Reflections Back
2009 Puglisi Gun Emporium Side By Side Challenge
Old Vermillion Trail Shooting Preserve and Sporting Clays in Duluth, Minnesota, was the site for the 5th annual Duluth Double Gun, Inc.'s Puglisi Gun Emporium Side by Side Challenge in July of 2009.
The Puglisi Gun Emporium Side by Side Challenge event is a "Shooter's Shoot" in that all the entry fees and side game monies are paid back to the shooters in the form of door prizes or awards for performing well. In addition, the shooters were invited to take their chances by entering into Lewis Class or by betting that their score on randomly drawn Sporting Clay stations was the highest of the day. Jack Puglisi, the major sponsor of our event, also added One Thousand Dollars, in added money, to be paid out in Lewis Class that all the shooters were eligible to win.
78 shooters, from 7 different states, attempted 14,500 targets over the 3 day event. Over $5000.00 in prizes and cash were paid out.
Saturday's main event featured Sporting Clays, a Pigeon (clay) Ring and a Hunter's 5-stand. Friday and Sunday were reserved for All-bore (410 through 12) and games. On Friday, once the campers had been parked, the vendors set up and a few rounds of All-bore had been shot, most of the attendees spent the evening at Puglisi's Gun Emporium show room where we were treated to fine food, drink, live music and the chance to look at and handle some of finest shotguns and rifles in the world.
The Main Event
High Over- All in the main event is calculated by adding each shooter's finishing place in each event instead of the total of the birds they hit. A perfect score would consist of first place finishes in all three events for a total score of 3. This system is used to legitimize HOA in a shoot where the events are made up of an unequal number of targets. It also bestows the HOA honor to the shooter who demonstrates command of all three shotgun disciplines offered at our shoot.
This year's HOA honors went to local lad, Bruce Smith, who used his Beretta 471 to put together first place finishes in both Sporting Clays and 5-Stand along with a 3rd place finish in the Pigeon Ring for a shoot record score of 5 points (near perfect).
Runner-Up honors went to Jeff Wiemann with his 6th place finish in Sporting Clays, his 2nd place finish in 5-Stand and 5th place finish in the Pigeon Ring for a total of 13 points to narrowly beat out Scott Tout's 15 points. Jeff shot his LC Smith Long Range for all the events. Scott was shooting his Browning BSS.
Individual Event Results
The sporting clays event was set in a venue ideally suited to simulate upland game hunting. The beautiful grounds of Old Vermilion allowed the targets to be set fair but challenging. Very few singles, several report pair and a lot of true pair stations afforded the shooters the opportunity to use their two barrel guns as they were intended.
Bruce Smith shot 64 of 70 to narrowly edge last year's HOA winner, Hunter Davis. Bruce, as mentioned earlier, was shooting his Beretta 471 Silver Hawk while Hunter shot his beautiful Fox B grade.
The 5-Stand event was intended to simulate a hunting situation where the shooter didn't have the advantage of knowing where the birds where coming from. Each of 5 stations offered 3 random true pair. Unfortunately, a 25 mph tail wind and difficult visibility turned the targets into FITASC type targets that would have been difficult to hit as singles even if the shooter knew where the bird was coming from! The event will return in 2010 with closer and slower targets. Even with the difficulties so illustrated, Bruce Smith shot a 22 to beat Jeff Wiemann and Steve Kleist who both shot very respectable 18's. Jeff, shooting his LC Smith Long Range was awarded 2nd place over Steve and his Parker Reproduction, by virtue of the long run tie breaker.
The Pigeon (clay) Ring event offered the shooter left to right crossing birds as well as some on comers. For the second time in 3 years, Dave Wunrow took first place with a very nice score of 21 out of 30 using his Damascus Parker GH that had been re-stocked by American Gun Makers Guild member, Dennis Potter. Barry Frieler and Bruce also posted scores of 21 but the final placement went to Dave by virtue of the long run tie-breaker. Bruce stuck with his Beretta and Barry was shooting a true Pigeon Gun in his 32 inch Winchester Model 21.
All-Bore Results
The Small-Bore Event's name has been changed to All-Bore since it offers the same targets to shooters toting 410's thru 12 gauge. Something very interesting revealed itself in the All-Bore Event. The All-Bore Event average score posted in the 410 thru 12 gauge events spanned only 12%! The breakdown is as follows:
12 gauge 72%-- --20 gauge 66%-- --16 gauge 74%-- --28 gauge 64%-- --410 bore 62%
Perhaps shooters should consider shooting using their smaller bores in the main event for 2010 since we give a handicap for shooting anything other than a 12 gauge.
Bob Fulghum, shooting his LC Smith, won the 12 gauge event for the second time in two years. His score of 42 narrowly beat Roger Turchany and his Merkel 147 E.
The 16 gauge event featured three identical scores of 42. Randy Zahn, shooting his Fox Sterlingworth, won the event thanks to an incredible long run by hitting his last 25 targets. Dave Hall's long run of 14, using his Parker VH, easily took second place over Mike Koranda and his Winchester Model 24.
The 20 gauge event pitted 34 shooters against each other. These 34 shooters posted 46 rounds and when the gun smoke cleared, Dave Wunrow, shooting his straight gripped Fox A Grade, had won with a score of 44. Close on his heels were Larry Ablet and Marc Gilbertson who both shot 43's. The tie-breaker gave second place to Larry who was shooting his Browning BSS. Marc was shooting his beautiful Winchester Model 21. Larry made amends for his second place finish by winning the Long Bird side game with his Winchester Model 24.
The 28 gauge event turned out to be the jewel of the All-Bore Event thanks to Neil Wilkison's amazing score of 43! Neil, shooting his Garbi, easily won the event. Jim Fernandez, shooting in his first side by side event, Steve Kliest and Scott Tout all shot identical scores of 38. Jim was shooting his newly purchased CZ. Both Scott and Steve were shooting Parker Reproductions. The tie-breaker gave second place to Steve.
The 410 event was won by Randy Zahn who was shooting a beautiful CSMC Fox XE. His long run tie-breaker beat Scott Tout and his CZ Ringneck. Both shooters posted scores of 35.
Make plans early to join us July 23rd, 24th and 25th, 2010 for the next Puglisi Gun Emporium Side by Side Challenge.