Black powder shooting clubs/reenactments in the Tennessee area?

[Felonious]

I've done quite a bit of looking on Google, and there are a few clubs somewhat nearby, but they seem to have websites that are so outdated the last shoots registered were in 2019, and the few that still seem to be active only have meets once or twice a year, if that . There's a skeet shooting place right down the street, but they specifically ban black powder for whatever reason. It makes no sense to me, even the local range says no to BP.

I always hear about guys talking about doing a woods walk, or other kinds of competitions, and would love to be a part of that, but am unable to find a group.

Does anybody have any suggestions for somewhat active muzzleloading groups in (middle, preferably) Tennessee, that have active shoots on a regular basis?

 

[Rancocas]

I'm in the same boat with ya. I've found nothing hereabouts southeastern Tenasi. Cleveland/Chattanooga area.

 

[jdw276]

I'm in the same boat with ya. I've found nothing hereabouts southeastern Tenasi. Cleveland/Chattanooga area.

The ones I am aware of are a ways but. That group over bit north of huntsville al and my group in NW Georgia. The Talking Rock BPShooters. We are just north of jasper and we have sevefal shooters come over from rome, adairsville, fairmont, chatsworth area. Www.trbps.com . Lots of great shows of course with the CLA. Knoxsville and lexington. Kinda annual rondys up lexington way with boonesborough area. All a drive.

I had to drive an average of two hours down here to shoot a bp match before trbps came about. Now I am down to 45 minutes. Good luck....

 

[PathfinderNC]

NMLRA has a website listing all the participating clubs in each state. Google search it and you’ll get some answers.

 

[jdw276]

Or start one if you got a range nearby......i did.....

 

[jdw276]

It sounds simple, create a bp shooting group in your area. It is if you have a range. Simply begin advertising. Get some gunshops to post a monthly flyer on the shoot, tell em thank you and the old adage of build it and they will come actually does work. I know that is how I did it.

You are not alone looking for a place and folks to shoot with. You really are not. I started averaging 6 shooters 3 years ago and now almost 20 a shoot......folks are out there. Stsrt it and they will come.

Create it and they will find you with simple sign or two in area shops. Find a range. It is the only thing you need to start......

 

[Robin Henderson]

The Tennessee Longhunters is a very active club and shoot at various places in middle Tennessee throughout the year. The shoots are usually a combination of paper targets and woods walk....25 shots or there abouts. I've been a member for a couple of years. The next scheduled shoot is December 9 at Bledsoe's Fort Historic Park near Castalian Springs. It's well worth the travels to fellowship with these guys and gals.

I cut my teeth with the Elk River Long Rifles roughly 50 years ago. They are located near Tullahoma. The club was once very active with quite a few members but the loss of our original range several years ago and "Father Time" has taken a toll on the club. We still schedule monthly gatherings but a turnout of 8 to 10 is about as good as it gets. Weather permitting, we meet on the second Saturday each month.

There are others and contact info for NMLRA charter clubs can be found here.... The NMLRA Charter Club Program — The NMLRA

Another that once was a charter club but no longer listed is the David Crockett Longhunters down Lawrenceburg way. I'm certain they are still an active club, and a search should get you contact information. I'm pretty sure they have a Facebook page.

Hope this helps. You can contact me if you wish.

 

[Rancocas]

Thank you folks, but there is nothing within 50 miles or an hour's drive of Cleveland, TN that I have found. I'm not willing to drive much further than that, except for the rare special events.
The local gun club is full and not taking any new members. I don't think they have any black powder shooters anyway except for some cowboy action stuff. There is an unregulated public firing range in the national forest within 25 miles or so of me, but there aren't many shooting stations, and being open to the public you never know who or how many might be using it. One day each week it is closed to the public, and that day is for police use only. Besides, the slobs leave their shot-up targets and other trash all over that place.
I do have a one lane, 60 yard range right here in my backyard that is fine for me and a friend or two, but certainly not suitable for club shoots.
But, I will bring this up at the next SAR meeting and see if any members there are interested and if anyone has a safe place to shoot. We are mostly just a bunch of old coots, but I doubt that I'm the only one interested in muzzleloaders. The color guard carries a few muskets. (hehe. On 12/16 we are going to the river and have a small pseudo reenactment of the Boston Tea Party)

 

[maillemaker]

If you are interested in shooting black powder rifles from the era of the American Civil War, check out the North-South Skirmish Association. You are in the Deep South Region. Here is the Deep South web site:

http://www.deepsouthnssa.com/
Here is the 2024 Skirmish schedule:

February 23-24 - 4th LA, Brierfield, Alabama
March 22-24, 20th GA, Brierfield, Alabama
April 26-28 - 14th MS, Brierfield, Alabama
May 15-19 - Spring Nationals, Winchester VA
June 21-23 - 4th TN, Brierfield, Alabama
August 23-25 - 3rd GA, Brierfield, Alabama
September 13-15, Palmetto Guard, Brierfield
October 2-6, Fall Nationals, Winchester VA
November 1-3, Forrest Escort, Eva, Tennessee

We have many shooters from Tennessee.

 

[smo]

Felonious…

Check out Poplar Hollar Longrifles …
They are located just East (8 miles) of Lawrenceburg Tn …1 or 2 miles South of Hwy 64..

They have a Facebook page..

 

[Felonious]

I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I'm starting to think more and more about opening a "club". I've got the space for a handful of guys to come out and shoot ML'S, it's not huge, but it's enough. If I could get my neighbor on board (high probability) I would have the space for a about 1 mile woods walk too.

I would love to set up a black powder skeet shooting booth as well, all of my friends that hunt with modern weapons get to practice on trap and skeet, meanwhile I'm stuck shooting milk jugs I sit on top of logs or behind trees. That might take a little more room than I have though.

