Uxbridge Shooting Sports Newsletter -
November/06
Uxbridge Shooting Sports
5700 Concession 4, Uxbridge
Mail: PO Box 101, Goodwood, Ontario, L0A 1C0
Phone: (905) 852-5907
1. Current Hours Of Operation
Sunday: 10AM - 4PM
Skeet, Trap, 5-Stand,
Sporting Clays
Kitchen open 9AM - 3PM
Wednesday: 10AM - 1/2 hour before dusk
Skeet and 5-Stand
5 stations of Sporting Clays
(self pull) - check for
availability
Kitchen closed, but snacks
and drinks available
2. News
- Trappers are no longer available for Wednesday
Sporting Clays.
- "Training Days" (last Saturday of each month)
are suspended until further notice. Sadly, last month's Training day was not a
success as several members who had reserved fields failed to show up!
- In an effectively "secret" ceremony held
Wednesday October 25 (arranged too late for member notification), Uxbridge Mayor
Gerri Lynn O'Connor, Ontario Trillium Foundation representative Aubrey Oppers
and other notables formally dedicated our new handicap - accessible facilities,
declaring their delight both with the establishment of our upgrades, as well as
the speed with which they were implemented.
- Membership fees are now officially overdue.
Those members not paid up by November 1 will be charged visitors' rates to
shoot, and will not be allowed to buy shooting cards.
- Only 40 tickets (out of 300) remain to be sold
for the raffle of the Beretta 391 Camo. If you have the stubs for additional
sold tickets, please bring them to the club.
- OFSC snowmobile trail permits are available at
the club from our steward, Doug Baker.
3. Guest Policy
Paid-up members of any shooting club, globally,
are welcome to shoot at visitors' rates any number of times per year upon
production of their current membership badges.
Guests who are not already a member of another
club are welcome to enjoy our facilities and shoot at guest rates, up to 3 times
per year, under the supervision of a member.
Youngsters may be coached by members, but are not
allowed to carry shotguns to or from the skeet/trap fields.
Names of all guests must be registered at the
desk.
Shells must be #7 1/2 to #9 shot only - suitable
shells can be purchased at the desk.
All shooters must wear eye and ear protection.
All guest shooters who are not
C.S.S.A. members must pay an insurance fee of $2 per person per visit.
4. Reciprocal Privileges
Uxbridge members in good standing are allowed to
shoot "occasionally" (not more than once per week) at Oshawa Skeet and Gun (905
985-7763) at members' rates (But If you shoot there too regularly you may be
asked to join!).
The Hamilton Gun Club (905 692-4224) welcomes
Uxbridge members to shoot trap, skeet or sporting clays at members' rates.
5. Board of Directors
Our Directors are interested in your input!
Please do not hesitate to forward your ideas to them via e-mail (reply to this
newsletter) or in writing via the suggestion box on the wall just inside the
clubhouse door.
1. Ed Holder.............President
2. Vic Bergman.........Vice President
3. Al Piette................Secretary/Treasurer
4. Andy Gatlin...........Membership
5. Richard Pearce.....Shoot Director
6. Steve Malcolm......Skeet
7. Phil Dimitrovski.....Sporting Clays
8. Cam Todd.............Grounds and Equipment
9. Doug Baker...........Steward, plus assists re
Grounds and Equipment
10. Rick Ingham.........Director at Large
(assists re Sporting Clays and Shoots)
11. Kathy Little...........Marketing and
Fundraising
12. David Brewer........IT and Automation
+ Rob Wilkinson.......Past President
6. Members' Help Wanted (and very much
appreciated!)
We have been blessed with an outpouring of
volunteer help, as well as equipment loans, to assist in both our ongoing
renovations and in our routine operations. If you have skills, abilities,
or access to equipment that you would like to donate in order to help improve
our club in any way, please leave your name with our Steward.
Special thanks to member
Chuck Catherwood
of Therwood Energy for the installation of our new fireplace insert, and to new
member Ryan Porter
for the replacement of our sporting clays target reservoirs.
Needed - a couple of "decent" office chairs for
our front desk.
7. Upcoming Events
November 19 (Sunday): Uxbridge
Sporting Clays Championship
November 25 (Saturday): Training Day -
CANCELLED
8. Past Events
June 18, 2006: "Full Choke" Sporting Clays
Shoot
Champion -
Dan McCormack
Runner Up -
Peter Taws
...............................
