Snipers Paradise

Websters defines accurate as, "free from mistakes or errors." It defines precise as, "with no variation; minutely exact." Websters also uses the former word as a defining characteristic of the latter and vice versa. We also know that these words are relative. For example, one might say that the fitting dimensions of huge, industrial structures must be accurate, but they would be grossly imprecise in the context of the tolerances to which the bolt of a rifle must be constructed to properly fit the receiver. And they might both be grossly imprecise when compared to the grinding and coating tolerances demanded of the lenses in your favorite scope.As far back as I can remember, people have argued over the difference in meaning between accurate and precise in terms of a rifle, a shooter, and the activity they were undertaking. For example, people have struggled with whether the act of benchrest group shooting is one of accuracy or precision. Since there is no need to hit the 10 ring (and people often shoot their groups some distance from it), it is argued that the benchrest competitor doesn'tt need to hit anything in particular. Their game, it is said, is one of precision while the position shooters requirement is accuracy in other words, they have to hit something, namely the ten ring. Of course this is not entirely true, since the benchrest competitor must continue to hit his/her first bullet hole, but you get my drift. And in 1000 yard benchrest competition, both the group and the score are counted.All of us who read the technically oriented Precision Shooting magazines have our own ideas of accuracy that are different or more exacting than the casual rifleman. Many or us lay awake at night thinking about how we could make our rifles more accurate. Many of us are obsessed with the accuracy and concentricity of our turned necks, or the trued receiver, or our powder measure, or our seating die, or any one of a hundred things that go into putting together the most accurate rife possible. But for what purpose? Is there not some more practical reason than simply punching paper?In our obsession over each limb we sometimes forget that we talking about a tree. We forget the basic reason for it all. It is not about the accuracy of turned necks; it is not about the precision chamber; it is not about the exactness of our trigger let off. At its roots it is about the performance of a rifle and the skill of its operator to protect and provide. Targets were developed to help the rifleman test his rifle and practice his skill. Hitting the paper target precisely and accurately was not the end product but the sweat necessary as a part of the many means to an end.So what is an accurate rifle? Would you not say that a custom built, 125 pound, flat forearmed rifle that was built to ride the bags and shoot 3 11/16 inch, 10 round groups in the bull at 1000 yards (recently done at the 1000 Yard National Championships) with precise, hand loaded ammunition is accurate? But is it made to do anything else? Would you not say that a 10 pound, flat bottomed rifle that was built to group in the teens at 100 and 200 yards with custom produced 52 to 68 grain bullets is accurate? But is it really good for anything else? Would you not say that a rifle that was built to the contorted configuration of a position free rifle is accurate? Sure, but is it good for anything else really?These rifles are built with precision to do a single, specific, specialized job. They are highly customized to produce outstanding results within a particular sphere of the shooting sports and in a very controlled and contrived environment. They are hobbyist in nature. But what if the environment is not controlled? What if it is even chaotic, uncomfortable, harsh, brutal, dirty, dusty, hot, sweaty, punishing, and your position is angled, hard, or it is dark. Can your highly specialized rifles perform accurately, rapidly, near or far? Can you? Can anyone?Do you think that a rifle built like the simplest tire iron, dragged around in the sand , spending hours in the sweltering heat, dirty and fouled could shoot to the standards of the highly specialized rifles described above, and do it with factory ammo? How about if they were shot, not from the comfort of a bench, but from the ground, in very windy conditions, from the oddest of positions and still perform to the standards required, without fouling shots, on either cold or hot barrels? Is that not what we all dream about? Is that not the basic function of a rifle? Are not all the mutant rifles used for highly specialized games just a contorted view of the basic function of a rifle?Lets approach the subject another way. Some of you may be fans of Stephen Hunter, the author of those novels that pit Bob Lee Swagger, the heroic, Vietnam sniper, against the evil among us. The shots he pulls off in the novel are fictional just so much entertainment. Nobody makes such shots. After all, he doesnt have a heavy, specialized rifle, wind flags, mirage shields and boards, a controlled environment, sighter shots, and a good nights rest. And even if he did, there is no way in Hades he could make those shots.Well partner, Im here to bust (at least in part) your bubble!

