why the ranges we use?

[Rifleman1776]

In much of the historical reading I do it seems that contests and demonstrations were usually at 60 yards. Even Red Faris and early NMLRA matches were often at 60 yards. Today we are pretty much fixated on 25, 50, and 100. There is an occasional 75 thrown into the mix. But, why? When did 60 yards lose favor? :idunno: It is a challenging range for offhand shooting. Oh, well.
BTW, and FWI, a club I, and Tenngun, used to shoot with would mix up the ranges. Targets were set at the whim of the guy setting up matches for that day.

 

[rodwha]

"Targets were set at the whim of the guy setting up matches for that day. "

That seem the true test of marksmanship. The unknown distance.

 

[Zonie]

Just a wild guess but 11 rods distance is close to 60 yards.

Actually, 11 rods equals 60.5 yards, a rod distance measuring 16.5 feet.

Rod's were a common unit of measurement for surveyors measuring land.

 

[Semisane]

Perhaps it was based on the old Roman "pace" consisting of five feet, with 60 yards being 36 paces. :grin:

 

BTW, and FWI, a club I, and Tenngun, used to shoot with would mix up the ranges. Targets were set at the whim of the guy setting up matches for that day.

I've never heard of that being done before.
But I like it.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Just a wild guess but 11 rods distance is close to 60 yards.

Actually, 11 rods equals 60.5 yards, a rod distance measuring 16.5 feet.

Rod's were a common unit of measurement for surveyors measuring land.

Good, I was afraid it'd be one of those "furlongs per fortnight" things! :wink:

 

[Lonegun1894]

I prefer the unknown distance shoots, but don't see that at many ranges. If I want to shoot for small groups at known ranges, I can get out a scoped modern. But for hunting practice, I much prefer the unknown distance targets.

 

[tenngun]

When i first read this I thought of rods but that had already been posted.But I wonder why 11 rods and not 10 or 12.
Then got to thinking about rods. Today we list them as 16.5 feet, but not so in the old days. In England alone they used English,flemish,scots,norththumbrin,yorkish and french rods. The Master on the building site would pick the rod used.
I wonder that there may have been an arcan rod that was 1/12 of 60 yards...15 feet.

 

[nchawkeye]

They didn't play football in the 1700s... :grin:

 

[Many Klatch]

Chunk gun matches are shot at 60 yards.

Many Klatch

 

[Alden]

When i first read this I thought of rods but that had already been posted.But I wonder why 11 rods and not 10 or 12...

Me too.

 

[Kapow]

You are all in denial and are slowly coming around to the much more sensible metric system. :rotf:

 

[rafterob]

We almost did it in the '70s. I wish we had, it makes a whole lot more sense than the mix of measurements we use today. Our range is set 25,50, 100 yards for paper and 30, 60, 80 yards for iron silhouettes, swingers and plates.

 

[BrownBear]

Just a wild guess but 11 rods distance is close to 60 yards.

Actually, 11 rods equals 60.5 yards, a rod distance measuring 16.5 feet.

Rod's were a common unit of measurement for surveyors measuring land.

I was going to guess chains, which was also a common survey measure and even easier than rods to measure off. Three chains is just over 60 yards.

Gotta relate a funny account that might help explain the need to use measuring tools over the years:

I'm a gangly 6'4" with a notably long stride. Shooting with a bunch of friends, I paced off 100 paces and told everyone it was 100 yards.

You shoulda heard the howls!

One guy got out his laser rangefinder and checked. I'd paced off 127 yards!!!! Egad. No wonder my wife and kids always complain about hiking with me. :grin:

 

[Heelerau]

I think it was a sad day when we went to both decimal currency, and metric, it has taken a lot of colour out of our lives, pecks, gills, chains , ten bob !!.
I do like the unknown ranges, as it is a good test of the rifleman , an even bigger test for those using rifle muskets with the whoopey do trajectory compared to the flatter long rifle ones

cheers from down under

Heelerau

 

[tenngun]

You are all in denial and are slowly coming around to the much more sensible metric system. :rotf:

Oh God I hope note. Use it at work,hate it.To this day I cant think of any thing good that came out of the french revolution.
The arogance of a nation that wants the world mesured based on the longitude of paris... my my.
( plese note posted time in gmt)

 

[Idaho Ron]

They didn't play football in the 1700s... :grin:

I wish we had a like button! Ron

 

[ChrisLJ]

"To this day I cant think of any thing good that came out of the french revolution."

Well, "A Tale Of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens was pretty darn good. :grin:

 

[tenngun]

yeah you got me there

 

[capt_turk]

I had an English teacher in high school that was totally infatuated with that damned book. I ended up hating it with an utter passion by the time I got out of her class. :cursing: