UNIVERSITY RIFLE CLUB

H. P. Duties

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DUTIES TO HOLD HIGH POWER MATCHES AT URC

PRIOR TO SEASON

1. Maintain an inventory of all necessary items to hold these matches. This includes: targets, target frames, wheat wallpaper paste, white carpenter's glue, rapid fire score boards, white and black pasters, timers, .223 cal. & .308 cal. scoring gauges, marker discs and spindles, velcro tape and velcro mounting glue, orange shot markers fitted with velcro to indicate shot score, open-bolt indicators, masking tape, chalk, sponges, batteries for telephone speakers and timers, 50 and 80 shot scoring sheets, NRA yellow "NRA Approved Tournament Supervisor Report" reporting cards, current NRA High Power Rifle rule book, SRI- 250M NRA Statistical Office Record report forms for conventional tournaments, "NRA Registration Fee and Match Entry Reporting Forms", SR-31 Bulletin Board Score Sheets, red and black felt pens and match financial tally sheets.

2. Select match dates for coming year at or prior to the November club meeting date and get members' approval so that these dates can be approved by the NRA and correctly listed in the Newsletter.

3. Submit dates, program rules and schedule to NRA for approval. The forms for doing this are supplied in the previous year's shoot approval reply.

4. When approval is obtained from the NRA, print the shooting schedule and program. Mail a copy to all High Power shooters who have participated in the last three years. This program should contain information on how to get to URC for new shooters who have learned about the shoots from other sources. This requires that a yearly list of shooters be maintained.

PRIOR TO SHOOT DAY

1. Repair target frames and have sufficient frames mounted with SR targets for the match. This may require the repair or replacement of the cardboard cover and/ or velcro blocks on the frame or the velcro on the orange shot-value indicators. If the cardboard is only shot out in the center, it can be repaired by reinforcing patching on the rear or splicing rather than replacing the entire cardboard sheet. All new or spliced cardboard requires the addition of a full-face target. Usable cardboard requires only a new SRC target applied. Use a felt tip pen to darken any black target ring lines, which have been damaged when masking tape was stripped during the previous shoot. Cover alt bullet holes visible outside any applied SRC centers with white pasters.

2. Be sure that the velcro attachable orange shot-value indicators and the velcro on the targets are operational so that they will hold when the frames are in a vertical position. There must be one marker available for each target frame used. These indicators are kept in and carried to the butts in a plastic pail.

3. Test all telephone equipment. This includes batteries and telephone' boxes. Two people are needed to do this. Repair equipment if necessary. Battery packs with voltage greater than 10.4 volts will work. Use packs with voltage greater than 11.4 volts in the butts.

4. Maintain the supply cans used by shooters when pulling and marking targets as they are performing their required butts duties. These cans must have two 1.5" and two 3" spotting discs on spindles, at least 100 each of black and white pasters, a piece of chalk, 12 golf tees, a sponge, extra spindles and a roll of masking tape.

5. The supply box for extra items for the butts should have a timer, scoring gauges, extra 1.5" and 3” marker discs, chalk, spindles, golf tees, sponges, pencils and rolls of pasters and masking tape.

6. Be sure that there are enough rapid fire score boards available in the shed at the butts. These boards are stored in the butts shed and are placed on the target frames after each 10 shot rapid-fire string. The butts personnel mark the number of hits inside each scoring ring on the appropriate line on the board after each rapid fire string so that scorers on the line can see and record the scores. If there are any boards, which are damaged, you must repair or replace them.

7. Mow grass as needed around each firing line and the top of the butts mound within a few days of each match. Be sure that you have been checked out on the tractor and mower before you use them.

8. Replace or repair firing point markers on each firing line.

9. Prepare the tractor by removing the mowing hog at the three-point hitch and mount the trailer hitch ball. Do this after you mow any grass that needs mowing prior to the shoot.

Be sure you know how to remove the mower at the three-point hitch.  Put the power take-off shaft into gear with the lever on the left side of the tractor, this also activates the hydraulic pump. The clutch must be depressed to do this if the tractor engine is running. Raise the mower high enough with the hydraulic lever on the right side of the tractor to permit you to remove the height limiting chains from the rear of the tractor but do not disconnect them yet. The mower blades will turn during this operation. Take the power take-off out of gear and release the clutch to check that it is disconnected. Wait until the mower blades stop rotating and then disconnect the chains. The tractor may be left idling or turned off at this point. You must rest the mower onto supports at each of the 4 corners of the mower. Use the height of two 4"x4" boards at each corner and keep them clear of the cutting blades under the mower. Lower the mower onto the boards by pushing forward on the hydraulic lever. Disconnect each of the three retaining pins and remove the struts from the three attachment points of the hitch. The power take-off shaft is now the only remaining connection to the tractor. With the power take-off still out of gear, move the tractor slowly forward to disconnect the drive shaft.

