October 30 is National Candy Corn Day!

October 30 is National Candy Corn Day!​

The October target is going to require a little more precision as the 10-Pt Bullseyes are close to the outer edges of the target area. If you play it safe you will only score 12 points if all your shots hit the candy corn background.

The usual three categories: rifle, smoothbore, (smoothbore must not be equipped with rear sight - front sight/bead only) or handgun

Two ways to shoot: Offhand from 25 yards with rifle or smoothbore or 15 yards with handgun.
Bench rest/supported from 25 yards with rifle or smoothbore or 15 yards with handgun

Mark the box on your targets as either rifle or smoothbore or handgun and either offhand or benchrest/supported.

I've been receiving questions on how to participate in this monthly contest. For new participants, download the pdf file at the bottom of this post and print it full size. Post your target by taking a picture of it with the information filled in and scored by you and post it back to this thread.

6 shots for score - 2 Shots per Bullseye - additional hits in the same Bullseye will count as 0
Hit the bullseye for 10 points. Hits in the rest of the candy background area count 2 points. Shoot 6 shots for score - 2 at each 10-Bull.

Ball must be half way into the target area to score points. Maximum score is 60 pts.

(TIP: If possible, print your target in grayscale mode - lightens the background slightly. You are welcome to print in color if you so choose)

Shoot as many times as you wish but please only post one target per category with pictures of target (and gear, if possible - we love to see everyone's equipment and load data!) Post jpg or pdf formats. Please score your own targets and write your score on the target along with information on the load you used and other info including rifle/pistol or smoothbore, bench or supported. If you do not check the boxes I won't know where to post your scores. I will check scores and it helps me if you will draw a line to each hole in the target and write your points for each shot - makes it easier for me to check the targets.

Prize is same as always - bragging rights on the forum!

I will be posting September results later this week.

Have fun!

Gary

Target is printed.

Got my targets printed. I'll give it a go this week.

Targets printed, now to make time to go to the range.

Even though I don't really like Candy Corn, I bit the bullet in a manner of speaking and shot at three of those devilsome targets. Two are shown here, the third is too embarrassing to display in public. I shot my .54cal. Chambers I. Haines from a position of semi-rest this AM, i.e., kneeling with one arm on the shooting bench. The ball and patch combination was very tight (.532" + .017") for easy loading and frankly, didn't do a thing for accuracy or bore cleanliness. Indeed, I had to hammer the ball to start it, hammer the short starter, and use quite a bit of force (with a stout metal rod!) to seat that combination. By the time I was ready for the third target, I was good and fed up with that arrangement but I had no thinner patches with me. However, I did have a red bandana, which I tore into strips, doubled over, and Voila! easy loading and no reduction in accuracy that I could see. Further, the material didn't burn through. Rest assured, next time I will use a thinner patch, as the tight patch - RB combination would be untenable in the field or at a woods walk. Here are my meagre (miserable?) targets from this morning:

Maven said:

Even though I don't really like Candy Corn, I bit the bullet in a manner of speaking and shot at three of those devilsome targets. Two are shown here, the third is too embarrassing to display in public. I shot my .54cal. Chambers I. Haines from a position of semi-rest this AM, i.e., kneeling with one arm on the shooting bench. The ball and patch combination was very tight (.532" + .017") for easy loading and frankly, didn't do a thing for accuracy or bore cleanliness. Indeed, I had to hammer the ball to start it, hammer the short starter, and use quite a bit of force (with a stout metal rod!) to seat that combination. By the time I was ready for the third target, I was good and fed up with that arrangement but I had no thinner patches with me. However, I did have a red bandana, which I tore into strips, doubled over, and Voila! easy loading and no reduction in accuracy that I could see. Further, the material didn't burn through. Rest assured, next time I will use a thinner patch, as the tight patch - RB combination would be untenable in the field or at a woods walk. Here are my meagre (miserable?) targets from this morning:

Click to expand...

Maven, I have also chased the hypothesis of 'tighter fit equals better accuracy'. Strangely enough, my findings were the same as yours.

Maven said:

Even though I don't really like Candy Corn, I bit the bullet in a manner of speaking and shot at three of those devilsome targets. Two are shown here, the third is too embarrassing to display in public. I shot my .54cal. Chambers I. Haines from a position of semi-rest this AM, i.e., kneeling with one arm on the shooting bench. The ball and patch combination was very tight (.532" + .017") for easy loading and frankly, didn't do a thing for accuracy or bore cleanliness. Indeed, I had to hammer the ball to start it, hammer the short starter, and use quite a bit of force (with a stout metal rod!) to seat that combination. By the time I was ready for the third target, I was good and fed up with that arrangement but I had no thinner patches with me. However, I did have a red bandana, which I tore into strips, doubled over, and Voila! easy loading and no reduction in accuracy that I could see. Further, the material didn't burn through. Rest assured, next time I will use a thinner patch, as the tight patch - RB combination would be untenable in the field or at a woods walk. Here are my meagre (miserable?) targets from this morning:

Click to expand...

