Egg shoots offer interesting challenges
I had heard of egg shoots but never attended one until this past week. Local clubs, or should I say, a local club has held egg shoots for some time, but I never attended for miscellaneous reasons. But I have friends that shoot in such competitions.
These competitions are shot with center-fire rifles at ranges as far as 600 yards. Or at least that is what I heard.
Most firearm people would turn to one of their varmint target rifles when competing in such a shoot.
After all, an egg is not a very big target and the ranges are long. Such shooting favors the fast, flat shooting cartridge.
Or does it?
The really smart competitor realizes a larger-diameter bullet has the advantage regardless of velocity. You can sight in at the target’s distance, so trajectory is all but meaningless.
But the fatter bullet has a better chance of hitting the egg, while the small-diameter bullet may pass close by.
A 45-caliber bullet might hit the edge of the egg, while the .224 diameter bullet passes by.
As I said earlier, I never shot at an egg at long range but still have an opinion.
One thing is for sure, you have to see the egg to hit it.
My friend, Mike Webber from Scenery Hill, was practicing for an egg shoot and let me shoot his outfit. The following day there was scheduled an informal egg shoot utilizing nothing but rim-fire rifles.
The shoot Mike was preparing for was the 200-yard egg shoot from the bench. Sounds easy doesn’t it?
But do you realize how much a .22 rim-fire drops at 200 yards? I think it is safe to say the average outdoorsman has never shot a .22 rim-fire at 200 yards, and quite a few have never shot one at 100 yards.
That evening, Mike was shooting at a 3-inch square plate hanging at the 200-yard backstop.
One thing I’ll say, he was using the right equipment.
His rim-fire was one of Remington’s all-time best, a Model 37 topped with a 20-power Unertl Target Scope.
I watched as he repeatedly rang the metal gong at 200 yards, so I had to try. I missed my first shot but then started to hit.
Hey, this was fun!
Then, I retrieved my very accurate Remington 513S Sporter from the truck. This was my favorite squirrel rifle and was scoped with a 3×9 Weaver with an adjustable objective.
It was a very good and practical set up for a rim-fire, but at 200 yards I knew I needed more scope. As I snuggled into the shooting position, I remembered I was sighted in at 50 yards and the bullet would drop about 6 or 7 inches at 100 yards.
How far would it drop at 200 yards?
Guessing, I held about 3 feet over the target and shot. The bullet hit the ground well below the metal plate. I’m still waiting to hit that darned plate.
The next day, I attended the egg shoot, which was held on the range on Bill Pierce’s property near Scenery Hill.
I watched as various shooters took turns shooting offhand at an egg placed at 30, 40, 50 yards and so on. Those who missed were eliminated.
Those who hit moved back 10 yards and shot again. You miss you were out.
A fellow from Scenery Hill named Ty Bell won the rim-fire rifle portion in an early shoot, but Mike Webber won an egg match by hitting an egg offhand at 80 yards. I thought that was the toughest successful shot of the day.
Bill Pierce’s son, Kodee, won the 200-yard egg shoot. Pierce provided food and refreshments for the 80 to over 100 people who attended.
While I was a newcomer to such affairs, I must admit I had a lot of fun and if I’m still around and able bodied, I just might have an outfit to compete in the 200-yard egg shoot.
Forget that off-handed shoot Mike won – I wouldn’t have a chance!
George H. Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.