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Kansas City TA Squad fires at record
27,500 registered doubles in 24 hours
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FAST FACTS
August 29, 1998 – Date the new Doubles record was set
25,634 – Number of targets hit of the …….
27,500 – Targets shot at which translates to…..
5,500 – Number of targets each squad member shot at
5 – ATA shooters: John Wiegand, Stan Cooksey, Mike Hinton, Billy Rink, Larry Zerngast
93.21% - Squad Average of the 27,500 targets
22 hours, 7 minutes – Duration of the event.
Shortly after 12 midnight on Saturday morning, August 29, 1998, squad leader John Wiegand asked for and watched a pair of white doubles targets float in the fluorescent lighting on their path to the ground at the Kansas City Trapshooters Association Shooting Park in Smithville, Missouri.
Satisfied with the target setting, he and each of the other four squad members called for and broke their first pairs, beginning a marathon that would eventually surpass the squad record of 25,000 registered doubles targets shot in one 24-hour period, set in 1994 in El Paso, Texas.
The shooters continued with only short breaks for 22 hours and seven minutes, recording 5,500 per man for a new record of 27,500 targets in a 24-hour period. There were no breaks for sleep or meals. Weather was near perfect, seasonably warm with little wind and no rain. Throughout the event, a good crowd of spectators was on hand, including a number of deer and wild turkey which came in close enough to be peppered by falling shot!
Two PAT-Traps were used for the duration, one loaded with white targets and the other with orange, with setters remaining in the traphouses to keep the columns of targets topped off. The traps performed flawlessly as did the red Winchester "AA" shells piled up by each station, and there was only one gun breakdown during the day.
The 1-oz. Loads helped the shooters deal with the recoil of 5,500 shots fired in such a short time period. The shooters indicated that fatigue, lost sleep, backaches and blisters were more difficult to contend with than the recoil, and that the shells were instrumental in the scores carded. Winchester donated 30,000 shells for the effort and presented shirts and hats to the squad members.
White Flyer targets were used exclusively, with their usual very minimal breakage and uniform color, weight and flight. The company gave KCTA credit for the targets used, while PAT-Trap donated money for promotional efforts and gave hats to the squad members.
Leadoff Wiegand entered a high score of 99 and ended with an overall average of 93.89%. On post 2 was Stan Cooksey, a worker at Winchester’s Lake City facility who was instrumental in securing the company’s donation of shells. Stan averaged 87.89%, with a high of 96. Middleman Mike Hinton had registered no more than 300 doubles targets for the year until this event, finishing this day’s 5,500 with a 92.78% average. All are KCTA members.
Shooting on 4 and 5 were Billy Rink and Larry Zerngast, both members of the 1994 record squad. Billy led the KCTA group with four 100 straights, six 99’s and a 96.16% average. Fellow Pittsburg, Kansas resident Zerngast—initiator of the attempt to break their four-year-old record—had a personal best of 99 and a cumulative of 95.35%.
The five hit 26,634 of the 27,500 they fired at for an overall average of 93.21%. (Oddly enough, their average at the 25,000 mark was identical to the 1994 record squad’s pace of 93.70%.)
Much planning, preparation and cooperation was required to organize the event. Several squad meetings were held, special ground lease consessions were made by the Clay County Parks Department (allowing them to shoot earlier and later than normal), and notification and involvement of the Paradise, Missouri citizens and merchants was required to make it a success. Local television coverage and interviews were arranged by club members Randy Davis and Cooksey.
At 10:07 Saturday night, all squad members were fatigued but happy, visting with family and friends before retiring to their motor homes on the grounds for a much needed rest. Sunday morning, Zerngast appeared on the trapline and shot another 100 doubles just to try out a new gun, and Hinton claimed he was "ready to do it again!". All indicated they would enter the next registered tournament at the KCTA—in seven days, on Labor Day Weekend. (On opening day of that shoot, Rink broke 99 in doubles and Wiegand 100 in singles).
This is the end
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skeet shooting
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