how much shotgun is there?

[Rifleman1776]

My ml club has 15-20 rifle shooters at our regular monthly events. Last year the club purchased, and renovated, a nice trap machine. Shooting points were built and a big supply of clay pigeons purchased. We are set to go. The machine is kept in our scoring/storage shed and is a bit of work to get out and set up. Last month a lot of members said we should have a shotgun match this month. Shoot was yesterday. Five of us brought shotguns. After the rifle matches three of those said they didn't want to shoot shotgun. I'm guessing they were tired. Now, we are wondering just how successful most clubs are with shotgun matches and wether we should just give up on the idea. And, yes, we have tried to schedule a separate Saturday just for shotgun. No one showed up. Our nice machine could be for sale soon.
Would like to hear about others successes or failures with scheduling shotgun matches.

 

[Keb]

You could have a "Trade Gun" match where you have them shoot both ball & shot in the same event. You know, 10 ball + 4 shot type match. Personally, I like shooting both rifle & smooth bore matches with the same gun.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I would like that. But, I'm the only member with a trade gun.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

The club I belong to typicaly does a shot gun shoot at the 2 rondy's we host, this generally happens on Sunday morning before the awards.

Also at the rondy we set a dedicated tradegun/smoothie trail.

This happens with 99% of the clubs within the state that hold rondy style events.

At our monthly shoots you have the option to shoot the trail with rifle or tradegun/smoothie, we have seperate end of the year agg awards for each class.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Our twice yearly ronny's dwindled away to nothing and we have cancelled them for the future. The thought is the economy has kept people from traveling.
At our club, trade gun simply is not in their frame of reference. Mostly it is old modern gun shooters who have come to like traditional ml rifles. We have few historical minded reenactor types.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I personally like smoothbore or shotgun trap shoots. But find many others just don't bother with them. I suggest you try a few "freebe shoots" to raise the interest before giving up. Many people like shooting trap with black powder once they try it. Getting people to try the first time is the hard part.My oldest son in law shot only modern until he tried shooting pigons with a flintlock trade gun. He hit his first ry and was hooked! :idunno: :idunno:

 

[smokeum54]

same thing here. i think we only have 5 or 6 members who have shotguns/smoothbores and getting them down there at the same time is challenging. i belong to a muzzleloader only club but we have always allowed members to bring modern shotguns down. if you remind them they can use modern then you might get 5-10 to show up. and the best part is using your no frills navy arms 10ga to out shoot their fancy browning auto :grin:

 

[Robert Egler]

you could try something like some of the Cowboy Action Shooting, where the competition involves two or more guns, one of which is a shotgun. Wouldn't have to be exactly like CAS, just make up your own contest.

 

[Rifleman1776]

you could try something like some of the Cowboy Action Shooting, where the competition involves two or more guns, one of which is a shotgun. Wouldn't have to be exactly like CAS, just make up your own contest.

That is the kind of thinking I was hoping for. Great idea. Could work. Won't know unless we try.

 

[gl1200a]

you could try something like some of the Cowboy Action Shooting, where the competition involves two or more guns, one of which is a shotgun. Wouldn't have to be exactly like CAS, just make up your own contest.

That is the kind of thinking I was hoping for. Great idea. Could work. Won't know unless we try.

Not a good idea, it'll cost me $$$.
I'd have to buy a smooth bore.
On the other hand. :surrender:
Might be just the push I need.
See you at Berryville!!!

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I think alot of the problem centers around the flint aspect of things with a smoothie as well as the fact that you have to put the time in at the range to become proficient with the firearm.


When I finished putting my flint together I got rid of my cap locks to kinda force the issue with the learning curve, I am ready to go with a Tradegun now. I cannot wait.


There is a lady in our club that bought a Tradegun, had troubles with the lock, I replaced it. She still has issues with that thing, she is to comfortable with her caplock and wont commit herself to the flint, her scores suffer.

I honestly think that people see a smoothbored flintlock as way to much trouble to learn, as a result the numbers of interested individuals will remain low.

 

[Keb]

Hmmm. We must run in a very different circle. I see very few cap lock guns at any of the events I go to and I'd guess 50% of the flint lock guns are smooth bored. I haven't shot/owned a cap gun since the early 80's and I haven't owned a rifle that I shot since mid 80's. I've owned them but just to re-sell. I think I have 5 or 6 I'd gladly sell now

 

[Linc]

My thoughts are to term the shoot as smoothbore and not shotgun. All inclusive. Doesn't matter the ignition source or the gun type. That would cover a wide range of firearms. Fowler, tradegun, military musket, single and double barrel shotguns, etc.

First and foremost get a few shooting and having fun and the numbers will grow. It doesn't happen overnight.

 

[No Deer]

Our club has a trap range. It is very successful. We are a traditional only muzzleloading gun club.

We have started this year with a club shoot before our monthly meeting that rotates between the woodswalk, line shooting, and trap. Everyone that participates gets their name put in a jar, if you come in first your name gets put in 3 more times, 2nd 2 more times, and 3rd one more time. At the end of the "season" there is a drawing for some nice prizes. Everyone has a chance at the prizes, shoot well and you have more chances. So far attendance has been better than when we were just shooting. I think this is sparking some interest among club members that do not usually shoot smoothbores.

We have two open to the public shoots each year. Shot gun shooting is a big draw. We have matches for caplock as well as flintlock.

It appears around here that smoothbore shooting is gaining in popularity each year. Here in Michigan we have a trade gun round robin that is very successful. There are 6 clubs that host one leg of the round robin. Shooting consists of 12 round ball targets, and 4 birds. Also includes hawk and knife throwing and fire starting. It is an aggregate score for the 6 legs. Participation has been increasing some each year.

One theory we have for the increase in popularity each year is that everyone is getting older, can't see the front and rear sights at the same time anymore and are switching to smoothbores

 

[No Deer]

One other thing you can try that is fun and may help get some interest is a "rabbit and quail" shoot.

Fill some soda cans with water. Place them on the ground about 20 yards out (rabbit). Place an empty soda can (quail) on top of the ones filled with water. Make teams of one riffle shooter and one smoothbore shooter. The riffle shooter shoots the bottom can which will explode and toss the empty can into the air. The smoothbore shooter, using bird shot of course, shoots the empty can as it flies through the air. If either shooter misses, the team is eliminated. Last team standing is the winner.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I agree, your in Ohio and i'm in Oregon. :rotf:


Seriously though, as a class of shooters within the clubs I frequent flintlocks are never more than about half as many as the cappers.

And the smooth class is maybe half as many as the flint rifle folks.