It won't be soon, but at some point I will definitely make a post trying to solicit a few members from the Middle-west Tennessee area.

A second question, is it appropriate to charge people to come to these events? I'm not trying to make any money, but it would be nice to build a shooting stand and set up some slightly more professional targets, I'm just not in a financial place to be able to do so.

 

[flconch53]

I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I'm starting to think more and more about opening a "club". I've got the space for a handful of guys to come out and shoot ML'S, it's not huge, but it's enough. If I could get my neighbor on board (high probability) I would have the space for a about 1 mile woods walk too.

I would love to set up a black powder skeet shooting booth as well, all of my friends that hunt with modern weapons get to practice on trap and skeet, meanwhile I'm stuck shooting milk jugs I sit on top of logs or behind trees. That might take a little more room than I have though.

It won't be soon, but at some point I will definitely make a post trying to solicit a few members from the Middle-west Tennessee area.

A second question, is it appropriate to charge people to come to these events? I'm not trying to make any money, but it would be nice to build a shooting stand and set up some slightly more professional targets, I'm just not in a financial place to be able to do so.

Most clubs charge a range fee to cover expenses and insurance

 

[jdw276]

I'm a bit busy at the moment, but I'm starting to think more and more about opening a "club". I've got the space for a handful of guys to come out and shoot ML'S, it's not huge, but it's enough. If I could get my neighbor on board (high probability) I would have the space for a about 1 mile woods walk too.

I would love to set up a black powder skeet shooting booth as well, all of my friends that hunt with modern weapons get to practice on trap and skeet, meanwhile I'm stuck shooting milk jugs I sit on top of logs or behind trees. That might take a little more room than I have though.

It won't be soon, but at some point I will definitely make a post trying to solicit a few members from the Middle-west Tennessee area.

A second question, is it appropriate to charge people to come to these events? I'm not trying to make any money, but it would be nice to build a shooting stand and set up some slightly more professional targets, I'm just not in a financial place to be able to do so.

Yes to all. We charge a $15 fee to shoot. Insurance, maintenance, targets, target holders, target bases and just stuff you need to run a shoot. Do not stress over dimes. Shooters will pay a reasonable price say $20 to shoot for a day. You have modern gun ranges around you. Indoor and outdoor, check their fees and just be reasonable. The first bunch will be invited friends. They will understand and support you pretty much at any price. It is fun and the thank yous will be a great reward. Been there.......www.trbps.com for our history, ideas and all about us. Good luck.

 

[Buzzard Luck]

Thank you folks, but there is nothing within 50 miles or an hour's drive of Cleveland, TN that I have found. I'm not willing to drive much further than that, except for the rare special events.
The local gun club is full and not taking any new members. I don't think they have any black powder shooters anyway except for some cowboy action stuff. There is an unregulated public firing range in the national forest within 25 miles or so of me, but there aren't many shooting stations, and being open to the public you never know who or how many might be using it. One day each week it is closed to the public, and that day is for police use only. Besides, the slobs leave their shot-up targets and other trash all over that place.
I do have a one lane, 60 yard range right here in my backyard that is fine for me and a friend or two, but certainly not suitable for club shoots.
But, I will bring this up at the next SAR meeting and see if any members there are interested and if anyone has a safe place to shoot. We are mostly just a bunch of old coots, but I doubt that I'm the only one interested in muzzleloaders. The color guard carries a few muskets. (hehe. On 12/16 we are going to the river and have a small pseudo reenactment of the Boston Tea Party)

I'm in the same boat. I live near etowah and only have the back yard to shoot. My cousin is supposed to let me know bout a local gun club that's mostly modern but from what I understand has a few traditional muzzleloading guys . As soon as I do find out I'll pm you.

 

[Rancocas]

Please, do let me know.
I have heard there is a gun club there in McMinn Co., but I know nothing about it.
Etowah is practically just up the road from me. Easily doable.

 

[Tn poor boy]

Iv tried to get a place here in Knoxville but no one wants or has a place but the sure can build new subversion up

 

[Sparkplug]

I was in the same boat, with the exception of having a 50 yd range on my place. So last fall I put out an invite to the folks on the forum to come over for a day. We enjoyed it enough we're gettin together again in June. Last fall we had 3 from the group plus a couple of extras that go introduced to BP. The next meet-up looks to have about 10 folks.

We burned some powder n slug some lead. But it was more about meetin folks n makin new friends.

 

[Tn poor boy]

I was in the same boat, with the exception of having a 50 yd range on my place. So last fall I put out an invite to the folks on the forum to come over for a day. We enjoyed it enough we're gettin together again in June. Last fall we had 3 from the group plus a couple of extras that go introduced to BP. The next meet-up looks to have about 10 folks.

We burned some powder n slug some lead. But it was more about meetin folks n makin new friends.

Where at

 

[Buzzard Luck]

I've done quite a bit of looking on Google, and there are a few clubs somewhat nearby, but they seem to have websites that are so outdated the last shoots registered were in 2019, and the few that still seem to be active only have meets once or twice a year, if that . There's a skeet shooting place right down the street, but they specifically ban black powder for whatever reason. It makes no sense to me, even the local range says no to BP.

I always hear about guys talking about doing a woods walk, or other kinds of competitions, and would love to be a part of that, but am unable to find a group.

Does anybody have any suggestions for somewhat active muzzleloading groups in (middle, preferably) Tennessee, that have active shoots on a regular basis?

Chilhowee Rod and Gun Club McMinn County near Athens

 

[Sparkplug]

Where at

NW Alabama, just north of Florence.