Herb
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2004
- Messages
- 1,954
- Reaction score
- 456
Jim had his New Year's shoot the 31st. I think there were 11 shooters and 17 targets, which were steel in the shape of a rabbit, turkey or other critter or crescent moon or gong. Most were painted orange and cleverly partially hidden in the junipers or brush. But some of us killed them all anyway. Here are Carney, Lynn, Mark, George, Harry, Carole and Neill.
Jean sizing up the shot, Carl spotting.
The target is in the tall juniper in the center and it may be the dreaded crescent moon hanging from the tree. It usually swings upon being hit and may present the next shooter a very slim crescent. I think Jean killed it anyway.
Terry probably hit it, too. She is right-handed but had an eye injury and trained herself to shoot left-handed. These gals are good. I think there were three left-handed shooters that day.
George hit it.
Jean and Carney. Carney is also left-handed, both shoot flintlocks. In fact, Harry and I may have been the only cap shooters there.
Jim Goodman, whose .54 flinter lets you know a hit was made.
Lynn's little .40, which Neill made, always helps her get a good score. I made Carole's .40 flinter.
Neill trying to find the other two targets across the canyon. There is a tall "bugler" at the right edge of the bare cliff, tan in color and life size. The range is "over 100 yards". But the next one is a hostile crouching in the brush, and he ain't orange, very hard to see. Same as the third one, a mercenary soldier also partially hidden. I think Carole and Lynn both hit all three with their little .40s, which go kina "tink", but when my .54 Bridger hit it with 50 grains of Goex 3F, there is no mistaking the "klank". I hit all 17 targets, but maybe someone else did, too. It was very informal, no paper score kept and no prizes. But I have shot this course maybe 8 to 12 times with 100 to 150 shooters and I don't remember a perfect score, though we didn't have a score summary for today.
Harry Harpoon and Jim Goodman at Jim's cabin. My .54 Bridger Hawken in front.
Inside, Neill, Carl and Carole. Check out Neill's moose hide moccasins which he made. He killed a buffalo, I think with his muzzleloader, which he also made, and had the hide tanned. The tanners split the hide (like split cowhide) against his order, so he refused it and they gave his an unsplit moose hide in exchange. Most of the people here have traditional gear, much of it made by themselves or in barter among the group, and it could go right into a museum, it is that authentic. They sure don't like caplocks, but my last English sporting rifle .54 flintlock I just finished isn't sighted in yet.
Check your guns at the door.
This is Carney's gear, which he probably made all of, maybe even the rifle. You can enlarge the picture by hitting Control and the Plus sign. Note the rawhide wrapped powderhorn and the woven gunsling, which Jean may have made.
Here are more of the rifles. My Bridger Hawken, then Jim's .54, next I don't know, then Lynn's left handed flinter.
Inside Jim and Marjorie's home. Good food, visiting and music. Badger and his daughter Kayla, on the lower right, played guitar and sang, Jim Goodman plays guitar, has a Martin now, Harry is a professional, plays harpoon and a National steel guitar, I think it is. I also play but had to leave with my ride before I could get tuned up.
Jean sizing up the shot, Carl spotting.
The target is in the tall juniper in the center and it may be the dreaded crescent moon hanging from the tree. It usually swings upon being hit and may present the next shooter a very slim crescent. I think Jean killed it anyway.
Terry probably hit it, too. She is right-handed but had an eye injury and trained herself to shoot left-handed. These gals are good. I think there were three left-handed shooters that day.
George hit it.
Jean and Carney. Carney is also left-handed, both shoot flintlocks. In fact, Harry and I may have been the only cap shooters there.
Jim Goodman, whose .54 flinter lets you know a hit was made.
Lynn's little .40, which Neill made, always helps her get a good score. I made Carole's .40 flinter.
Neill trying to find the other two targets across the canyon. There is a tall "bugler" at the right edge of the bare cliff, tan in color and life size. The range is "over 100 yards". But the next one is a hostile crouching in the brush, and he ain't orange, very hard to see. Same as the third one, a mercenary soldier also partially hidden. I think Carole and Lynn both hit all three with their little .40s, which go kina "tink", but when my .54 Bridger hit it with 50 grains of Goex 3F, there is no mistaking the "klank". I hit all 17 targets, but maybe someone else did, too. It was very informal, no paper score kept and no prizes. But I have shot this course maybe 8 to 12 times with 100 to 150 shooters and I don't remember a perfect score, though we didn't have a score summary for today.
Harry Harpoon and Jim Goodman at Jim's cabin. My .54 Bridger Hawken in front.
Inside, Neill, Carl and Carole. Check out Neill's moose hide moccasins which he made. He killed a buffalo, I think with his muzzleloader, which he also made, and had the hide tanned. The tanners split the hide (like split cowhide) against his order, so he refused it and they gave his an unsplit moose hide in exchange. Most of the people here have traditional gear, much of it made by themselves or in barter among the group, and it could go right into a museum, it is that authentic. They sure don't like caplocks, but my last English sporting rifle .54 flintlock I just finished isn't sighted in yet.
Check your guns at the door.
This is Carney's gear, which he probably made all of, maybe even the rifle. You can enlarge the picture by hitting Control and the Plus sign. Note the rawhide wrapped powderhorn and the woven gunsling, which Jean may have made.
Here are more of the rifles. My Bridger Hawken, then Jim's .54, next I don't know, then Lynn's left handed flinter.
Inside Jim and Marjorie's home. Good food, visiting and music. Badger and his daughter Kayla, on the lower right, played guitar and sang, Jim Goodman plays guitar, has a Martin now, Harry is a professional, plays harpoon and a National steel guitar, I think it is. I also play but had to leave with my ride before I could get tuned up.
