AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Black Powder Shooting => Topic started by: D. Taylor Sapergia on November 02, 2023, 09:15:20 PM
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Thanks for the accolades lads! I hadn't shot a postal match all summer until October. Feels great to be back into it.
November's match is going to be very simple, yet fulfilling, I hope. Here's the link to the target:
https://targets.s3.amazonaws.com/PDF/Bullseye1.pdf
Rules: 5 shots offhand (unsupported), 25 yards, Black Powder only (no subs), round ball only, fixed open iron sights, half ball to score higher .
Submit three targets for aggregate score, possible 150 15X.
Submit as many targets as you like. I'll keep a running aggregate score for you, so you can improve your aggregate as the month goes on.
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Thank you. Finally a proper target. Count me in once the river of moisture has subsided here I will get out and try not to embarrass myself! happy shooting to all.
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Taylor...is this the target with a 2 inch black 10 ring
And a 5 inch ...black 8 ring ?
Sorry I don't do the metric system...lol
Thanks Ness
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Good choice, Taylor!
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Nice. I'll definitely play this month, probably sooner rather than later while we have this warm spell. I printed out targets for last month, but I got too busy.
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Taylor...is this the target with a 2 inch black 10 ring
And a 5 inch ...black 8 ring ?
Sorry I don't do the metric system...lol
Thanks Ness
Exactly- same target used a year ago, June2022.
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I have to get a new toner cartridge, but I found two unshot targets from"22. Hope to shoot them this weekend after the turkey shoot.
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Usually you can print black and white at a public library for like 10 cents. I don't bother with ink anymore.
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Since the torrents of rain coming to the Pacific NW wouldn't be here until this afternoon I took the opportunity to shoot 4 targets to start my aggregate score for the month. Normally I don't take these "Postal Matches" very seriously but this time I thought I would. Using my Jim Kibler built .40 caliber SMR (my most accurate rifle), last night I actually weighed out charges ahead and put them in vials, I decided I would go back to my old "target" load of 45 grains of Goex 3F, .395 round balls and a .012 ticking patch using good 'ol spit for lube. I loaded everything up in the truck and took off this morning because it was 53 degrees, ZERO wind and slightly overcast skies. These were shot offhand at 25 yards. This is the best set of targets I have shot in a year or more, maybe even longer. Using the top three out of four I score them a 48 1X, 49 2X and a 50 3X for an aggregate of 147 6X. Now I have no illusions that this score will hold up but I am proud of it and will try to shoot another set after the rains have subsided.
"Muskrat" Mike
(https://i.ibb.co/fk5JQ6p/11-23-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/QPR0XSN)
(https://i.ibb.co/BnK9Y32/11-23-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xF8NrLq)
(https://i.ibb.co/82vNCbS/11-23-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/J26m1qM)
(https://i.ibb.co/6FznTy3/11-23-4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JHVBGcf)
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Wow. That last one's a dandy.
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Good shooting Mike!
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Good shooting Mike! Will be a challenge to beat!
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Good one. I see maybe 3X's.
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Excellent, Mike! With an aggregate of 147 and 6x's so far I am wondering what you will pick for next month's target ;D? As my shooting buddy Marc says, "There's not much meat left on the bone." after that score. Challenging indeed!
J.B.
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I was having an on and off day. I haven't shot paper lately, so I had to fight the instinct to pull the trigger when lined up on the black in general which is fine for steel but not shooting for groups. I knew after firing some of the shots that they would be right or high before the smoke cleared.
Rifle: "Percussion Conversion" Lancaster Longrifle by Scott Coy with .38 caliber, 34" Bobby Hoyt barrel. Shot with 40 grains of Swiss 3F, .018 pillow ticking patches for first target and .020 oiled cotton for second and third target (ran out of the former in my pouch), and Hornady .375 round balls. Pouch by Eric Ewing. Antique powder horn that came out of an auction in the Pacific Northwest.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53312834867_20c926f17c_z.jpg)
It was all down hill from here!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53312834897_9cb6de87e4_z.jpg)
Target 1: 46 2x
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53314174490_ac43c6f8aa_z.jpg)
Target 2: 45
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53313945023_95c50ecaa4_z.jpg)
Target 3: 43
Total: 134 2x.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53313945028_f4134bfa80_z.jpg)
Ignore that top left, I am way out of practice with my pistol after having the lock repaired. I used to be able to shoot it pretty well, but that was an embarrassing group this weekend. :o
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okay, my printer-fu is failing me. Is this on 8.5x11 paper? ending up with about 1/2" borders on the sides, 1-7/8" 10-ring, and 4-3/4" black 8-ring. I'm sure it's just a setting somewhere that im missing.
