Evening Win-Mag : nice target, especially the 10Xs. Very scientific analysis and expressed well in terms that even us caplock shooters can understand. Appreciate it. The 10Xs simply eluded me, I must have shot up my match quota in practice instead of during the scoring shoot.
That's because I'm usually not under some sort of scoring pressure. The last pressure-filled range session was over 30 years ago, when I was worried about freezing to death in -20F weather while qualifying with the unit's M1D. All of the battalion's designated marksmen rode up in an Army van with the OIC, with the temperature starting at zero, and dropping quickly the further north we went.
Nobody in their right mind was at the Camp Grayling range that day, but there we were, huddled in our warm van, trying to figure out how to get the job done without risking frostbite, despite our winter gear. I noticed a bunch of silhouette targets still standing on the 100m line, and asked if we could use them, thus sparing us a freezing trip down to the target line.
The MAJ clamped his spotting scope to the side window, and said that all the targets had hits in the body. I asked about the head area, and he said there were no hits there. I took a deep breath, ran out, slammed in one clip, and rapped off all eight rounds offhand, using the antique scope that came with that antique weapon. Then I ran back into the van, and prayed that the sensation of freezing eyeballs would go away quickly.
He announced that eight-for-eight in the head area was good enough qualification for him, and I was done. He also mentioned that the others could try that on other targets if they wanted. Everybody else went out into the snow to fire from the prone position, although one guy was prepared enough to bring his shelter half to put on the ground. I admire their determination to tough-out the cold, but I felt that, for me, expedience was the better part of valor, and marksmanship.