How a New Navy Shooter Became a National Long
Range Champion
by Lt. Cmdr. Ted Janacek (OIC,
USN Rifle Team)
In February 1999, Machinist’s Mate
First Class (SS) Jamie Mordarski saw an article in his base newspaper about the local
shooting club and became interested in the shooting program. He completed certification as a NRA Pistol
Instructor, but was intrigued by High Power Rifle. He decided to meet with one of the Club
Officers to discuss becoming a rifle shooter, starting out with his “rack-grade”
M1 Garand.
Soon, Petty Officer Mordarski bought a match-grade AR-15 and began some serious practice
at a local club in Connecticut. He was ready
to serve as the requisite “New Shooter “ on the SUBASE New London Marksmanship
Team, during the Navy’s 1999 Atlantic Fleet Rifle Matches. His diligence, practice
and skill were sufficient to place him on the Large Command First Place Rifle Team and
recognition as the High New Rifle Shooter for 1999. Not bad for the new kid on the Block!
Later that summer, he attended the Interservice Rifle Championships at Marine Corps Base,
Quantico, Virginia. This was his first
opportunity to try out his AR–15 at the 1000-yard line. Using his 80-grain handloads,
and following the Marine guidance for sight adjustment by, “coming three full
revolutions down on the front sight post and coming up seven minutes from your 600-yard
zero,” he got “on paper” during the 1000 -yard practice. In fact, he fired seven more shots -- all 10s and Xs. He
was ready for tomorrow’s competition. But when tomorrow came, his bullets found the 7
and 8 rings. A poor performance, compared
with the practice round.
The next try at the 1000-yard line was
at the NRA National Long Range Championships, at Camp Perry, Ohio. For the first day
of the 1,000-yard matches, during the Porter Cup Match, Mordarski decided to
try an M14 off the Navy Armorers Van. He was handed a “rattle battle” M14 with a
good 600-yard zero, but which another teammate thought had a “shot out” barrel.
This was Mordarski’s first time firing an M14, so the match was going to be a
learning experience. He learned a lot that day, and returned the following day to fire in
the Farr Trophy Match. Strangely, the sight adjustments that had worked the previous day
didn’t even put him on paper during his sighter shots. In fact, his first 12 sighters
were not on paper. With the help of a Marine
and a large team scope, he finally got on paper, but by now he was low on ammunition and
time. He had 9 minutes left to fire 20 shots for record!
He shot quickly, finishing 30 seconds before the end of authorized time. Although tired and aching, he posted a 186-4x,
which was the best for his relay with the service rifle, qualifying him for the shoot-off
against the other relay winners.
Following the individual match, the 1000-yard teams fired and there was a several-hour
wait until the shoot-off for the Farr Trophy. During this time, the elation among Navy
team members was high, as one of our own had made the shoot-off. JO1 Mark Overstreet had made the shoot-off during
the Porter match, as ETC(SS) Kevin Gross had made it in 1998. MM1 Russ Carr, CDR Jim Adell
and LCDR Joe Sopko had been in the running for the last five years.
Before the shoot-off started, the area was roped off to keep the spectators well behind
the competitors. Lt. Cmdr. Joe Sopko
(retired) was Mordarski’s Official Scorekeeper and Chief Gross and I hustled down to the pits to pull
targets. The course of fire was three sighting shots and 10 shots for record. Jamie’s first sighter was a “6,”
high and left. The second sighter was a “7,” low and left. The third sighter was a “7,” high and
left again.
Mordarski’s first record shot is a “7,” in the same place. At this point I was frantic -- “he needs to
put on more windage, can’t he see the spotter,” I thought. I learned later that
he had been putting on windage, but the wind had been picking up.
The second shot for record was an “8” at about 10 o’clock. I told Chief Gross, “the rest of the shots
will be centered.” Sure enough, “10,” “10,” “X,”
“10,” “10,” “X,” and a “9.” By this time the other
service rifle shooters had finished, and Mordarski was in the lead. As long as his last shot would be an “8”
or better, he would win. His last shot was a “10,” for a total score of 94-2X.
MM1(SS) Jamie Mordarski had become a National Long Range Champion, proving what a
determined new shooter can achieve with hard work.