Shooting all by one’s lonesome

[Bullit]

Like George Thoroughgood said, "I shoot alone". NO WAIT, it was, "I drink alone". I do THAT too.

 

[sheriff john]

"Sighting-in day" at our old club was a hoot. Some years we'd have a few M.L.'s, some years we did not. Most everyone had a good time. Lots of deer stories. Some even had photos. Pretty neat to watch front stuffers out shoot those once-a-year guys firing unmentionables on occasion. Fun stuff.

 

[bladegrinder]

And yea Bladegrinder the Antelope club is where I shoot

Was it crowded when you went? it may not be crowded during the week but on the weekend I found it to crowded for my liking.
yea, that area is limited on gun ranges, years ago there was the Tampa police range off racetrack road open to the public, now that was a nice range! big, and rarely crowded but a developer bought land behind it and built homes. shortly after people moved in the complaints came and they closed it. I surely missed that place but.....that was over 30 years ago.

 

[Shadowalker164]

Bladegrinder
It wasn’t very crowded, but I always seemed to be there midday and mid week. And it was hot as heck! That may of played a role too

 

[bladegrinder]

No, temperature doesn't matter, if you went on a Saturday it'd be packed I'll bet.
if you had gone the last few Saturdays you would have seen some muzzleloaders, mostly inlines probably, it's muzzleloader season in that area
of Fl. right now till Nov. 4th.
Up in the panhandle where I live there is two muzzleloader seasons...Yee Haa! Dec. 3-9 then again Feb. 20-26 with does being allowed during
the Dec. week.

Also...if your looking for real black powder Bill Jackson's outdoors usually has Goex in stock in all grades. their on US19 just North of the Antelope gun range.
I make custom knives and donate one to the Safari Club Tampa Bay Chapter every year and last year while I was down there I bought three pounds. I'll be stopping there again next year for more.

 

[Josephg]

I seldom shoot alone but I can do both. Pretty boring shooting alone. No one to talk to but sometimes I do it anyway. My dog is very gun shy so he hides on the floor in the car. So he's no fun.

 

[Sprglde]

Even though I can't shoot on my property my gun club is just up my road and I usually have it all to myself for whatever I chose to shoot. There's a handful of bp shooters but all modern types for hunting and one flinter besides myself.
Through a friend I was fortunate to meet a cool old fella down my road who builds beautiful bp long guns n pistols, he's a fascinating and talented gentleman and we hit it off quite well. I've always wanted a bp rifle so I had him craft me a beautiful Lancaster- Issac Haynes style rifle as a retirement gift to myself a few years ago. He taught me well and hooked me up with most of the stuff I needed to shoot and taught me how to cast my own balls. His honey at the time made me a nice leather shooting bag out of a yard sale purse and a handmade possibles bag. Through him I was soon introduced to a great bunch of bp shooters in my area and we have over 30 woods walks, either meat or blanket shoots from March till Nov., with a few frosty ones over winter. Last weekend there were 15 of us, sometimes as many as 25+ shooting.
Through fb I connected with a great friend from way back who was getting into bp and introduced him to my new friends. We are all so lucky to have a great bp community that just love having fun yappin n shooting these cool old guns. Some really old (80's + 2 90's yrs old), some grandkids barely in their teens, some new shooters n some burning powder for many decades. Some re-enact, some throw on a frock n leggings and a few get pretty gussied up, guys n gals, ya couldn't ask for a better mix.
We definitely have some heavy hitters too who ace the shoots with perfect shootin. Me, not so. I find it interesting how one week I hit em pretty ok with maybe 12/13 outta 17 targets of all sizes, shapes and distances and last week I couldn't buy a shot with only six hits, but I was the only one that shot a pencil sticking out a board, go figger.
I could prattle on for days about the fun we have but enough for now.
I sure do love this stuff!
If any of y'all are in the Hudson Valley area of NY come on out and join us.

 

[Shadowalker164]

Sprglde, you are one lucky man! Enjoy

 

[Walkaheap]

I usually shoot alone, unless I bring family or friends. I'm retired now so I shoot Tuesday in the morning. I'm almost always the only shooter at the range and that's fine.
Walkaheap

 

[UndeadPoet]

I shoot 98% of the time alone. Sorta use to it these days.
That's all right, I have 2 video cameras as my friends...LOL
Unless I travel, I usually can't find anyone to shoot with.

Mark, If I was in your neck of the woods, I would happy to shoot with you. The zoo bottoms looks like a great place to make smoke.

 

[Capnball]

I actually prefer to shoot alone, or with my wife. Although recently I’ve gotten my step son involved.
Im fortunate enough to have my own private range behind my house. When I’m out hunting I’m alone there too. I guess I can be a little bit of an introvert I spose.

"Im fortunate enough to have my own private range behind my house."
Jealous!

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Mark, If I was in your neck of the woods, I would happy to shoot with you. The zoo bottoms looks like a great place to make smoke.

It is a fantastic place to shoot....you can shoot about any type of firearm you want there.

 

[Robby]

The dates and weapon profiles aren't quit right, but you get the idea. When you get my age the herd has thinned quite a bit. The range I shoot at I'm the 'old guy the makes muzzleloaders', but I seldom see anyone else there. Thats okay, I don't hate myself.
Robby

 

[Okie Hog]

do most of you guys shoot alone?

Absolutely.

 

[jambuster]

I live near Memphis TN and none of my buddies shoot or hunt with traditional Muzzleloaders . Me and my LYMAN GPR are always alone . I am a member of the Midsouth Sports Shooting Association ( a gun club near Memphis) and I shoot there regularly. They have a monthly shoot but I have never made it.
My huntin buddy's ranch has a good range on it as well and I shoot there sometimes . When I am by myself at the Ranch I have my 1858 Remington holstered just in case unfriendly guests arrive (and also to keep the muzzleloading mood pure and fun of course)

 

[Hussar64]

Alone. I'm not keen on chit-chat.

Shooting as a social event will vastly improve your ability to use a ball puller, and while I've not done or seen it, proof your barrel with double loads.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Alone. I see enough people the rest of the time.

 

[Okie Hog]

Friends my age are either buried or eating, crapping, whining and waiting to die. Couldn't get them off their butts and to the range if i wanted to, which i don't. One guy 5 years younger than i wants a hog; skinned gutted and delivered to the processor. No!!!!!!!

 

[Snydly]

View attachment 172755
The dates and weapon profiles aren't quit right, but you get the idea. When you get my age the herd has thinned quite a bit. The range I shoot at I'm the 'old guy the makes muzzleloaders', but I seldom see anyone else there. Thats okay, I don't hate myself.
Robby

Pretty much sums it up!

 

[smoothshooter]

I shoot 98% of the time alone. Sorta use to it these days.
That's all right, I have 2 video cameras as my friends...LOL
Unless I travel, I usually can't find anyone to shoot with.

I only know of a couple of other traditional muzzleloader shooters within a 40 mile radius of where I live.