Im here tell you that there are rifles that can fulfill your dreams, rifles that are simple, almost like your favorite hunting rifle, chambered for a puny little cartridge, and with riflemen behind them that can perform like you do in your dreams.

Over the past 3 days I have been witness to not a chance shot or two from out of the pages of your favorite novel, but amazingly accurate performance over and over again. And this was accomplished by people who shot until nearly midnight, got little more than 3.5 hours sleep, then crouched and crawled through brush in heavy ghillie suits in 100 degree temperatures and 90 percent humidity. They faced rattlesnakes, ticks, and that greatest of all demons: chiggers! Dont get too excited. Not all the shooters performed at that level. Yep, you guessed it: The author was fool hearty enough to register and finish.The next morning saw them atop a hill comprised of sand, clay, and caliche, the wind blowing like the devil and the sun beating down on their backs, heating them like crabs boiling in a Cajun pot. Their quarry?: a 12" wide by 12" tall Larue Mechanized Silhouette target 1000 yards distance. They had neither wind flags nor a nice bench and cushy seat. They had no time to think or worry or prepare or fidget. They had no sighter shots and no shooting jackets or gloves. They were told to hit the deck and make the shot. Time after time the Larues toppled. Without so much as a sighter shot, these snipers felled the targets. The ground upon which they lay was pitted and sloped and bumpy. The shooters were at odd angles to the target; the hill sloping fiercely from right to left. The ruts under their bodies were 6 to 12 inches deep. But they continued to fell the targets. I watched in absolute awe. I had just completed a chapter on 1000 yard benchrest shooting for a new book and wondered if any word I had uttered held an iota truth.

Billy Colsten behind his Accuracy International rifle prepares to shoot the moving 600 while James Anthony with his Autauga Arms rifle looks on. Both rifles are .308s

I am a hobbyist benchrest competitor and hunter. I shoot benchrest within controlled environments and at my leisure in the shade. Neither target nor animal shoots back, and my stress level is no more than self induced. You can understand my reaction when someone can out perform me with a simple rifle, no flags, no bench, and from a rutted, wind torn side hill. After hours in the sun and a hot, hard weekend with little sleep, I watched James Anthony shooting from this same hill, first at an 8" Larue at 433 yards, followed 5 seconds later at a 12" x 12" Larue moving at a fast walk at 633 yards. He hit them again and again with what seemed like little effort. I watched Jorge Garza knock 8 out of 10 Larues flat at 1000 yards as fast as he could bolt the rifle. They were only 12" x 12" steel plates with a 6" head atop them. I swear he was falling down that hill with each shot.

Jorge Garza is pretty happy after connecting with 8 out of 10 Larues at 1000 yards. That is Jorges hunting rifle, a tight neck 30x378 with Remington action, fluted Hart barrel, and H&S stock spitting 210 grain Berger VLD moly coated bullets. His partner Manny Vasquez was using a 6x284 Nesika action, Pac-Nor barrel and McMillan A-2 stock with 107 grain Sierra Match King moly coated bullets. Placing 4^th overall, Jorge and Manny shot the only non-military calibers at the match.

Situation after situation unfolded, bringing string after string of almost impossible accuracy and performance that most of us just dream about (did I say that already?). Is that not what we all want when we say "The Accurate Rifle": The basic 8 to 12 pound simple tool that quickly and with precision from 0 to 1000 yards and more under any and all circumstances hits the target no sighters, no flags, cold barrel. At the risk of boring you with yet another story of a match, I would like to take you through 3 days of what was a demonstration of the ultimate in top flight rifle accuracy.

