The Boothbay Region Fish & Game Association will be introducing IR50/50 rimfire (.22 only) matches at the club on Dover Road in Boothbay this summer starting Thursday, June 27, with registration beginning at 5 p.m. Shooting starts promptly at 6 pm. The shoots will continue every other Thursday into September. Check the club's calendar at www.brfga.com for any additional shoots that may be held.

IR50 is a nationwide (mostly East Coast), sanctioned rimfire benchrest shooting organization. There are several types of matches that can be done, but the club has chosen the Unlimited Class due to some of the restrictions in the other classes. The club would like all those interested to be able to shoot.

The shooting will be at 50 yards off the bench, on either the 50- or 100-yard rifle ranges, depending on the number of competitors in each match. In the Unlimited Class, shooters will have 20 minutes to complete the 25-shot targets. There are three targets per match. There are also sighter bulls on the target, which shooters can use to get dialed in or to practice.

Unlimited is just that. Any weight rifle, any power scoped (recommended) rifle, and also any type of bench rest such as blocks, sandbags, mechanical, etc. The match fee is $10 per shooter for the three targets. Half of the fee goes to IR50, the other to the club.

At these matches, contestants may see some custom rifles and equipment, but we do not want that to discourage anyone who wishes to shoot. Bring your or grampa's 'ol .22 out and get the most out of it you can. Try and improve each time, and consider possibly taking it to some other level. You will get out of it what you put into it!

The IR50 matches are open to the public. For more information contact Match Director Keith Royal at (207) 350-6282; email: royalk87@yahoo.com

For more info on the IR50 organization, visit their website at http://www.ir5050.com/