Over Log Shoot

[MikeC]

How many targets and what are the distances?

Rules and restrictions if any?

Thanks

 

[Stony]

How many targets and what are the distances?

Rules and restrictions if any?

Thanks

How many targets do you want? How far away do you want them to be? To my knowledge, there is no set number of targets but if you have too many, it's going to get complex real soon. You might want a lot if they are breakable types so you don't have to go down range after every shot. The only rule I've ever heard is that you have to shoot over a log. Most log shoots I've gone to allowed folks to rest the gun on the log, i.e. shoot prone but you could also shoot kneeling, sitting or standing as well. If the log was too big, you couldn't shoot prone so you'd have to kneel, sit or stand. The only other thing is make sure your backstop is high enough or that your targets are not too high. Other than that, it's really up to you how you want to do it. That's my two cents on it for what it's worth. Good luck.

 

[Tumblernotch]

Normally there are ten (10) targets. You first post a "sighter". This is a target you design for yourself. It can be just about any shape or color, whatever is easy for you to see. As a general rule, these matches are shot at 60 yards.

Next, you shoot several shots at this sighter target. Usually, we have about a half hour to do this in. The idea is to get as tight a group as you can. A nice quarter size or smaller group is what you're looking for. It doesn't matter where on the sighter as long as you get one group. All of these shots are fired prone behind a log or a chunk of wood. The key is to shoot from the same position every time. The name of this game is consistency.

At a match you will be given 10 targets which are about 5" by 7" and will have a 3 inch solid bullseye with a fine white X and usually a ring. When you finish shooting for group, when the relay starts, you pin this target under the sighter. You want to line the center of the X up with the center of the group you shot earlier. When everyone has posted, the range is open and you fire one (1) shot. You then go out, remove the target, post another one and give the shot target to a runner or the scorer. You do the same thing until you shoot all ten targets. Scoring is done with templates and calipers. The shooter with the shortest "string" wins the match. They add the distance of each shot from the center to get a "string". For instance, if each of your shots measured 1.25" from the center or X, your string would be 12.5". An example from this year's Alvin York Shoot would be the winner Paul Griffith's score. His string was 3.337". I don't have the individual measurements for him, but he averaged 0.3337" per shot. That's real good!

You also win for "Best X" in each match. You can win a best X and still not win the match. You can win the match and still not get a best X. One guy at the York match shot a 0.008"! That was the best X of the whole match. At some matches there is a category for best x's with a flintlock, since most chunk gun shooters use percussion rifles.

This is a tough sport. The idea is simple enough, but you're not simply shooting at a score ring. The actual distance from the center of the bullet hole and the center of the target is measured, right down to the thousandth of an inch. Matches are won and lost based on the thickness of a sheet of paper (sometimes less). The key is to be consistant in your loading and how you position yourself and your rifle. Wind and light changes will definitely ruin your day. Believe me.

But it's a lot of fun and you meet a lot of great people. Most of all, it will give you a new respect for the weapons we use and teach you how to be a better shot. I believe it improves your shooting discipline.

 

[Rancocas]

KanawhaRanger told ya true.
I just want to add that all the shooting is done while lying prone with your rifle resting on a "chunk". Often the chunk provided is simply a short section of a log, but most serious contenders of "over-the-log, or "chunk-gun" shooting matches use a homemade chunk. These homemade chunks are usually squared off, made of 2x8 or 2x10 or whatever size planks fastened together to form a solid, oblong chunk that will sit flat and square on the ground without any tendency to rock, wiggle, or move in any way. Usually a small sandbag is allowed to be placed on top of the chunk for resting the rifle barrel on.
Basically, chunkgun shooting is bench rest shooting done prone. It is highly competitive and the accuracy obtained is phenomenal, on par with any modern centerfire competitions.

 

[MikeC]

KanawhaRanger...Thanks so much I thought it was very competative and a set structure.

Much appreciated I saved your post to file.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[paulvallandigham]

While the Chunk Gun matches are traditionally shot at 60 yards, there is nothing wrong with shooting these at the shorter, 50 yards found at most ranges. As long as everyone is shooting at the same yardage, it does not matter. For that matter, you can shoot them at 75 yards, if you have that type of range set-up. This is a round ball competition, and the whole premise is to keep the targets far enough from the shooter to make it challenging, but close enough so the targets can be seen by spectators. In the old days, these were widely attended shooting events, often fired after Church on Sundays, in a field across from the Churches. The wives often would set up a lunch on the Church grounds, and the families made a picnic of the day together.