The face of our magazine is changing. The end of Tactical Shooter magazine was a sad day for tactical shooters. The new magazine, The Accurate Rifle, will, undoubtedly, have made its debut by the time this article hits the presses. And although it marks a prominent change in my life as well, it has not been without its reward. I have asked many an accurate-rifle buff over the past 3 years why they did not subscribe to Tactical Shooter. Of course, the answer was obvious and always the same. They simply didnt think it would hold any interest for them because it was not something they did. I understand their position, but that position is one of not knowing the rich knowledge and skills that snipers hold, or that their techniques can be used by the accuracy minded rifleman who is not a tactical shooter.

While the Sniper Challenge was certainly a competition, it was likewise a training session carried out by Snipers Paradise. Jacob Bynum and Thomas Blahnik are the principles of Snipers Paradise as well as instructors in the area of tactical shooting, specializing in sniping. Both are exceedingly knowledgeable and outstanding shooters."Build it, and they will come", is a poignant theme in this context. Hundreds of hours were devoted to what is appropriately called the "Sniper Challenge", now in its second year. The number of competitors almost doubled from last year. Military and police snipers, as well as civilians who enjoy and understand the benefits of such an endeavor, made the journey to the extreme south of Texas to pit their skills against others of their ilk . While most of the shooters were young, strong men in the prime of life, a few outside that norm tried their hand as well. Trina Anthony is slight of build, young, and beautiful certainly not the typical competitor, but dont bet your car on beating her youll lose. Barclay West is but 15 years old, and already an accomplished veteran of this grueling match. Pete Carpentier Sr. is 62 years old and tough as shoe leather. But they are the exception. The majority of the shooters were from 21 to about 45 years of age, male, and in good physical condition.

With few exceptions, the .308 ruled the course. In the right hands, this venerable little pipsqueak is capable of amazing performance. The fact that there are many better cartridges out there now only makes the dream more possible. There were a couple of odd ball cartridges, however. Jorge Garza shot his custom 30-378 hunting rifle. His partner, Manny Vasquez used a custom 6-284 built around a Nesika Bay action.

The rifles themselves varied from stock Remingtons to custom rifles built around Remingtons 700 action. Several of Malcolm Coopers Accuracy International rifles were present. Two rifles sporting Nesika Bay Precision actions were used, one built by Nesika Bay and the other smithed by Manny Vasquez of Snipers Paradise.With the exception of the Accuracy International rifles, all were not much different than your own hunting rifle. Relatively light, simple tools built to accompany their owners into the harshest of environments and keep on shooting with amazing accuracy. I cannot recall one rifle, trigger, or scope failing during the 3 day event. Each competitor had to finish the course with the rifle they started with and they did. Scopes varied from Schmidt & Bender to Leupold to Nightforce, most with either mil-dot reticles or some variation of a ranging reticle or predetermined range marks. A few of the competitors used their own handloads, but the majority used out-of-the-box .308 ammo from companies like Blackhills and Federal. Some used the 168 grain Sierra MatchKing bullet while others opted to shoot the entire course using the 175 grain Sierra MatchKing for its superior performance at the longer ranges. Both are supersonic to the 1000 yard line.At the very least, half the rifles present were capable of to minute accuracy. I would venture to say that all the rifles present were capable of minute of angle accuracy or better across the course. Running 20 second, 5 dot drills at 100 yards and then hitting 12 Larues at 1000 yards is evidence enough of that.

The course of fire consisted of 11 shooting events and a stalk in the following order."Night Call" required each team member to fire at a "T Box" at 100 yards. The night was as black as a tar pit. James Anthony pulled his squad car off to one side and pointed it at the targets. The overhead bubble light was turned on for 3 seconds, and the competitors shot. He then turned it off for 5 seconds while they loaded. This continued at those intervals until all competitors had fired ten rounds.

The team of Terry Cross and Jim Clark prepare to shoot the unknown distance event. These guys blew the field away in the night shoot with near perfect scores. They placed 3^rd overall.