Maven, I think those are still good scores compared to mine which are too poor to submit. Im gonna give em another shot before EOM.

It's a good thing we're shooting for fun and not for ca$h, and it was fun! OOPS - That's a rifled bore, not a smoothbore.

The Miner '49er said:

It's a good thing we're shooting for fun and not for ca$h, and it was fun!

Click to expand...

This looks like my target

@Salty, does that mean there's hope for me, that I could possibly come in 2nd to last???

@garypl advised to print targets in grayscale to make shooting a little easier. I have a better idea. Next month I'll print at 400%, shoot the target, reduce to 100% and submit the screenshot. It ought to help me.

These glorious Fall days are drawing to an end. I've shot more this Fall than I have for quite some time, maybe ever. Before wrapping up today I decided to post the MLF monthly target and give it a go. It is far from impressive, but these are generally tough targets because they are so small.

Rifle 25 Yards - Offhand:
I shot my .32 cal. Green Mountain barrel mounted on a Thompson Center .50 cal. Hawken stock. When I can remember how to load a muzzleloader, I start with 15 grains of Triple 7 3f followed by a .015 moose milk lubed patch under a .310 Harnady round ball. Most of the time I even remember to place a CCI # 11 cap on the nipple before I pull up to shoot.

Thanks for keeping this monthly shoot going Gary! And thanks to all who participate and contribute to the forum!

MSmith said:

These glorious Fall days are drawing to an end. I've shot more this Fall than I have for quite some time, maybe ever. Before wrapping up today I decided to post the MLF monthly target and give it a go. It is far from impressive, but these are generally tough targets because they are so small.

Rifle 25 Yards - Offhand:
I shot my .32 cal. Green Mountain barrel mounted on a Thompson Center .50 cal. Hawken stock. When I can remember how to load a muzzleloader, I start with 15 grains of Triple 7 3f followed by a .015 moose milk lubed patch under a .310 Harnady round ball. Most of the time I even remember to place a CCI # 11 cap on the nipple before I pull up to shoot.

Thanks for keeping this monthly shoot going Gary! And thanks to all who participate and contribute to the forum!

Click to expand...

Glad you enjoy the targets! Looks like only 5 shots on target- do you score this as a 22?

garypl said:

Glad you enjoy the targets! Looks like only 5 shots on target- do you score this as a 22?

Click to expand...

Gary, The sixth shot ended up just outside the candy corn border at the lower right - red dot. Yes, if I were scoring, I would call it 22.

It was a cool 78 degrees for the club shoot, I think the 100's are gone until next year.

Nessmuk with a flint parts gun.
Goex 3F with 40 gr.
.020 patch and a .440 RB
score = 34

Beautiful day here for burning some black.
My old .40 performed far better than I did but I'm ok with the results except for one flyer which was no doubt me.
.40 cal Flintlock my build
Supported
.395 ball
35 gr. 3f
.10 patch w/ spit lube
36 points

Smooth bore flintlock off hand.
.600 rb
60 grains 3f.
Wonderlube
Pillow tick patch.
Score 28.
The lower left target is close. If it's not half in my score is 20.

Beautiful day here in indiana. Soon it will be cold and wintery. Enjoying this while it lasts.

After shooting targets i blew up some water filled plastic jugs.

11th corps said:

Smooth bore flintlock off hand.
.600 rb
60 grains 3f.
Wonderlube
Pillow tick patch.
Score 28.
The lower left target is close. If it's not half in my score is 20.

Beautiful day here in indiana. Soon it will be cold and wintery. Enjoying this while it lasts.
View attachment 356941

Click to expand...

I score this as a 28!

It's been a while since i've checked in, lots of life events in the last 2 years have left my firelocks hanging on the wall gathering dust. i'm glad to see the monthly shoots are still going on! I had my Kibler SMR out for the 1st time in what seems like 2 years last week just plinking hedge balls out of the hedge row and it got me thinking that i needed to go visit the forum and see if there was something to shoot at this month! should be quite a challenge for me after not shooting hardly at all in the last 2 years but im going to give it a go and make smoke with y'all.

Chris