We're back at it

[dave951]

Well, a group of us conducted a muzzleloading course/shoot for Scouts at Camp Bud Schiele near Rutherfordton, NC yesterday. There was a morning safety brief, history overview, and information session for part of the morning. Rest of the morning and afternoon were spent on the range burning real black powder in muzzleloading muskets. We touched on PRB but spent the day shooting minies from 58cal muskets. The kids had a ball, we enjoyed working with them, much ammo expended, targets were shot, and fun was had all around. Since I was heavily involved as a NRA certified Muzzleloading Instructor, I didn't have time to take pix, but we did get a couple.

So to my general question. We're looking at organizing our little group of instructors within the NMLRA as a charter club. I've been in contact with NMLRA representatives and this looks to be the best way to get a dedicated instructor group started in NC that will work with youth orgs and ultimately expand to cover the SE US. If there's anyone interested in getting involved in central NC as a start, we're looking for NMLRA members who are interested in helping in instruction and getting a charter club off the ground. There are a number of moving parts to this and it's a work in progress that was put on hold by the plague last year.

Working with kids is very rewarding and a long term investment in the future. Want to help?

Some pix from Camp Raven Knob prior to Covid.

 

[TFoley]

There are the future BP shooters, right there!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yep..., my first taste of Black Powder shooting was in the BSA, and it was also the Bicentennial...1976. I was 13. I was hooked. I never had a chance.

LD

 

[dave951]

Part of the fun is moving from standard paper bullseye targets to reactive ones. We adapted our N-SSA "pigeon board" and the kids had a ball blasting the clays on it. We provided a version of our "puff board" which is simply a 6in square of drywall. A 58cal hit on it is impressive a more than a couple kids turned theirs into swiss cheese. Finally the most challenging target was a "Ritz" cracker hanging on a wire. Try to hit one at 25yd with a Civil War musket, offhand with iron sights. It ain't easy. Some of those kids could and did.

 

[dave951]

Pix from Camp Raven Knob mountain man range this week-

 

[Mulebrain]

This is key to the survival of the sport we love, and the country. Please tell me more about the bench cross sticks??

 

[Jim Wag]

Very good!
Hoping for great success to all!

Jim in La Luz

 

[dave951]

This is key to the survival of the sport we love, and the country. Please tell me more about the bench cross sticks??

I saw those on a BPCR site where they're legal for BPCR competition and being a resourceful fellow with a woodworking shop, I made a couple sets. They were originally just for me and a couple friends in BPCR competition but they've proven quite useful in our instructional effort. Since it's hard to get the height right on a bench for kids who need the bench the adjustable feature is the hot ticket.

 

[springfield art]

Well, a group of us conducted a muzzleloading course/shoot for Scouts at Camp Bud Schiele near Rutherfordton, NC yesterday. There was a morning safety brief, history overview, and information session for part of the morning. Rest of the morning and afternoon were spent on the range burning real black powder in muzzleloading muskets. We touched on PRB but spent the day shooting minies from 58cal muskets. The kids had a ball, we enjoyed working with them, much ammo expended, targets were shot, and fun was had all around. Since I was heavily involved as a NRA certified Muzzleloading Instructor, I didn't have time to take pix, but we did get a couple.

So to my general question. We're looking at organizing our little group of instructors within the NMLRA as a charter club. I've been in contact with NMLRA representatives and this looks to be the best way to get a dedicated instructor group started in NC that will work with youth orgs and ultimately expand to cover the SE US. If there's anyone interested in getting involved in central NC as a start, we're looking for NMLRA members who are interested in helping in instruction and getting a charter club off the ground. There are a number of moving parts to this and it's a work in progress that was put on hold by the plague last year.

Working with kids is very rewarding and a long term investment in the future. Want to help?

Some pix from Camp Raven Knob prior to Covid.
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Wow! Good for you guys! Great work!
1

 

[dave951]

This pic is one of my favorite. The young lady was the daughter of a Scoutmaster whose troop was in camp. She wanted to do what her brother was doing and since her dad had no objections, neither did we. Only problem was she couldn't shoulder a musket so we started her out on a White Mountain carbine. I quickly found that not only was she a crack shot, she had phenomenal eyesight and could actually see the wires at 25yds against the backstop. She then wanted to shoot the musket but we had to use the bench for that because of her size. She giggled a bit and quietly asked me if she could shoot the wires and being a bit mischevious myself, "sure, go for it" and she promptly shot 4 wires in succession with an iron sighted Civil War musket.

 

[deermanok]

Looks like it was a great day.

 

[barracudadave67]

Thats the way to recruit the future of black powder.

Barracudadave67

 

[Cruzatte]

She then wanted to shoot the musket but we had to use the bench for that because of her size. She giggled a bit and quietly asked me if she could shoot the wires and being a bit mischievous myself, "sure, go for it" and she promptly shot 4 wires in succession with an iron sighted Civil War musket.

Holy cow!

 

[Dude]

That is really really cool! Good on you guys!

Boy, does that look like a lot of fun.

 

[dave951]

Some more pix from Camp Raven Knob today-

 

[fishmusic]

When y'all go out there and show them how then it becomes magic. I've done this with fly fishing and "hooked" quite a few new anglers. Great stuff!

 

[PathfinderNC]

That’s so cool. I’m glad to see such things. Right near my house too!