By the time all 34 competitors were through and had made their way back to the hotel, it was after midnight. Early the next morning, after not more than 3 hours of sleep, the teams met again at the Rio Grande Valley Shooting Center for the "Stalk". This grueling event started at 6:30 AM and ended at 9:30 AM and pitted everyone against the South Texas heat and humidity. Outfitted in ghillie suits and carrying rifles and gear, the teams stalked through thorn laden mesquite, huisache, and tall grass wet with dew. Their objective was to cross to within 200 yards and fire a blank at the target without being detected. If successful, they were given the opportunity to identify a 3 inch tall letter held up by the target individual, and if successful at that, fire another blank without being detected the second time and then read a second and final letter. Diamond back rattlesnakes, chiggers, and other fierce creatures accompanied them, protesting at this invasion of their domain. Heat exhaustion hung over everyones head. Tired but alive they all made it to the next events, shooting until late in the afternoon of the same day.

"Six Hundred Yard Mover" Jacob and Thomas had once again rigged a Larue target measuring 12" x 12" to a rail that was activated by remote control. The competitor shot 3 passes from right to left and 2 from left to right. Most shooters used the ambush technique. Coping with strong winds and calculating the proper lead separated the successful from the not so successful to the "just plain ugly" (yep, you guessed it. I never was very good looking).

I have been describing the Larue targets dimensions as either 12" x 12" or 12" x 18". Actually it is a 12" x 12" steel plate with a 6"x6" integral head on top to simulate a human silhouette. The reason for my explaining this will give you a better appreciation of the difficulty of hitting them as the events advance to the longer ranges of 800, 900, and 1000 yards."Sitting Indian" The shooters fire 10 rounds at a 12" x 18" Larue at 700 yards from a sitting position. They could opt for their team member to sit in front of them while they rested the rifle on their mates shoulder or back. Most took the option."5-Dot Precision" 5 one inch dots are superimposed on a life sized face. The shooter has 20 seconds to hit all 5 dots from the prone position. This takes a fast, smooth, easy to work action and a lot of practice to master with a bolt gun."Standing Tall" The shooters fired once again at the 12" x 18" inch Larue targets at 300 yards from a standing position. Keeping the body and the rifle still is an art form in my opinion, but doing so in the wind is beyond comprehension. I could see by the concentrated look on Todd Reynolds face that he meant to blow us away, and he and VW Plank did so with certainty.

"Sniper Golf" This event is a ball. Golf balls are hung from a horizontal steel rod by a fine string at 100, 200, and 300 yards. Each competitor was allowed 6 rounds total to hit one ball at 100 yards, 2 at 200, and 2 at 300 yards. Of course you might know the balls were swinging in the wind enough to make your eyes go crossed. Hmmm seems that Todd had his eye on this one as well, hitting 5 of 6.

"Urban Mover" Jacob and Thomas constructed a mock building front with 3 windows and 2 doors. They had also built a remote controlled car with a silhouette target on which was mounted a 5 inch "Shoot-N-See" target. The target moved quickly and smoothly from opening to opening. Most teams opted to shoot alternating openings hoping to be able to load fast enough to engage every other opening. Sound easy? Again, it takes a fast, smooth, agile action, and considerable practice to master.This ended day two of the fray with the competitors as well as the range officers worn to a frazzle from the wind, sun, and heat.Seven AM found the competitors facing the 12" x 18" Larues again, this time at the "1000 Yard Wonderland". Hoping for mild winds in the early morning, the shooters instead found themselves confronting winds that varied from 5 to 18 miles per hour, continually gusting, rising and falling in strength enough to make a grown man cry."Into the Unknown" This match is what I think of as the traditional snipers task. Team spotters were sent to the hill and given 5 minutes to range five 12" x 18" Larue targets placed between 400 and 800 yards. The competitors were allowed laser range finders, but they did not work on the small, dark targets in the humid, hazy air. Instead, the spotters had to use mil-dots to range the targets while the shooters waited in a secure area, blind as to what their spotter was seeing and doing. At the end of the 5-minute ranging activity, the shooters were called to the line and had to engage each target twice in rapid succession, using their spotters range estimate."Cover me" This scorching event found the shooters crawling several yards to a stair step barricade carrying their rifles. They engaged an oval "Shoot-N-See" target at 150 yards twice from the prone, supported position. Using a snipers walk, they returned to the start line, touched the concrete, and returned in the crawl position to shoot sitting unsupported. This continued until the shooter had also completed kneeling unsupported, standing unsupported, and finally weak side prone supported. This event found the author crawling on his side, trying in vein to protect another mans rifle ... and since I am allowed to say so, looking as uncoordinated and dumb as a post.