Mount the hitch ball in the hole in the trailer hitch right below the power take-off. The hitch ball is kept in the clubhouse in the desk drawer with the HP scoring sheets. You will also need the large adjustable wrench, which is kept in this drawer to tighten the nut onto the lock washer on the bottom of the hitch. Tighten it only as tight as you can hold the ball with your hand so it can be removed without requiring another wrench to keep the ball from turning during removal. Visually check the trailer and tractor tires for flats or low pressure. The tractor is now ready to go pick up the trailer on the day of the shoot.

10. Be sure there are sufficient supplies on hand. These include:

A. Readied target frames and butts scoring cans.

B. 50 and/or 80 shot scoring sheets.

C. Extra targets, SRC, SR-3 and MR-63.

D. NRA statistical score reporting forms and SR-31 bulletin board score sheets to list the scores so shooters can see            their shooting class and scores for alI parts of the shoot and their aggregate score.

E. For the first shoot, obtain a $100.00 check from the treasurer for a HP kitty. Cash this check and have 50 one                     dollar and 10 five dollar bills in the cash box for change at registration and payout. For subsequent shoots, be sure              there is this amount of bills in the cash box. Kitty money is held over from the previous shoot and converted to this              number and denomination of bills at a bank. This kitty is returned to the treasurer as part of the last shoot report of              the year.

11. Check the flag poles at the 200 yd. firing line and on the mound at the running deer mounds for operation. Check that the wind-indicator flags for these poles are available to mount on the morning of the shoot.

12. Be sure the grass and weeds are cut on the top of the butts mound so that they do not block visibi1ity of the targets in their raised position. Trim any weeds around the target supports and benches in the butts with a weed whacker.

13. Empty the trash barrels in the butts and check each target holder for correct operation. Be sure the cables to the counter weights are oiled and not badly frayed.

14. Inspect target frame numbers that attach to frames with dowel pins.

DAY OF SHOOT

1. Bring the tractor down to the trailer at the smallbore firing line and unlock the wheel and hitch lock. Be sure you know how to do this and know where the key and combination to unlock the trailer are located. Attach the trailer to the tractor, lock it in place and bring the tractor and trailer to the south side of the clubhouse on the grass so that the frames and other material can be placed on the trailer. The tractor should be partly on the road for an easy exit.

2. Plug in the power cord for the telephone system located in the back room of the clubhouse, plug in a speaker with attached battery pack test for operation by holding down the talk button on the handset while moving the handset near the speaker. You will get a feedback howl if it is working. Open the telephone boxes at the 200 and 300 yd firing lines and in the butts (be sure you have a key). Hook up the telephone speakers with attached batteries at each location and test for feedback as described above. Locate the speaker and adjust the gain so there will not be any feedback howl when they are in use during the match. You will need 5 speakers and 5 battery sets for this since the butts has 3 ports. An extra speaker and battery set (the 6th) can be placed in the plastic delivery bucket to serve as a spare for the butts. Leave the bucket in the butts shed. Do not allow the battery terminals to short circuit at any time, especially during transport!

3. While in the butts area, bring the table out of the shed into the open near the trash barrel for use in storing the target centers and spare parts box.

4. Register the shooters, collect the proper fees, and assign them to relay and target positions. Enlist Range Officers to run the match and Butt Officers to run the Butts if this has not been prearranged. Fill in a money tally sheet after everyone has registered to check the money received and list the number of shooters in each class on this sheet. Fill in the SR-31 bulletin board sheets showing the squadding and record the scores on these sheets, as they become available during the shoot. The score cards should be collected after each relay or butt change, if they are not going to be used immediately, and tallied to help filling in these SR-31 sheets during the match. Return them to the line after posting the scores.

5. Determine the number of target frames needed and load them plus one extra onto the trailer for transport to the butts. Be sure that the target numbers, which plug into the top of the frames, are also on the trailer for transport. Check that the dowel pins on these numbers are not broken. The box of scoring cans, extra parts box, Ice water, cups and replacement target centers must also be loaded for transport and delivered to the butts.

6. During the match, address envelopes with each shooter's address for mailing the results to each shooter. These envelopes will contain a copy of the match results and a check for prizewinners that did not remain after the match to collect their prize money in cash.

7. Calculate the prize money payout for each class. The total payout should be one half of the difference of collected range fees minus the amount paid to the NRA. This calculation is shown on the HP Tally Sheet. Payout these prizes from the cash box at the end of the match. Mark the prize money due each winner on the SR-31 sheet with a Red Felt Tip Pen and circle the total for each individual with a Red Pen. Beside the total, record whether the prize was paid in cash or not paid. Have a check made out for each shooter who was owed prize money but did not remain to collect in cash. These checks must be inserted along with the printed results sheet which is mailed to each shooter shortly after each match.

8. Fill out a yellow report card for the NRA, which gives the fact that the match was held, how many shooters participated and if there were any accidents. These cards will be supplied when the NRA returns approval for the yearly schedule. One is returned immediately after each held match.

9. Prepare a final bulletin for the match and mail a copy to each shooter in the envelopes addressed during the match. Enclose any owed prize money check.

10. Complete a "NRA Registration Fee and Match Entry Reporting form". One copy of the summary and the lower half of the "Statistical Office Record" registration card which has been filled in with the aggregate score and number of shots fired for each shooter to the NRA in an envelope they supply with the yearly match approval. These envelopes are not big enough if there are more than 15 shooters, so other larger mailing envelopes may be needed for this. Be sure to inclose a check for the amount due to the NRA for record keeping. This is presently $4.50 per shooter. The fee is stated each year in the material supplied with the match schedule approval.

11. After the match, disconnect the power cord to the telephone system to turn the system off. Collect the speakers and batteries (be sure the battery terminals do not touch each other or any other metal which could short them) from the firing lines and butts and lock the telephone boxes after returning the handsets to the boxes. Pick up the two range wind-indicator flags and return all unused supplies to the clubhouse for storage. Return the target frames and numbers to the clubhouse.

12. The tractor and trailer are used to return the frames and other material to the clubhouse from the Butts. The tractor and mower must be reconnected. There should be at least two people involved with the following attachment steps.

Return the trailer to the smallbore firing line and store it at the south end of the sheltering roof. Unlock the trailer hitch ball and uncouple the trailer. Relock the hitching ball socket with the hitch lock. Walk the trailer to the south end rather than trying to back it to that end with the tractor. Then chain the trailer to one of the posts with the chain which should go around a roof support post, through the wheel, around the axle, back through the wheel and both ends of the chain locked together with the combination lock. Be sure that the lock on the ball clamping mechanism on the hitch is in place so it cannot be attached a trailer hitch ball.

Take the tractor back to the tractor shed and reconnected it to the mowing hog with the three-point suspension hitch. The power take-off shaft coupling must be reattached with the power take-off shaft "out of gear". You must do this before you reconnect the mower to the three-point hitch. Back the tractor nearly into position with the power take off "out of gear" and pull the telescoping drive shaft on the mower to the power take-off shaft. The shaft must be out of gear and not moving. Don't try to do this alone. One man should be on the tractor and one behind the tractor to connect the hitch. Slide the coupling onto the power take-off shaft and very slowly back the tractor out the mounting struts of the three-point suspension align with the mounting bearings into which they must be placed. Get help the first time you do this or if you are not familiar enough with this procedure! Check to see that the 4x4s on which the mower is resting have not been accidentally moved in from the corners of the mower to a position where the mower blades might strike them! This can happen if you back the tractor too far or kick the boards.

With the power take-off “out of gear”, reconnect the suspension struts at the three points. Position and lock each of the three retaining pins. Stand clear and raise the mower by putting the power take-off "in gear" (depress the clutch during shifting) and raise the hydraulic lever on the right side of the tractor. Be careful where the person not on the tractor has his feet because the mower blades will start to turn during this lifting operation. Bring the mower as high as it can go without having the take-off shaft hit and turn against the top of the mower. Take the power take off "out of gear" and turn off the tractor ignition. Wait for the blades to stop turning. Reattach the two height limiting chains to the tractor by putting the third link of the chain in the slot below the hole in the yellow attaching toggle plates. Remove the 4"x4"s from the corners of the mower. Lower the mower by pushing forward on the hydraulic lift lever on the right side of the tractor. The tractor motor does not have to be running to do this. Close the valve in the gas line on the side of the debris collecting glass bowl below the tractor gas tank and return the tractor key to its storage position. The tractor and mower are now ready to mow grass.

13. Check the firing lines for lost or forgotten items and place these items in the clubhouse lost-and-found box in the storage room.

14. If you are the last to leave, lock the storage room and clubhouse doors and if there are no other shooters on the ranges, close the gate as you leave.

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