and finished the match with a score in the high 50s, I definitely could have scored higher if I improved on the things above.
Signed up to shoot the Arbuckle, CA MDT Match next.
I definitely need to work on time/gear management, asking ROs better questions, and get better at my wind calls.
Gear to improve on for next one would be a dedicated shooting tripod, and Rangefinding binos with on board ballistics.
I shot light open and finished the match with a score in the high 50s, I definitely could have scored higher if I improved on the things above.
Signed up to shoot the Arbuckle, CA MDT Match next.
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