September 2 Is World Coconut Day!

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Just back from the range after shooting the cocoanuts with a borrowed rifle> I did OK, but lots of glare today. Anyway, here are the particulars, as they are cut off in the photo:
Gun: Traditions Crockett
Ball Dia.: .310"
Patch Thickness: .014"
Patch Lube: 1 Ballistol : 6 water
Powder: Goex FFFg
Powder Charge: 25gr.

The gun was nicely balanced, but the trigger needed some tuning. A borrowed gun + a less than optimum trigger didn't help my scores much, but two of my four targets managed 35 points. (Sounds like a reasonable excuse for not so good shooting, no?) With any luck, I'll try one of my own rifles before the end of Sept.
 

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Just back from the range after shooting the cocoanuts with a borrowed rifle> I did OK, but lots of glare today. Anyway, here are the particulars, as they are cut off in the photo:
Gun: Traditions Crockett
Ball Dia.: .310"
Patch Thickness: .014"
Patch Lube: 1 Ballistol : 6 water
Powder: Goex FFFg
Powder Charge: 25gr.

The gun was nicely balanced, but the trigger needed some tuning. A borrowed gun + a less than optimum trigger didn't help my scores much, but two of my four targets managed 35 points. (Sounds like a reasonable excuse for not so good shooting, no?) With any luck, I'll try one of my own rifles before the end of Sept.
Benchrest or offhand?
 
my only Kibler has been whining lately that i ignore it. don't ignore it so much as its too pretty for an ugly old ***** like me to play with. today i broke down and took the time from polishing the latest build to shoot it. think it has stepped up to # 2 favorite in my harem.
my only wish is that i could hold it up and shoot it off hand.
I talley it at 45. no idea why that first flyer landed where it did! must have been a loose nut behind the trigger.
20240913_164602 (1).jpg
 
I used to watch Shooting USA, hosted by the late, great, Jim Scoutten. My favorite recurring segment was Impossible Shots where top shooters like Bob Munden, who also has passed, and Mr. Flintlock, would show us what can be done if you just try hard enough and practice perfectly. Because of those guys I enjoy wringing the most out of guns so this month I shot the coconut 🥥 with a Traditions derringer. While my favorite shooters would have both scored one-hole 50s, my target at least shows that those little derringers weren't, and aren't, just get off me guns for shooting across a faro table. BTW, I always put a $700 gold piece on a $250 gun, that's how I roll ;) View attachment 347693View attachment 347694
I was going to say that I couldn't ever shoot that pistol. hard to shoot with eyes crossed and squinted looking at a gold piece!
 
my only Kibler has been whining lately that i ignore it. don't ignore it so much as its too pretty for an ugly old ***** like me to play with. today i broke down and took the time from polishing the latest build to shoot it. think it has stepped up to # 2 favorite in my harem.
my only wish is that i could hold it up and shoot it off hand.
I talley it at 45. no idea why that first flyer landed where it did! must have been a loose nut behind the trigger.
View attachment 348360

Nice shooting!
 
Yeah, old eyes can wreck a good sight picture. I'm about to switch to both eyes open for a good tryout. Fo some reason, I can pick up the front sight better. Not like more youthful days, but better than one eye open.
 
Yeah, old eyes can wreck a good sight picture. I'm about to switch to both eyes open for a good tryout. Fo some reason, I can pick up the front sight better. Not like more youthful days, but better than one eye open.
I shoot a shotgun with both eyes open but have never been able to get used to shooting rifle or pistol that way- sights just don’t line up for me!
 
I had to re-learn myself to it. Started with scoped rifles and soon adapted. It became much easier to line up and get on target. Lots of dry firing in the basement. Try raising your rifle just to get the sights to line up. Then when that gets good, take a Quick Look at the front sight. Don't spend a lot of time on it - just a glance with both eyes. I would see two front sights and with a slight squint figure out which was the real one. Adapted soon enough. It may work for you but you gotta try it to find out.
 
I had to re-learn myself to it. Started with scoped rifles and soon adapted. It became much easier to line up and get on target. Lots of dry firing in the basement. Try raising your rifle just to get the sights to line up. Then when that gets good, take a Quick Look at the front sight. Don't spend a lot of time on it - just a glance with both eyes. I would see two front sights and with a slight squint figure out which was the real one. Adapted soon enough. It may work for you but you gotta try it to find out.
I will give it a try and see if I can adapt!
 
I managed to shake 2 coconuts loose earlier today using my .45cal Euroarms Remington NMA. This was as much a test of a new front sight that I installed as my aim. As the particulars are hard to see on the targets, I'll mention them below:

15 yds. offhand, 2 hand hold;
Graf's FFg, 30gr.
Over powder felt wad
Lee .451 RB's that I cast
Remington #11 caps.

I had no cap jams or misfires and the cylinder rotated freely, but even with the overpowder wads, the bore needed swabbing after 5 shots. Lastly, on the higher scoring target, there were 2 hits completely off the target/coconut. One can be seen in black ink, the other was not in the photo, but could be seen as a stain on the paper.
 

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