.22 CAMARADERIE

Marksmen fire 10 rounds while standing in the final portion of the La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club's .22 rimfire sporter shoot. Shown competing in Tuesday's shoot are, left to right, Darrel Plank, Jim Way, Dick Hohstadt and Dave Johnson. (Story and photos by Dick MasonThe Observer).

Story and photos by Dick Mason

The Observer

The temperature was dropping, but the good-natured banter was heating up at the La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club early Tuesday evening.

Marksmen had just finished participating in the club's .22-caliber rimfire sporter shoot. They were discussing the competitive nature of the monthly event as the temperature dropped into the high 40s.

"It's competitive but light-hearted,'' said Dave Johnson of Island City.

Jim Way of Elgin expanded on Johnson's statement.

"We like to compete, but we haven't drawn any blood yet,'' Way said with a grin.

Way and Johnson were among the competitors at the club's first .22 rimfire sporter shoot of the year. The shoots are conducted once a month at the club from May through August. Shooters have been gathering for three to four years not only to compete but to enjoy the camaraderie.

"Everybody is a friend. You know that you are with good people if they come out and shoot,'' Way said.

Tuesday's shoot drew four people, but later in the year participation will often increase to at least 10 a night, said Dick Hohstadt of Cove, director of the .22 rimfire sporter shoots.

Competitors fire 50 rounds of .22-caliber shells at each event. Following is the sequence:

• 10 sighting (warmup) shots.

• 10 slow-fire shots from the prone position from 50 yards. Competitors have 10 minutes to fire the 10 rounds.

• 10 rapid-fire shots from the prone position at 50 yards. Shooters fire two five-round sets. They have 35 seconds to fire each set.

• 10 rapid-fire shots while sitting 50 yards from the

targets.

• 10 slow-fire shots while standing 25 yards from the targets.

The .22-caliber rifles used for the shoots are ideal for a number of reasons, said participant Darrel Plank, a member of the La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club. He explained that the rifle's shells are inexpensive, and the rifles are easy for youths to use because they are light and have little kick, also known as recoil.

The competitions are called rimfire shoots because of the type of ammunition .22-caliber rifles use.

Participants pay $5 to take part in each shoot, except for those age 16 and under, who shoot for free.

Sometimes participants receive a bonus — unusual views of wildlife. On Tuesday a pair of loudly calling Canada geese flew over the rimfire shoot toward the end of the event. The birds were less than 100 feet from the ground and landed on the hillside on the north end of the range.

Although the geese flew right over the target area, they seemed not to be disturbed by the sound of gunfire.

Shooters are sometimes treated to the sight of mule deer and white-tailed deer climbing the hillside the geese landed on Tuesday night. Like the birds, deer seem undisturbed by the sound of gunfire, Plank said

The next La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club .22 rimfire sporter shoot will start at 6:30 p.m. June 6. Shooters do not need to be a club member to participate.

For information call Hohstadt at 963-8624.

The La Grande Rifle and Pistol Club is on Highway 244 about five miles southwest of Hilgard State Park.