July 23, 2006: Senior and Junior Shoot
Champions -
Don and Donald Emerson
Junior Champion -
Phil Hunter
...............................
August 19-20, 2006: NSSA "Orange Blast" Open
12 Gauge:
B2 - Sam Barbetta, E1 - Stewart
Kirby, E2 - Dave Brewer
20 Gauge:
B2 - Sam Barbetta
28 Gauge:
A2 - Steve Malcolm
.410 Bore:
RU - Steve Malcolm
High Overall:
A1 - Steve Malcolm
..............................
September 10, 2006: Club Championships
Skeet: Champion -
Steve Malcolm
Runner Up (tie) -
Dave Brewer, Richard Pearce, and
Chris Stratagakis
Intermerican Skeet: Champion -
Steve Malcolm
Runner Up -
Chris Stratagakis
Skrap: Champion -
Dan Steward
Runner Up (tie) -
John Bradley and Sam Ghazy
5-Stand: Champion -
Dan Steward
Runner Up -
Richard Pearce
High Overall: Champion -
Dan Steward
Runner
Up - Steve Malcolm
................................
October 22,2006: Buddy "Best Ball" Sporting
Clays Shoot
- Rained out. New date still to be decided.
9. Retail Therapy
Upset by low scores? Why not buy something?!! It
may not help you improve, but you're sure to feel better just knowing you've got
the latest whatsit or thingamabob! The following merchants are eager to help:
A. J. Hobbs Enterprises Ltd. (905)
884-3027: Al Hobbs is a well known gunsmith and custom rifle and handgun builder
in Richmond Hill. He also deals in new and used shotguns - give him a call if
you're looking for something special.
Al Flaherty's (416) 651-6436: Features
Winchester promo loads in both 12 and 20 gauge at really low prices, and carries
a full range of Winchester AA competition loads for skeet, trap, and sporting
clays.
Bass Pro Shops (905) 761-4000: Located in
the Vaughn Mills supermall, our Bass Pro carries the same complete line of
hunting and shooting equipment as the US chain, but at (lower) Canadian prices.
Long time Uxbridge member and instructor Bill
Jackson works there part time, so don't forget to ask for him in the hunting
department when you visit or call.
Gagnon Sports (905) 725-5798: Has
re-opened with a new, improved layout, and carries everything you can think of
(and lots of stuff you didn't even know you needed) for hunting and clay target
shooting.
Giovanni's (416) 633-7597: features promo
shotshells from Rio, Fiocchi and Federal, but not usually in shot sizes smaller
than #8. They do however carry Lawrence high-antimony shot in all sizes as well
as a good range of other reloading supplies and replacement parts.
Hummason (905) 648-3430: manufactures and
sells "Extra-Hard" shot (1.5% antimony) in all sizes and "Premium" shot (3%
antimony) in size 7.5 and 8 only.
Most local gun-shops carry their "Extra Hard"
stuff but if you want to try the "Premium" you'll have to drive to Hummason in
Ancaster to get some.
Irv's Shooting Supplies (905) 436-2046:
Lloyd Irvine's "store" is a large trailer stocked with all manner of wonderful
things which he hauls up to Oshawa Skeet and Gun every Saturday (unless he's
taken it to another club during special competitions).
Lloyd is currently the only local source for
Remington 209 STS primers, as well as for Winchester reloading powders in 8 lb.
containers. He carries MEC reloader parts and Remington 1100 and 11-87 parts
too.
During the week, you can pick up your orders from
Lloyd at his place in Courtice, or he'll happily bring what you want up to
Oshawa S&G on a Wednesday or Sunday.
Lawry (877) 705-0008: imports, sells and
distributes Lawrence "Magnum" shot (6% antimony) in our area. High-antimony
shot is used in expensive factory target loads such as Winchester AA and
Remington STS. Because it is harder it doesn't deform as much as "chilled" or
soft shot, which means patterns will be tighter and more uniform.
Lawry's has Federal "Top Gun" shells in 12 and 20
gauge at under $40. per flat, and carries the complete line of Claybuster wads
as well as Alliant, Hodgdon and IMR powders in economically priced large
containers.
Le Baron (905) 944-0682: The Le Baron Club
Card costs $25. per year and gives you a 7% discount on all regularly priced
merchandise as well as free home delivery of their catalogs. The printed and
on-line catalogs include an amazing range of shooting-related products and
ammunition, but the stores are restricted to a more limited selection, so call
first to confirm that what you want is in stock.