It's probably gonna ruin my scores... NOT! ;D
Any holes on the paper made by flying lead will be a win for me! LOL!!
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Make sure you have no borders in settings, and printing 100%.
Nice try, Seth. Man, that first centre X is hard to follow.
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Yes that first X would be called a spider in the chunk gun matches.
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I believe it was the second or third shot that hit just above, and I knew I pulled a few of them on that first target. I’m going to go out again this weekend and try to stay focused and improve my score. I don’t have much hope of overtaking Muskrat Mike unless I shoot better than I ever have before somehow.
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I was having an on and off day. I haven't shot paper lately, so I had to fight the instinct to pull the trigger when lined up on the black in general which is fine for steel but not shooting for groups. I knew after firing some of the shots that they would be right or high before the smoke cleared.
This may be a little off topic, but in reference to your statement about pulling the trigger when lined up... Do you typically try to time your trigger pull with the POA float so the trigger pull would happen just before your sight floats back into the black?
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For me, timing the trigger pull for the 'swing' only happened when I shot scoped 3-postion competition. I cannot see well enough with open sights to do that, so I try to hold centre
as best I can while squeezing the simple trigger on the .69.
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That 147 tells me I don't need to go out this month. My wobble is such that I cannot guarantee all of my shots will be a ten, which is what would be required to beat that. My muscles are not that steady now, if they ever were. As JBJ said, "No meat left of those bones". Even the vultures moved along. ;) God Bless, Marc
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My approach is like Daryl's. I try to hold pretty center and then carefully press the trigger. When shooting steel, I'm far less concerned at hitting dead center, just ensuring my sights are lined up to hit the target.
Marcruger, plenty point in going out to challenge yourself! I never do these challenges to prove I'm the best shot. I know I'm not, but I enjoy the challenge, variety, and the comradery.
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I always try to aim small. My wobble-aim's a bigger "small" than I like.
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Great shooting fellows.
Bob
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At 80, my "wobble" aiming has reached silly proportions. Now, if I can remember where I put my glasses! :)
J.B.
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Got out today with Taylor. I have only 2 targets to post.
.682" ball and 14 ounce denim (.034") 90gr. 2F Schutzen
25 yards standing unsupported.
Appears to be a 48 3X to me. I used an underlay on the second photo to show ball orientation.
pulled my second shot WAYY out.
(https://i.ibb.co/PQqG858/Nov-Postal2-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TL9M5H5)
(https://i.ibb.co/5RHrKc2/Nov-Postal2-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/crn6YTx)
here's my other target, Not sure what it is, could be a 49 1X or maybe 48 1X or 47 1X.
(https://i.ibb.co/z8GVXCW/IMG-3381.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jx5jv8W)
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We just got to the range and started to set up, and it started to rain. So we shot our first target a little too fast, but I discovered my front sight had been tapped off it's witness mark. So after tapping it over to the mark, and shooting another target, I shot much better. Temperature just above freezing, and light rain falling...wind from the left upon occasion.
I used my 10.8 pound Hawken .62 cal this time, and it took a little bit of a re-learning curve, from lack of practice with this rifle. Though I am not competing this month, since I'm sponsoring the match, I still want to shoot, so I post my targets for interest sake only. I score them 46 and 49 3X. I'm going to try again hopefully, to replace that 46, and to add a third target for the aggregate.
My load: .613" pure lead ball from a Lyman .610" mold, .024" cotton denim patch, Ballistol/water lube 1:10, 86 gr. FFg GOEX, #11 Remington caps, standing offhand (unsupported) at 25 laser'd yards..
(https://i.ibb.co/LhfFmT4/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/YTGCm5v)
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Pesky fliers, good shooting D & T!
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Some fine targets by both Daryl and Taylor! Wow
Tony
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Flyers are from pulling the trigger when the sights are not on the X ring. Fatigue, blurry vision, wind, watery eyes, all contribute to flyers. You can't hope it into the X ring...you've got to shoot it there.
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Flyers are from pulling the trigger when the sights are not on the X ring. Fatigue, blurry vision, wind, watery eyes, all contribute to flyers. You can't hope it into the X ring...you've got to shoot it there.
I was being nice.
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Real windy this weekend here, so I didn't bother shooting paper. But I got a new guy out behind some muzzleloaders and had him ringing some steel at 50 yards with my rifle, so I'll definitely count that as a win for muzzleloading.
