Looooong Range shoot at Friendship

[Dphar]

I would out out cross sticks. They already have many cross stick matches. I would say offhand or any body supported position.

Many moons ago I ran a one day only match based on a well know target shot by Ezekiel Baker in 1800. Mr. Baker shot 24 shots at a man sized target at 200 yards offhand. I set this match up on the un used end of the bench rifle range which has 45 minute relays. I contacted the NMLRA president well in advance so this one day match
was listed in Muzzleblasts. I provided the target and on the day of the match you are there running the match all day long. I had the help of a good friend so we got to eat and go to the bathroom. Round ball only. I was hoping The match would catch on and become a regular match. But we did not have a good turnout. We had a lot of onlookers but only six shooters had the "stones" to throw round balls at 200 yards off hand.

Offhand is not a traditional rifle match through the Flintlock era at least. A rest was invariably used, usually a "chunk" if we read the accounts where shooting position is mentioned. Offhand was considered a "poor test of the rifle."

If we read Col. Hangers account of being fired at by a rifleman during the Revolution we find this passage: "A rifleman passing over the mill dam, evidently observing two officers, and laid himself down on his belly (for it is in such positions they always lie) to take a good shot at a long distance."
He missed Tarelton and Hanger but killed the Bugle Horn Man's horse 3 yards behind them and broadside to the shot. Distance? Hanger states he had been over the ground numerous times and stated 400 yards. See pg 21 "Colonial Riflemen in the American Revolution".
So shooting offhand in not particularly traditional or effective and lots of people do not like it so they don't enter. I certainly do not shoot offhand unless the rules require it or a rest or sitting or prone is not possible. I surely would not shoot at someone who would shoot back without a rest at any significant distance if I had time to use a better position.

Dan

 

[Jason Lewis]

If you think this will come across as a Win/Win to the long range shooters, you have not met Bob Westlzer yet.

amen.