2014 STEEL SAFARI RESULTS
Posted By: Zak Smith on June 9, 2014
Congratulations to all the competitors who finished the 2014 STEEL SAFARI. It was a tough match this year. Here are the top 3 places:
1. Rick Camuglia
2. John Griswold
3. James Vick
For the rest of the top 10 and the full results, here is a link to 2014 STEEL SAFARI FULL SCORES (PDF)
Live reporting from 2014 Steel Safari
Posted By: Zak Smith on June 6, 2014
The Steel Safari kicks off on Friday morning with the first shooters departing for their field courses at 6 AM. This year we will have some live and near-live video coverage from the event. Please follow the updates on
CD on Facebook and Competition Dynamics Youtube Channel
Last-minute Steel Safari notes. Also, wait list movement!
Posted By: Zak Smith on May 31, 2014
STEEL SAFARI NOTES
We’ve revised the sign-in and registration times on Thursday. NEW THURSDAY SCHEDULE. Basically Check-in/sight-in starts at noon. The briefing is now at 4pm. Moving up the schedule will let us get out of there a little bit earlier so everyone can have dinner and get squared away for the first morning of shooting. (If you already have committed to travel plans that don’t get you there in time, please email me ASAP to make arrangements.)
Ray and I are leaving for Logan on Sunday so communications after that time will be difficult. If you leave me a voicemail or send an email, I should be able to respond in the evenings when we get back to town.
Here is an electronic copy of the briefing packet. BRIEFING PACKET PDF
There will be one stage that will be scored based on time (and normalized to 6 points). This is a change from prior years.
There will be a tech inspection of rifles during sign-in to ensure they comply with the rules. This will include a check of mechanical safeties and a drop test of approx one foot (vertical rifle onto butt pad).
WAIT LIST MOVEMENT
As usual, we’ve had a number of last-minute cancellations for the Steel Safari. This means that those of you still on the wait list have a good chance of getting your slot granted (because most people cannot make travel plans this late).
As such, we will be cycling through the remaining slots at an accelerated rate. If you get a “Slot Granted” email please get back to me ASAP whether you can make it or not.
To check your “wait list slot #” at any time, just load the registration/confirmation link from the registration emails.
2014 Steel Safari T-Shirt Order Due
Posted By: Zak Smith on April 28, 2014
It’s time to get the t-shirt order in for the Steel Safari. T-shirts will be $10 for the first one and $15 for extras.
They are printed on high quality USA-made blanks from American Apparel by local printing company here in Fort Collins. For sizing on American Apparel shirts please check this out,
https://www.americanapparel.net/sizing/default.asp?chart=mu.shirts
they do run on the “trim fit” side for sure.
Shirts will be brought to the match to be picked up at check-in, and you can pay us there.
Please send the sizes and quantity you want to info@competition-dynamics.com no later than Saturday May 3rd.
The design will be the “Sun Logo” Steel Safari logo on the front
and the match information and sponsors on the back, similar to prior years Steel Safari and TBTC shirts.
Steel Safari Wait List Movement
Posted By: Zak Smith on February 19, 2014
We had some movement on the Steel Safari wait list today. The wait list is down to just 1.
This means that if you haven’t signed up and still want a chance to shoot the match, get on the wait list and the probability of your wait list slot getting called is pretty high.
Remember, your match entry fees are due two weeks after we accept your application.
Sponsored Military Shooter Slot Awarded!
Posted By: Zak Smith on February 15, 2014
An anonymous benefactor has sponsored a Steel Safari entry for an active duty military competitor. We are pleased to announce that this has been awareded to an Army SSG and sniper section leader from Alaska. Here’s what the soldier has to say, “I would like to thank the Sponsor that has allowed me to partake in the 2014 Steel Safari and another thanks to Competition Dynamics for hosting a challenging long range marksmanship competition. I look forward to participating and meeting some of the best shooters in the country.”
Sponsored slot for active duty US Military shooter!
Posted By: Zak Smith on January 22, 2014
We have a benefactor who would like to remain anonymous that is funding a slot for and active Mil shooter in the 2014 Steel Safari! If you are currently in the military and would like to shoot the 2014 Steel Safari post up to FB the following: who you are, what your job in the military is, where you are stationed, and why you would like to shoot the 2014 Steel Safari. We’ll let the benefactor make the final decision but would like input from all the CD community on the merits of the applicants.
POST COMMENTS/APPLICATIONS TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
COMPETITION DYNAMICS ON FACEBOOK
The 2014 Steel Safari
Posted By: Zak Smith on December 30, 2013
The Steel Safari has become something of a right of passage for precision rifle matches. The SS is probably the longest continuously running practical field rifle match in existence, having started in 1998, it is arguably one of the most difficult matches if not the most difficult when one considers the overall format, terrain, target size, and target distance. The Steel Safari is unique in that it is truly an individual effort where each competitor carries his or her gear through the desert alone while navigating from field stage to field stage and only sees their RO, or the competitor they RO, for a few minutes at a time. There is no collaboration between competitors or team members as are frequently seen in other precision rifle matches; at the Steel Safari each competitor is truly on their own, all day, every day, for three days.
The stunning beauty of the desert punctuates this solo experience. Competitors arrive at each shooting stage, “blind,” having no knowledge of the target locations or distances, and have five minutes to identify, range and engage reactive steel targets out to distances of up to 1200 yards.
Target arrays are of two varieties: one by six, or two by three. In the one by six configuration the competitor is shown the shooting position and the left and right lateral limit markers by the RO. All six targets are visible while standing above the shooting position between the limit markers. In the two by three configuration, there are two shooting positions and three targets, each of which is engaged once from each shooting position. All of this is done in five minutes total with a single shot per target, no “sighters,” no alibis.
The environment harsh, and temperatures frequently exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The wind is also ever present and often blows in excess of 30 MPH through the rugged escarpment of the Blue Steel Ranch. The wind driven dust of the desert also tests competitors and equipment. Frequently equipment won?t make it through the day and needs to be serviced by the solo competitor. You have to carry all your supplies, so you either fix your gear or your out for the day, or for good unless you can solve your gear issues and get back in the match.
The camaraderie of the Steel Safari is excellent. Many competitors return to the match year after year. This created a problem with long waiting lists and sold out matches until Competition Dynamics changed to a three-day format in 2013. Now the Steel Safari has the ability to accommodate up to 60 shooters, allowing more to participate. The match still fills up, but the waiting list in 2013 did not have 30 people on it.
In the evenings competitors meet at the Annex bar and grill in Logan for dinner and a beer and talk about the day’s shooting, or they meet in one of the restaurants in nearby Tucumcari. Overall, it’s a great community and all are welcome. If you have shot the Steel Safari before we welcome you back and if you are new we look forward to meeting you. This is truly an unique experience that we look forward to sharing with you.