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Flyers are from pulling the trigger when the sights are not on the X ring. Fatigue, blurry vision, wind, watery eyes, all contribute to flyers. You can't hope it into the X ring...you've got to shoot it there.
I was being nice.
...and I appreciate your compliment on our shoooting!
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No argument from me, on that..
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Went out today between rain storms and shot 4 more targets. 3 of which aren't worth posting but one came in at a 49 2X. This target #6 (49 2X) should change my aggregate score to a 148 7X when added to the previous target #4 (50 3X) and my earlier target #3 (49 2X).
(https://i.ibb.co/kgDBvy1/11-23-6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/XZ5LM48)
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Nicely done Mike, and I concur. Have edited your score to 148 7X.
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Shot the target yesterday, but will not submit a picture, I am to wobbly off hand. The only place on the page without a hole was the black, ha!
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Here's my first entry to the postal match that isn't 110% embarrassing:)
I believe my 65gr load is on the money with my sights.... But controlling the flinch combined with off hand wobble is tough.
I completely missed twice when using the trigger unset. Then I decided to try it set and it got much better by the 3rd target.
0.570 ball
0.0195 bull denim w mink oil
65gr 2f schuetzen
(https://i.ibb.co/YL21HqY/PXL-20231118-234303988.jpg) (https://ibb.co/x7hBxRP)
(https://i.ibb.co/2Z6dN9n/PXL-20231118-234428438.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hYMVf67)
(https://i.ibb.co/NCdYXs1/PXL-20231118-234346757.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dMwKSrb)
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Good that you got out and Shot. No one gets better, without practice. To get better, one must get out and practice with a purpose.
not just shooting Willy Nilly. I don't know "him" personally but have attempted it and showed no improvement for the minor effort it took. ;D
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HiUintas: thanks for joining in! I scored your targets as follows: 23, 34, 41= 98 See, you got better as you shot more targets. I'd like to see you keep going. Fellow shooters; there's lots of time left in NOvemeber to get your targets in so please make an effort to get out and give McGuire a run for his money.
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Thanks, Taylor! I didn't think to add up my score ::)
I love to shoot and want to get out as much as possible. It's once a week max for me, when I don't have a hunting season open, but I try to make sure it is quality practice so I do improve. I've been doing a good bit of dry firing with a wood flint, trying to get used to seeing the hammer fall. I might also need to go through some flashing in the pan without a load in the bore to get used to the flash as well.
I also learned to resharpen my flints to get more shots, and put some teeth on my cock top jaw with a graver so that the flint and leather won't slip out when it's not a perfectly shaped flint.
It's funny.... With my bolt rifles I can shoot extremely well all the time including field positions. This is a completely different game... A fulfilling one!!
I'll hopefully get to put up another couple of targets this Wednesday.
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Another few targets. #1 and #2 are 36 and 31, respectively. #3 isn't scoreable since it's not the official target, although it's nearly the same.
(https://i.ibb.co/LZwtvSp/PXL-20231122-213828644.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rwP6vky)
(https://i.ibb.co/2dW8CQX/PXL-20231122-213839412.jpg) (https://ibb.co/L1YQcW4)
(https://i.ibb.co/D4pZQZP/PXL-20231122-213848274.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wysf4fZ)
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I only had time for one target today, but I’ll try to get two more posted by Sunday. This is my second time firing my .32 and probably need to spend some more time developing a load, but this is my first muzzleloader so just getting the hang of loading from a bag is enough for me right now. For this target I was shooting:
.315 ball
.018 patch lubed with mink oil
20 gr Goex 3FG
If I can add right this is a 46 1x:
(https://i.ibb.co/fD04YyP/E66-CA458-C874-4927-A499-E266-F48-BEB2-A.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rdy4Gz1)
My rifle:
(https://i.ibb.co/JzYt8Ms/6-CF161-B5-738-F-438-E-A1-C8-EB635-D7-E80-B2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nDXm45L)
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Brushy spoons: yes your addition is correct in my eyes. I also love shooting my .32 if not shooting too far or in windy conditions. My load that has worked great is .310 round balls, a .020 canvas patch and 35 grains of GOEX 3F with 4F in the pan. It should shoot better groups than that but might just need to be "shot in" as they say.
Good luck with it and keep shooting it.
"Muskrat" Mike
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It should shoot better groups than that but might just need to be "shot in" as they say.
Good luck with it and keep shooting it.