 

[longcruise]

Thanks for that detailed explanation. There are no chunk gun matches held in my area (at least to my knowledge) and I've always wondered what those matches are all about. Seems like it would be a fun match.

Paul, if there were a church in my area that held matches after services I might even start showing up again! :wink:

 

[Tumblernotch]

Mike I forgot to add that although you could set up a chunk gun shoot for I suppose any type of ML you want, all the ones in existence that I know of restrict the guns to round ball traditional style rifles. The original shoots were shot with the long rifles common in the South. But the rifles used have evolved over the years. Quite a few still use regular flint and percussion longrifles, but in the quest for greater accuracy the long heavy barreled "chunk gun" has evolved.

As a general rule, these guns have a barrel ranging in length from 42 inches to 5 feet. Calibers vary from .40 to over .60 and I believe some have been as heavy as .75. The stock has straighter lines, in other words, less drop at the butt. Most do not have ramrods or provisions for them. You use a range rod. False muzzles are not allowed.

The sights are open iron, non-adjustable for elevation. If you have a screw adjusted rear sight, forget it. I have seen some with spirit levels behind the front sight.

Most serious shooters will have a cant block fastened to the barrel somewhere near the muzzle. Some say their gun has a "sweet spot" where they like to fasten the block. Some fasten to the barrel with screws, others clamp onto the barrel. This block prevents the barrel from tilting on the chunk and helps with consistency in aiming. There are some fullstock chunk guns and most of these have a portion of the forearm in the shape of a cant block. Shaders are allowed to cover the sights. Some are just short pieces placed over the sights, others cover the full length of the barrel. As was noted earlier, each shooter brings their own chunk. Most are just short pieces of timber or boards nailed together. Some also set sandbags on top. I use sandbags underneath to help level the block. Lately I've seen custom made chunks that are adjustable to compensate for uneven ground. Some of these even have a drawer for tools and levels. Some also have a spirit level built into them.

Ignition is traditional percussion, flintlock, underhammer or mule ear percussion. no inlines! Some shooters also use drop tubes for loading the powder charge.

Now, what I said above covers your basic chunk gun shoot and follows the procedure at the Alvin C. York Memorial Shoot held each year at Pall Mall, TN. All the other shoots I've attended pretty much follow the same rules and restrictions. You could set up a chunk gun match for any type of rifle I suppose, but this is how we do it. I found a book that described a "chunk gun" shoot at Pall Mall that was written in 1922. They fired at the "X" at 2 ranges. If shot from "a chunk" it was 40 yards. If shot offhand, it was 27 yards. They didn't use the same type of sighters we do. It was a piece of charred board with a small sheet of white paper tacked to it. An inverted "V" notch was cut into the center of the bottom margin of the paper. The notch was only 1/2" deep. The turkey shoots were also at two ranges. The first was at a turkey tied to a stake (and allowed to move a couple of feet). This was shot at 150 yds. The second was a turkey staked behind a log with only its head showing. This was at 40 yds.

As you can see, there's a lot to chunk gunning. It's similiar to bench shooting in some ways I guess, only you're lying down. In fact, some of these guns would probably do pretty well in a bench match.

One thing I forgot to add when I was talking about sighters and targets. Unlike regular target shooting, many shooters prefer to have their gun shoot to the left, right, high or low rather than at the center. If you hit the sighter dead center, you can mess up your sight picture by tearing the sighter up. If your group is off to one side, the sighter is left intact. You put your target where the gun is hitting anyway, not where you're aiming.

Sory this was so long, but there's a lot to tell. Give it a try! You don't have to have a full blown chunk gun. (But it helps!)
:thumbsup:

 

[TennesseeJed]

If you're familiar with the Foxfire books, volume 5 has a section on over the log shoots. There are several old pictures of shooters and their rifles.

 

[shortstring]

Xenia, OH a few years ago.

 

[Tumblernotch]

From here that looks like Paul Griffith. :grin: