[Joe Haller]

On the left is Butch Hongisto, the famous gunsmith, , who was born here in the Upper Peninsula, but now has a gun shop in Sullivan, Missouri. Beside him is our local "Leader of the Pack": Bill Jones who lives in Cederville. Bill is really tough to beat. When the rest of us Yoopers come close to Bill's scores, we are happy.

 

[Joe Haller]

Another picture of the Missouri Gunsmith . . .

This is Butch talking with Gregg Sparkman, from Pickford Michigan. Gregg is the husband of "The Snow Queen" (Mary Sparkman) Mary is one of our local gun dealers. Some times but not often, they will miss one of our matches, because they are attending a "Down State" gun show.

 

[Joe Haller]

Our August Match was a Memorial Match.

Our August Match was dedicated to the memory of one of our Past Presidents: Bob Ward, who died in 2003. This is his wife, Caroline, shooting for the first time since she and Bob shot together here in 2002. She is using Dave Lahti's rifle, which was built by Butch Hongisto.

 

[Joe Haller]

The "Precision Shooting" writer. . .

That is me on the left, talking to Dick Wright. Dick writes articles for "Precision Shooting" magazine. In the background on the right, is Dick's lovely wife, Glorya. Glorya use to shoot with Dick in centerfire benchrest matches. She did not shoot in this rimfire match. Dick's rifle was build by another famous rimfire gunsmith: Bill Calfee. Dick and Glorya life in Harrison which is in Lower Michigan. We Yoopers call the folks that live down in that mitten "Trolls" because they live "below da bridge": The Mackinac Bridge that connects the two peninsulas is five miles long. Dem Trolls are always try'n ta catch da little billy goats as they cross da bridge. The record shows that no Troll has ever caught a billy goat on the Mackinac Bridge.

 

[Joe Haller]

The Farley Rest.

This is Dick Wright's Calfee rifle on a Farley rest. The "stick: works smooth when making sight adjustments, but it was designed for NBRSA/IBS group shooting, where they just move from the sighter to the record target. I moved that stick around on the USBR target. The total movement is not more that 3 bulls on our green monster at 50 yards. But: The Sinclair and the new Caldwell BR rests don't have enough windage movement either: At 25 yards anyway.

 

[recumbent]

Joe:
Great photos, I enjoy seeing other peoples equipment and the different range set ups.
I have been accross the Macinac bridge quite a few times. I rode up to the bridge from the north on a bicycle once and the bridge workers ferried me accross in a pick up truck.
I love to bicycle in the UP and the smoked whitefish is to die for.

 

[autoloader]

Joe thanks for posting a great summery and photos of the August shoot. You shure know how to get a bunch of famous, good shootin and interesting folks to come to your party. Looks like everyone was haveing a fun time. Bernie...

 

[13097]

Joe, I really enjoyed these photos. Putting faces on names is, I reckon, the next best to being there. Felt like I was there almost. The candid rather than posed format is especially effective.... :t

Thanks again Joe, :wave:

Dennis

PS. Liked the equipment photos too!

 

[jimfinn]

Howdy Joe,
Yep I'll join the chorus of thanks. Man that Butch looks kinda like a "Long Drink of Water" .
Great to see photos of folks, especially for me living way up here. Heck, that's the first photo I have seen of you except for your avatar!!!
Jim

 

[Joe Haller]

I have a few more pictures from that match . . .

Since you guys seem to enjoy seeing shoot'n pictures, I'll post a few more.

OK?

 

[Joe Haller]

Bill Jones . . .

Scoring MY target. "Bill: Take another look. Bill: Hey Bill. Would you use the magnifying glass on that one? Please! NO! Don't let Dave Lahti look at it! Ask Mary Sparkman. Bill: Did you get your eyes checked last week? Yea: But ya didn't get yer new glasses yet, did ya.

 

[Joe Haller]

Rob Haller . . .

My Grandson: Here Rob is shooting my Grade 10 Suhl. I started him out on air guns when he was 4. He started shooting in Bob Walling's rimfire postal matches when he was 12. This is his birthday. He is 20 today. Time flies.

HAPPEY BIRTHDAY ROB.

 

[jimfinn]

Hey Joe,
Looking at the last photo you posted prompts me to ask a question. What is the backing material you guys use on those scoring boards. I have seen photos of them before but never info on what they are made of. Do you use styrofoam or something similar that lets the plug stick into it?
Again Thanks for the photos
Jim

 

[Joe Haller]

That scoring board . . .

Jim:

That scoring frame is a made of 1/4 inch plywood. Cut 1/8" larger than the size of the target. Then a 1/4" x 1" frame edging was glued to it. A 1/8" edge sets above the surface of the plywood, so the target will stay in place. One of our members who owns a lumber yard made it for me. I just layed a target on it and center punched through the 10 rings of the 25 record bulls. Then I cut 2" holes with a circular saw.

Works good.

Joe

 

[Keeley]

What sort of music does this youngster have on the CD player????????

 

[Joe Haller]

Keeley:

It's ROCK.

His younger brother Chris plays guitar and that is all his plays. I tied to get him to learn some Bluegrass songs, so he could play along with me. I use to play harmonica with a bluegrass band down in South Texas.

Maybe we are chained to the music we heard when we were young. This new stuff just don't sound right to my ears. Some of my OLD musician friends say this new stuff is just "Syncapated Noise". I'm old too. Guess I agree with them.

Rimfire Related:
Wonder how that ROCK stuff can affect your scores? I never tried to listen to music while shooting.

Joe

 

[Joe Haller]

The Snow Queen:

Here is Mary Sparkman. Her screen name is "The Snow Queen" Must have something to do with that white stuff we gota shovel all winter UP here.

She is one of the Lady members that makes our club's machinery go round. She shoots Benchrest, Cowboy Action, runs a gun shop and drags her husband Gregg around to gun shows. SHE has the FFL license.

 

[Joe Haller]

Leo Hedger

Leo has been shooting a CMP 40X the last couple of years. Last Sunday Butch Hongisto told him about a used Finnish Valmet he had for sale. I just checked the UPS shipping website. That Finnish rifle will be here on Monday. Butch told Leo that if he didn't like it or it didn't shoot good enough, to just send it back. We will know how it shoots next Tuesday evening at our weekly League Match.

 

[Joe Haller]

Scott Hauswirth

This is Scott, with a T-36 on top of his Kimber M-82 US, on top of his new Caldwell BR rest. Scott started shooting with us in June of 2001. His first 25 yard target was a 239-8x and his 50 yard target was a 215-1x. He was shooting a Winchester M-75 at that time with a BSA 6-24x scope. Ammo: CCI Standard. That was before we discovered Wolf Match Target. Scott was the first shooter in the E-Mail Matches to shoot with a Winchester M-75.

 

[10406]

Joe, those are some nice pictures. Thanks for sharing. It looks like you have a great range there. How many benches do you have and what ranges can you shoot? Just curious.

Brad