AND the KO2M "Controversy" Begins

[THEIS]

Hello,

Well as we all know the 2017 KO2M is done and over but it appears the "Controversy" is just beginning......

BUT before we get into that...looks like the 50BMGs put on a showing in the top 10 AND top 5..with a factory Steyr 50BMG shooter taking 3rd place, a factory Barrett M99 in 416B taking 2nd, another 50BMG shooter taking 5th place with a 375CT shooter taking 1st and a 375LM shooter taking 4th.

From the KO2M facebook page there appears to be more than 1 person raising the "Controversy" flag, with a few others "liking" their reviews.

Feel free to click link to read their comments and watch their videos posted to back their side.....BUT we all know there are 3 sides to every story so we will have to see what other sides say....

https://www.facebook.com/pg/King-of-2-Miles-412443098924585/reviews/

I hope the KO2M organization can get this settled quickly because all the organizers and competitors put a lot of time into making the event a great one. Controversy as early as the 3rd year is not good for the ELR community.

THEIS

 

[HARPERC]

Hopefully it's just growing pains.

 

[Deleted member 71114]

The 5th place 50 cal shooter made his own 900+ grain bullets out of Brass round stock as well.



Cheers

 

[B23]

Unfortunately, any time you mix competition and prize money, this is often the result. Hopefully it's just a case of sour grapes and it works itself out. Or, if they're legitimate complaints, the powers to be take notice and make changes to enforce the rules.

Coming from a race car background I hate rules as much as anyone but without, enforceable rules, costs go crazy and before you know it only those who have the ability to spend as much as they want will show up and that isn't good for anyone, but like I said, they have to be enforceable rules because if a rule isn't or can't be enforced, there is no point in having it.

 

[Deleted member 71114]

Sad to say it was more then sour grapes, but this is not my cat fight.


Cheers

 

[hubel458]

An AB member was up first, he told me, and he made some amateur mistakes.

He of course would talk about it, and his much more experienced team mate didn't,

and won. No cheating just luck of the draw and 10 times as much experience....ED

 

[bigngreen]

Looks like some guys showed up thinking they were better than they are with the wrong gear for this shoot. They two guys who look like there complaining have just liked each other's stuff while the positive posts are garnering likes from everyone.

This is only the third match, it will grow and evolve each match and with that each year there will be something but being big boys about it may be a better direction to go.

One of the most rediculous gripes I've ever seen was the one that the guy who worked his butt of to hang all that steel got to shoot, lamest thing I've ever seen and frankly embarrassing that someone would be butt hurt about that!!

 

[Northern50]

One of the most rediculous gripes I've ever seen was the one that the guy who worked his butt of to hang all that steel got to shoot, lamest thing I've ever seen and frankly embarrassing that someone would be butt hurt about that!!

This exactly! I didn't read the stuff on FB since I have either been at Whittington Center or in Colorado until yesterday when I got back to WI. I did catch the part about someone bitchin about Walt shooting at his own course.. *** over. He was hanging the targets Monday when we got there. An advantage?? How? That's just sour grapes from someone who got their tail handed to them.

The crew I was part of had fun, we did well. We managed a 5th place at our first go around at the KO2M as well as a hit on every target on the second day including cold bore. We have a plan for the next run, it should be a good time.

 

[sable tireur]

Controversy as early as the 3rd year is not good for the ELR community.

Controversy, no matter what year it shows up in, can be problematic for any competition with rules. Getting the rules established early and clearly is always the best set of circumstances, but wherever there are winners and losers, there will be controversy.

I've had the great pleasure of watching new forms of shooting competitions come and go over the last many years. Usually, they start out simply with excellent intentions of providing something for the general public to participate in. The downside has always been the rapid escalation of gaming the rules and the skyrocketing cost of the tools and technology for each new form of competition.