"Moving Chaos" This was the last event, and most of us approached it tired to the bone. The shooters engaged an 8" round Larue at approximately 400 yards. Five seconds later, they were faced with a moving 12" x 18" Larue at approximately 600 yards. These alternating ranges were engaged 3 times.

Friday noon found me sitting quietly, watching the competitors arrive at the Rio Grande Valley Shooting Centers lodge, a splendid place of air-conditioned refuge. John Cranston, last years top gun arrived with team member Allen Goehring, both of the Richardson, TX Police department.My teammate, Bob Kehley, owner of Camo Technologies, made it in from California. We met for the first time that day.Team after team arrived until the lodge was overflowing with some of the best all around riflemen in the country. I could see the anticipation and eagerness in their eyes. The young, whose protoplasm, hearts, bones, muscle cells, and brains function with flawless and incredible resilience, were ready to do battle. I, on the other hand, lay back on the couch, closed both eyes, listened to my arthritis talk back to me, and thought, oh dear, what have I gotten myself into.After signing a bit of paperwork and picking up a shirt and a packet of goodies, we were free to do whatever. "Night call" started at 8 PM that night (Friday). I headed for the hotel, the bed, and the air conditioning. If last minute practice were a necessity, I was in dire trouble anyway. After 3 hours of refreshing sleep and much contemplation and apprehension over the coming days of fighting off the hungry chiggers, I returned to the range to join the other 33 competitors.Knowing that we had only 5 seconds to load the rifles between each 3 second shot with the cruisers bubble lights on, my partner and I decided to hand each round to the shooter rather than try to reload a second 4 round magazine to get through the 10 round course. It worked admirably. Since it was dark, I could not tell you how the other competitors handled this problem. For the 10 round mags in the Accuracy International rifles, this was not an issue. The small "T-box" was not visible in the dim lights of the police vehicle. To do well the shooter had to know where the "T-box" was located. Apparently Billy Colsten, Allen Goehring, and Jim Clark did because they shot perfect scores followed closely by John Cranston, Carlos Villarreal, and Jerry Underbrink.

"Night Call" was pre-empted by a demo presented by VW Plank of Henry Technical Services (HTS). He was kind enough to show us the rudiments of the new night vision riflescope and attachment. Perhaps he will be kind enough to allow me to do an article about it some day. In the meantime, however, let me say that between the demonstration and "Night Call", we did not get back to the hotel and in bed until 1 AM. Knowing we had to assemble at 6 AM for the stalk, I set the alarm for 4 AM. Ouch!

I will not expend much ink on the "Stalk" except to say that it about did me in. The thought of shooting 6 more events throughout the day in the South Texas heat did not help my mental health much either.

Without a doubt, some individuals performance was much better than others. Why? Practice, determination, skill, and top-notch equipment come to mind readily. The competition was devised to complement training, and to give the shooter at least some realization of performing under stress as well as working as a team. The ability to endure hardship, appraise situations, and resolve problems quickly are tested in this challenge. Who wins and who doesnt and why are what we want to know.The challenge had two scoring systems: Team and individual. In every case, both individuals contributed heavily to the top teams score with their own performance. In each case, the team members had some close association with each other. James Anthony and Billy Colsten are both from South Texas and shoot together often. Both have taken similar training from Snipers Paradise. John Cranford and Allen Goehring are with the Richardson Police Department, and one would assume they have trained together. Manny Vasquez and Jorge Garza are good friends and often hunt and compete together.

