Excuse Me, I'm Loading

[Dale Lilly]

The range Betty and I use is pretty isolated, run by wildlife department, usually not occupied at all. We have it to ourselves. Why? I have no idea but we enjoy it. We take a picnic lunch and have a lazy day. Oh, did I mention it is 100 miles from any large town, on a rough, graveled road and not well maintained. Maybe that's why it gets little use. But it has a covered shooting station with a long table with seats and a good backstop for safety. You set your own targets and frames. There are no distance markings so you step it off or guess. It is fine for us ,,, actually near perfect. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dale and Betty [Polecat and Li'l Sparrow]

 

[Ponderosaman]

I thought it was a lot to keep track of when loading a BP rifle until I got a SxS ML shotgun. A guy at the range was looking over his shoulder at me, asked what I was doing with my gun. He didn’t realize it was a muzzleloader when I waved him by to shoot the stand we were at.

 

[jdw276]

The same goes for a range "Clear". Once powder is down the barrel I refuse to "clear". They have to wait until I finish loading and the shot is down range.
'

After i do that once with the black rifle crowd i have had them walk down and ask me to leave as I was disrupting them. Twice! I said nope, i was here before you came by.

 

[Cornbread]

GAWD if this ain’t so and from other muzzleloaders while doing it!

 

[LME]

Define "polite".(?)
I never had that problem, I'm too ugly and mean looking. Most folks won't even bother approaching me.
Those that do, generally only get within about 3' and turn away,, I wear the same t-shirt and undergarments for a week and only bathe once a month.
Simple problems have simple solutions.

I know what you mean! I had a good friend once tell me that he knew I wasn't two faced because if I was I would have surely wore the other one!

 

[mmb617]

I had to stop a guy once from coming too close while I was loading. He seemingly wanted to talk. He had a lit cigarette in his mouth. I told him not to come closer due to the potential for explosion. He turned around and left. Sometimes you just have to be blunt.

I'd have been pretty emphatic in that situation. I've never seen anyone with a cigarette at the club range.

When I shot at the range I have it set up so it's very hard to lose my place in loading. I have a plastic lid where I put out 4 round balls or minieballs and 4 percussion caps all in the lid. Helps me keep track of where I'm at in loading. Also have my range rod marked where it would sit when powder and ball are loaded. If you forget if you poured powder yet just put in the range rod and if the end comes back covered in black powder you need a projectile yet. Works for me.

That's similar to my loading routine. I always set out four balls and four patches, shoot till they're gone and reset. Once I start the powder, patch, ball sequence I don't want interrupted till that's done. It only takes what, 30 seconds? After that if I'm not going immediately to the firing line I keep the range rod in the bore to remind me it's loaded. I also have the range rod marked so I can double check if it's necessary. I have four different lengths of barrels on my rifles so I color code the range rod marks for easy identification.

 

[doubleset]

The same goes for a range "Clear". Once powder is down the barrel I refuse to "clear". They have to wait until I finish loading and the shot is down range.
'

Isn't this typically a hard range rule? I know it is where I shoot.

 

[mushka]

I'm fortunate as where I shoot on the desert is always empty of people and the only organized range I shoot black powder is the black powder range. Not troubled by folks that don't know the sport or rules. Makes life easy.

 

[morehops52]

Isn't this typically a hard range rule? I know it is where I shoot.

I shoot at a public range where some people think "clear" is a weather forecast. Most shooters know the rules. Very few don't. I just stress out loud that I "ain't clear" til the shot goes to point out that safety is paramount. and I agree that it should be a hard range rule. This range does not have a range officer so it's up to everybody to watch out for each other.

 

[doubleset]

Ummm ... public range without a range officer. Don't know that I've ever had the pleasure of that.

 

[N.Y. Yankee]

I will be right with you in a Minute just let me finish here first. Plain and direct.

Exactly what I do, with a smile.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Many years back, my uncle made a carbine out of a new Hawken .58 because we were having such a good time yakin it up.

 

[oldwood]

I'm old and don't get to speak to many folks. At the range , most folks are polite , and I've shot so much, over my 75 yrs. , not much rattles me . I just stop the process , and won't continue loading on til the questions are answered. My favorite questions are , where did you get that gun? , Did you just shoot that group? , Are those lead bullets? , etc , etc.. It's a hoot..........oldwood

 

[azmntman]

God is my range officer, I only shoot in the woods.

 

[Versanaut]

This happens quite a bit when I'm shooting in public. As I truly believe we are our own brand ambassadors, I don't want to come across rude so I do two things to try to stay on task. If I am approached I politely ask for one second, but continue to talk or engage with them mumbling through my loading process and involve them asking if they are familiar with loading smokepoles.

Number 2, I modified my loading process to give me indications of where I am in the process... because, if it's not an inquiring mind wanting to know, it's my neighbor in a muzzleloading match or shoot.. we are ALL wonderful talkers.. hahahah. So IMMEDIATELY after powder goes in, my measure stays IN the barrel. IF I am loading from a primitive measure, I loop it on the ramrod. This lets me know there is powder in the barrel. This action is automatic for me now.

Once I start a ball, I always finish it. (Takes all of 10 seconds) and I will place my short starter back in the barrel letting me know it's loaded with a ball and ready to go.

If it just doesn't feel right, I can always just check the barrel with the range rod.

 

[Josephg]

Talking with people dont bother me. Makes me consentrate on loading.
I don't like loading and talking while match shooting but I try not to let it show.
Usually when I dry ball is when I'm all alone.

 

[Sidney Smith]

After i do that once with the black rifle crowd i have had them walk down and ask me to leave as I was disrupting them. Twice! I said nope, i was here before you came by.

When I used to frequent a free(at the time) public range, I've had people get irate when I'd fire my flintlock and they'd get hit with particles from the flash. It got to where I'd have to warn anybody sitting directly to my left at the next table what could happen. Most were cool about it and would just stand out of the way while I fired. You'd have your occasional self anointed owner of the range who would get p issed, and tell me I didn't belong there etc. At that point I'd tell them I had just as much right to be there as they did. Or if I was there first, I'd tell them that, and basically too bad, you don't like it you leave. This and other reasons lead me to give up going to that range, and I joined my club where they have a dedicated black powder range.

 

[FishDFly]

Most ranges require a flint lock shield if shooting a flintlock.

Proper manners is to warn folks that you are shooting a flintlock so they can move back.

Some ranges have banned black powder shooters because of problems. Banning makes since before someone is injured, especially with your attitude..

 

[gvandersluis]

For target matches I put 13 ball, 13 patches, 13 vials of powder on the bench, at any time I know where I am in the loading procedure. That doesn’t mean I haven’t dry balled but it does tell me that I have. Onlookers are rare but I don’t talk to them while loading and explain why after I have taken the shot

 

[FishDFly]

I do the same, it does help. Where it really helps is in the 25 shot match.

I use tunnel vision in a match, I do not look around at all. I concentrate on loading and the target. Visiting comes at 5 PM.