Williams' Arms (1-877) 833-2634: Located
in Port Perry, Williams' Arms is the closest dealer to our club, making it
possible to shoot on a Wednesday or Training Day Saturday morning, zip over to
Williams' to pick up whatever you found was missing from your shooting bag (or
just a look-see), grab lunch nearby, and then return for more shooting in the
afternoon.
Williams' maintains a great website with useful
links to manufacturers (www.williamsarms.net), stocks some unique products (such
as Uni-Dot sights for cross-dominant shooters), has a good supply of books and
catalogs, and will order in whatever cleaning supplies or new gizmos you've read
about but can't find anywhere else.
10. Technical Questions And Answers
Please e-mail questions to:
rob_ricciatti@kelk.com.
Q. I've seen some shooters who have break-open
guns blowing through their barrels after each shot. I can't do this with my
semi-auto - am I missing out on something?
A. Some brands of shells leave a heavy, dark
smoke residue inside the barrel(s) which takes quite a few seconds to dissipate.
Blowing this smoke out of the barrels has three alleged benefits:
1. Any barrel obstruction is revealed.
2. The smoke is prevented from dirtying the
barrel.
3. The smoke might otherwise come out of the
muzzles to obscure the next shot(s).
However, there are counterpoints:
1. Barrel obstructions are typically the result
of "wonky" loads, which reveal themselves audibly anyway.
2. Plastic is hard to clean off the insides of
barrels, but smoke residue is very easily removed.
3. The smoke is typically heavier than air, so
cannot rise to obscure the next shot(s).
Also, it has often been reported that some
particular guns develop chamber and even barrel rust while other identical
models do not. The suggestion is that blowing into a hot barrel causes moisture
to condense on the chamber/barrel surfaces, resulting in this kind of rust (if
those surfaces are not chromed).
So, are you missing out on something? Up to you
to weigh the pros and cons. But whatever you do, please don't start blowing into
the muzzle end of your semi-auto!!
...............................................
Q. Some reloaders claim to get up to 20 reloads
out of once-fired AA or STS hulls, while others get only 3 or 4 before the
crimps start splitting. Why the discrepancy?
A. Crimp depth plays a part in this, but the main
factor is stretching of the hull mouth during the reloading process. Some
reloaders have a powder drop tube designed to spread open the hull mouths to
facilitate wad insertion. Then, the wads are guided into the hulls by fingers -
metal or plastic - that stretch the crimp area further. The degree of
stretching is different for different brands of reloaders, and results in a more
or less gradual weakening of the crimp area, and shortened hull life due to
splitting along the crimp folds. STS and older AA hulls are affected the most,
while new AA hulls are thicker in the crimp area to resist splitting in this
area.
...................................................
11. Classified
If you have something to sell, or are looking for
something to buy, please e-mail;
rob_ricciatti@kelk.com
(And please let us know when to stop the listing!)
For Sale:
Alpine compound bow with case, arrows and quiver
- Bob: (905) 727-1653
Beretta AL391 Urika field, 12g, with extras -
Chris: (416) 871-0245
Browning BT-99 - Al: (905) 884-3027
German Wirehair female, fully trained, 3 years
old - Adam: (705) 340-5058
Hulls for reloading, 12g, 20g, and .410 - Bill:
(905) 263-8174
IGA Condor 12g O/U with screw-in chokes - Saad:
(416) 562-9073
Labrador puppies - Anne: (613) 475-5097
Miroku 12g O/U - Al: (905) 884-3027
Remington 740 30-06 semi-auto with 2 magazines -
Dan: (905) 925-1756
Rizzini 2000 Sporting, 12g, 32" barrels - John:
(416) 265-6625
Russian 12g O/U with fixed chokes - Saad: (416)
562-9073
Tri-axle 16' x 8' utility trailer - Bob: (705)
325-1697
Triton ATV2 trailer: (905) 722-5839
Wanted:
Barrel for Browning Double Automatic
("Twelvette") - Rob: (416) 565-0537
Beretta or Remington 20g semi-auto suitable for
young shooters - carm.dan@rogers.com
Left handed 28g or 20g pump or semi-auto - Gary:
(613) 720-4325
FEEDBACK:
rob_ricciatti@kelk.com