Each high individual shooter was very familiar with their rifle, scope, and ammunition. Each has spent years behind rifles and is, in one way or another, connected to them in some close relationship. For example, both Manny and Jorge are trophy hunters and spend hundreds of hours each year at their sport. Manny is also Sniper Paradises gunsmith. It is my understanding that Bill Colsten has his own range. It is not difficult to see that John and Allen are dedicated SWAT members and spend a great deal of time with their rifles. Terry Cross manufactures components for competition rifles and pistols. Jim Clark is an experienced rifleman and 10/22 shooter and has appeared on CNN in that capacity. James Anthony, a local police officer, puts his rifle in bed between himself and Trina at the end of the day. Although I am kidding about that, James did put 1500 rounds down range in the two weeks or so before the match. Daniel Rodriquez, besides being a local, puts a lot of time in on the range, and draws on his many years as a USMC sniper.

The point: Each has a built a solid relationship with his partner and his rifle.

Although James Anthony and Bill Colsten took top team honors, it was far from a sure thing throughout the 3 day match. The teams of Jim Clark and Terry Cross, John Cranford and Allen Goehring were close on their heels.Billy posted perfect scores on 2 events, and James stellar performance on the 600 yard mover, moving chaos, golf, and standing 300 yard events proved to tough to overcome. But James performance throughout the entire 12 event competition was consistent as well. In fact, James Anthony was the only competitor at the match who did not stumble on at least one event. It is interesting to note that he did not shoot a perfect score on any event either. But his relentless scoring, event after event, was simply too much to overcome.

James performance reminds me of benchrest competition, and it is true of every shooting sport I can think of. Many individuals will shoot a tiny group during the 5 shot, 5 group benchrest competition, but will fall off the bench once or twice as well. It is the shooter who, although they may not post a stinger, never shoots a big one who emerges victorious.

I started this article with a bit of speech making about the concepts and ability of The Accurate Rifle. As you have seen, the majority of the rifles used in this competition were .308s and of relatively simple construction. The high individuals and high team finishers used .308s. While the .308 is a solid performer, it is still a pip squeak in todays high velocity, high energy world. Yet it is amazing what an accurate rifle in a practiced hand can accomplish.

Snipers Paradise hosts the largest group of Sponsors of any similar tactical event that I am aware of. This year the Challenge Sponsors donated $25,000 worth of tactical hardware. The list of donators is too long to mention here, but our many thanks to all of them. They are posted on the Snipers Paradise website page given below.

The majority of the course was shot using Larue Mechanized Silhouettes. Without a doubt, these are some of the most useful and reliable targets on the market. They took hit after hit, even from Jorge Garzas 30-378, and never missed a beat. They are powered by an internal battery, and right themselves quickly. In most cases, they had halfway righted themselves by the time I had reloaded and gotten back in position. Jacob and Thomas use them constantly in their training and punish them severely during the year. With little required maintenance, they simply keep on ticking. The Larue targets have two more outstanding features: They allow the match to run much faster, and they indicate hits positively. No more going down range to replace targets; no more looking through a spotting scope and trying to identify a hit.

2005 Sniper's Paradise Collector's Rifle

Sniper Golf

Sniper's Paradise 2000 Sniper Challenge

Jacob Gottfredson
Copyright Precision Shooting Magazine 2001

2005 Sniper's Paradise Collector's Rifle

Sniper Golf

Sniper's Paradise 2000 Sniper Challenge

Jacob Gottfredson Copyright Precision Shooting Magazine 2001

Jacob Gottfredson
Copyright Precision Shooting Magazine 2001