Another downside has always been the appearance of favoritism before, during and after the competitions and Ko2M has certainly not escaped this. The shooting media's desire to hype and promote a new endeavor in the target shooting community is at an all time high, especially on the reports of the 'new' sniper record. Team AB has benefitted at every turn, both from the huge sponsorships as well as their own Public Relations force which is prevalent on nearly every competition shooting website. This is not sour grapes but a simple truth. Some of the other shooting teams may have achieved small amounts of sponsorship but nothing by comparison to AB. Every sponsor wants to back a sure thing because it's their money being wagered on the end result and they want a return on their investment. Always back the fastest horse in an all out horse race.

Then take into account the advancement of technology with regard to this new phenomena. New high tech lathe turned bullets which everyone had access to from the start but AB had access to proprietary experimental ELR bullets designed specifically for this form of competition just for them. Now we all have similar access because several makers have jumped into the market given the potential for high returns. The market is stimulated in a gigantic way which benefits all of us.

The exception is the setting of the price point. Once we were all a little put off by cup and core bullets costing about $0.60 each. Now we're subjected to nearly $2.00 for each bullet if it was magically turned on a Swiss-style lathe. And don't forget the new Dick Tracy ballistics watch which AB had during the competition but will only be released to the general public at the end of July. As I stated above, this is not sour grapes but simple fact. The fastest horse got the backing which was not available to rest of the field. It's an application you find in any industry where there is competition. The field gets leveled but only after the fact.

The biggest deterrent for the average shooter is the cost of getting into the game. The new technology increases the start up costs exponentially IF you want to play LIKE the big boys do. That does not preclude being able to start out in a streamlined fashion as opposed to being fully outfitted with the latest and greatest of the toys.

Where does all this rambling lead to?

Nowhere really. I love competition and I certainly love the necessity of growing and stretching to achieve a greater end result. The impetus is put on the industry to research and build better solutions for the ELR community. Some of the newest technology is truly fascinating!

ADDED:

No matter how much technology is involved in shooting Ko2M, a slight shift in the wind at any point along the way, 3500 yards to the target, will result in a miss.

Respectfully.

 

[blinderthanascope]

A 2 Mile course will have to be laid out almost like AREA 51, you can't just go and setup a LR course anywhere this is almost an impossible feat in itself. at 2 miles hikers or anything could wander into the range and there you go, I live in Ky and you would have a to shoot over a small town to get 2 miles cause it's dotted with a town every 2 to 3 miles if you look at the map lololol. off topic but something to think about

 

[sable tireur]

you can't just go and setup a LR course anywhere this is almost an impossible feat

I think it's a perfectly viable concern given that this form of competition is certainly looking like it will grow.

I haven't been to California to shoot ELR over there and likely I won't. However, there is Raton, Tonapah, a new resort-type training/ELR facility in Colorado and three that I know of in Texas with the set up currently or working towards it. There is the potential for a nice one Arizona but so far it's only talk.

The Midwest is fortunately still having to contend with trees, farming and civilization, the trees being a good thing but civilization can be questionable at times. There is some non-arable land in a couple of states but many of the nearby residents are anti-gun. Ask me how I know... The East is generally considered to be far too settled and prices of land too high to allow for this extensive of a shooting range. But, given the large pool of members to draw from, there may suggestion which will come from communities like this. I like the idea of a facility or land near a small town which could benefit from such competitions on occasions. Maybe the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Wyoming, Utah, North and South Dakota, Idaho?

Regards.

 

[THEIS]

Hello,

There is also a 2 mile official firing range/training center in Florida that can house and accommodate hundreds of people.
It would also allow for a "firing line" approach to the 2 mile competition instead of the single shooter approach.

Altair Training Solutions

THEIS

 

[sable tireur]

Yep, that might just cover it...

• Multiple Pistol & Carbine ranges
  • Flat Ranges: 30M / 50M / 100M paper and steel
  • 200M / 300M / 500M paper and steel
  • 1000M known distance paper and steel
  • 1500M unknown distance paper and steel
• 2-mile long range precision range

Thanks!

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[THEIS]

Hello,

Also have Q creek ranch in WY.
They have "extended" prs matches and ELR competitions.

Gunsite in AZ also has the capabilities.
Cowtown range in AZ also has the capabilities.

THEIS