"Muskrat" Mike
I think it’s more the shooter that needs some work than the rifle, my offhand shooting is pretty rusty. The first time I shot it off a bench it was grouping pretty well, way better than the target I posted at least ;D
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Bushyspoons, you are doing GREAT! - new rifle, working up loads. I found my .32, from a rest at 25 yards would put 5 into a tiny hole, maybe .45 calibre just using 20gr. 3F GOEX.
I found that load, while accurate at 25 yards, would not hold smaller than about 2 1/2" at 50yards. I could never do better with that rifle at 50yards than 1 1/2". That load required
35gr. 3F GOEX. I was using 2 different balls in the rifle, and a water based lube as well as Track's mink oil. The Mink oil needed 40gr. to get the same accuracy as 35gr. with a water
based lube. Balls used, were .311" and .320". The patches were usually 10 ounce Denim, in those days, it was US made and .0225" thick. I also shoot a mattress ticking that I measured
compressed in calipers at .0235". Now, much depends on how a person measures the cloth & which tool. I have 3 sets of calipers and each measures the same material differently.
I assume this is due to slightly different anvil widths. I measure the new 10 ounce denim as .021". That material shoots well in all of my rifles.
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Highunintas: thanks for upgrading your targets. Your official score to date is as follows: 31, 36, and 41 = 108 2X
Brushyspoons: thanks for joining in on this months match. Your score is confirmed at 46 1X.
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Apologies, between hunting and weather I haven't had the chance to go to the range. Hunting season is over now, now I just need the weather to cooperate.
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Like Jakob, I have been busy filling Tags. Tried hunting squirrels in the morning, but the cold and the wind kept them holed up.
It wasn't raining and the sun was out. I was planning to shoot these targets in the afternoon, wind or no wind.
Shot out of the bag out in the open at a lasered 25 yards. Temperature in the high 30s F. Wind out of the South 9 to 15 mph.
First time I have shot this rifle since Arizona's squirrel opening day on 29 September.
Could have done worse. The second target was interrupted by lunch and BS.
Rifle has a Getz 38 inch B weight .40 cal. barrel. I used .395 balls, Jo Ann's #40 drill with bear oil, over 50 grains Dupont 3f.
(https://i.ibb.co/TL13p25/1129231500a.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Wt0Jq51)
First target 49-1x, second target 44, third target 49-1x.
(https://i.ibb.co/VSNLxXT/IMG-0726-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7WzSQ7K)
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Doubles are sometimes hard to see, without a backer. Good shooting with a flinter, alacran.
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Last chance for me this month. Kibler SMR .36 (.35RB) .020 patch Hoppes lube, 40 Gr FFFg, 4F prime. Cloudy, 29 degrees, breezy, snow flakes in the air. By second set my bare fingers could barely pick a lubed patch out of my percussion cap tin. Rushed the 2nd target and did better on it than the first. Got loaded up, stepped to side of bench, brought to full cock and pulled set trigger as butt got to arm, acquired site picture, pulled to target and pulled off shot as soon as sights hit the black. No time to waver or wobble.
(https://i.ibb.co/2kYp2k5/clementine-1-for-Nov2023.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pLrkDLn)
(https://i.ibb.co/HPNjddH/clementine-2-for-Nov2023.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jpx9QQs)
I would score #1 as 32 (10+8+8+6+0) and #2 as 46 (10+10+9+9+8), though technically both zero as I shoot a peep sight.
And it looks like I need black printer ink.
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Didn’t have a chance to shoot this month. I didn’t want to spook the deer out of the area, as I hunt within 200 yards of my house. I’ll try and find time in December.
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Last day to enter folks! foresterdj: you need three targets for the aggregate too. Although I didn't specify in the rules regarding sights, my intention was to have open iron sights which disqualify peep sights. Sorry for not being clear.
Currently Muskrat Mike McGuire is in the lead with an impressive score of 148 7X! But it's a huge 10 ring lads - come on!!
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My first target, earlier in the month did not need to be submitted, it would have been a zero, nothing in the black (how embarrassing). Also, I knew it was open sight, hence my comment that my 2 scores shown are technically zero. Matters not to me, still a reason to go out and shoot. My old T/C .50 Hawken has open sights, but I switched everything I had and currently build to peep, since I just cannot get a good focus on open iron. It prevents me from attending any shoots or events, but only helps me when trying to hit something. Well, that and being able to steady my aim on a tree, post or bench.
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Well, here it is December 1st! Mike McGuire (Muskrat Mike) is the winner of November's match -congratulations Mike, some very fine shooting. My thanks to all those who participated - you're all winners in my book.
So Mike, it's up to you to sponsor the December match...let's see what you can come up with.