25yd shoot'n

[Daryl]

Yes, I deleted that post as I got to thinking there is no way I could afford 1/2 the trip, let alone all of it on my disability pension. Driving over 3,000 miles each way is out of the question.  BUT - all is not lost - your cheap-shot inuendos included, TOF.

You guys with these wonderful contest proposals and all the cash, quit flapping and come up to Hefley Creek the 10 day event and shoot - cheaper than paying 1/2 my fair to Friendship by the sounds of it - and I'll even bring a tent & cooking supplies for you. By the sounds of it, you should be able to clean house, probably even win the chunk shoot & all the pistol shoots (need real ML-type pistols, no modern false muzzle stuff).

Winning the chunk shoot should be easy, you won't have to shoot against me because it's my event and I don't shoot it.

I just can't see how Friendship could be done for $2,000.  It cost me over $3,500 for the Dixon's trip + 'gifts', of course.

I never said in this thread or any other that I could shoot 1 hole groups offhand at 25 yards & 50 yards with my smoothbore, but have done so a number of times in the past with a rifle when I could see, no big deal for someone who knows how to shoot and actually practises - at longer ranges than 25 yards.  Oh - that's what drew the flack - guys who only shoot 25 yards thought I was minimalizing that range - well yeah!  Get good enough to win at 100 50 and 25 becomes much easier.  That is where this post started - if 25 yards a good spot to do testing - no - 50 and 100 are better, is all.  Even one of your multipal State champions said so.

If you read my post - Centreshot -  you'll see I noted it shot 1" groups from a rest said or impliied as before when this came up, at 25 yards with my smoothbore. Never said I could do it offhand because, quite simply I can't - from a rest, yes, offhand, no.  

As I see it, there's no excuses for those of you who can see and don't need corrective lenses, yet say they can't - maybe screwing things up wiping your bores.

But - there's a solution - come to Helfey and see if you can beat us - maybe you can from time to time - maybe, but I doubt it.

Frizzen's pistol will not be allowed on the pistol course, just as any false muzzled gun is not allowed in chunk or on the trail.

Come to Heffley Creek Rendezvous (Rendezvous BC 2012) and show us how it's done. We're just plain bush folk - don't know nothing 'bout shooting but willing to learn from you self proclaimed experts.

[bob in the woods]

I reread the posts, and think some clarification is necessary. When working up a load, per Daryl's post, I shoot from a rest. Always. I want to know what the gun will do, not add my off hand abilities or lack thereof into the mix. Once I've worked up a decent load, then I shoot offhand, and ..yes, then the one hole groups are allusive.  
Sorry, ...I started this reply and then drifted off to sleep here on the couch!  Should have seen that Daryl already clarified on his own.  So..what really touched off these challenges to shooting matches?    I think the real point is that a tiny group at 25 yds [ rested] does not make for a tiny group at 50 yds   My .54 underhammer target rifle had 3 different loads that would shoot possibles at 25 yds  Only one of those would do it at 50 yds .Testing at the longer ranges will tell you what shooting at only 25 just can't.    [ not intended to in any way minimize the accomplishments of those who shoot one hole groups in the 25 yd off hand matches ]                                                      

[lakehopper]

I enjoy shooting both 25 and 50 yrd targets, no bench just fee style standing or sitting, as if I am hunting in PA Woods; keeps the mind in check and become one with my rifle. I am happy to put 3 shots touching at both 25 and 50.

This year I will do a woods walk in January at Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers, their targets go as far out as 100 yards and I will be happy just hitting that target.

I think we can all agree practice, practice, makes for good shooting and good fellowship with shooting partners or friends.
 

[George Sutton]

Well Daryl,  if I come to Heffley and place in the top five shooters, will you pay my expenses?

Centershot

[yip]

you guys who shoot at 50yds, are you shooting targets? hold and follow through and trigger control are very important, if these are not perfect at 25yds whats it gonna be at 50yds. what size bull are you guys shooting at 50 yds?  what size groups are we talking, off hand of course?

[roundball]

I'm afraid I wouldn't be very good from an 'off-hand competition' point of view as I never shoot that way...all my practice has been for hunting usually from a seated hunting position or at least some sort of rest leaning against a tree (range post), etc.

But interestingly to the timing of this thread, with recent builds, sight-in activity, and deer season behind me, I've already posted about 2012 being mainly dedicated to learning / improving my off hand shooting skills.
In fact I've already started with a couple range trips last week, just shooting a small steel hanger at 25yds, then 35yds...ranges are pretty close so far but getting 3-4" groups is a confidence builder.

Discovered I was more accurate with my 42" barreled .50 and .45cals compared to my smaller, lighter shorter 38" barreled .40cal, and just added a heavier ramrod to it to get the muzzle to quiet down some.
All in all a good reason to make a lot of smoke this year...

[Daryl]

Well Daryl,  if I come to Heffley and place in the top five shooters, will you pay my expenses?

Centershot

Nope - I just plain can't afford it, but I will supply you with a tent and cooking impliments whether you win anything or not. I'd certainly hope you'd win something and expect you to win & chear you on while doing so -  Dave too - maybe.  

If you come early, I'll put you up at my house until the shoot & you can even stay for a while afterwards and we'll go grouse hunting with our flintlocks - rifle or smooth. Like Steelhead fishing on Western Rivers? The offer stands.

Yip - to address your question on paper, we shoot offhand at 25, 50 and 75 yards on the Monday and have a chunk (rest) shoot at 50 yards in the afternoon, same day.  All the rest of the shooting is on gong or novelty targets - generally 2 events, each day. The ranges for that can be from about 10 yards to the odd long poke at 200yards, but usually only 100 as the farthest range.
We shoot the squirrel ML target at 25 (it has 2, 10 rings), fox at 50 and single buff target at 75. I guess the 10 ring's are dime sized at 25, 3/4" at 50 and 1 1/2" at 75.  That's just a guess from memory. The black (bull) areas on the targets are almost the entire squirrel and fox, 25 and 50 yards, and includes the 6 through ring at 75 yards - maybe 8" in diameter all together. The rings are not visible for most people at any range, yet possibles are shot at 25 and 50, just not on all targets by the same shooter. The chunk target is scored string measure - the aiming point is whatever you want.

Good clarification, Bob.

[Frizzen]

Your only as good as your last shot. My shooting is pulbic record. This is from the NMLRA web
site on shoot results. This was in June this year. As you can see I shot a 98 XXXX at 25 yds.
If you split that up into two 5 shot matches it would be shooting two 49's back to back. I have
"Bells Palsey" right now and I can't see. So I will let my two 49's stand. I'll still say you can't
beat it with your rifles at 25 yds shooting the regular NMLRA 6-Bull target. Open sights now,
and NO my pistol that I used a caplock, does NOT have a false muzzle. Only my Flintlock does.
Com-on guys, lets have some fun around here. Go ahead and shoot, show us your scores,
I will trust you.

[Dphariss]

we been shoot'n a hillside course with hanging gongs at different yardages, we also have a 25yd range for shoot'n paper. question, which is better fer practice, 25 yd or the hillside course? yardages on the hillside varies from 15-97yards. my opinion is the 25yd, for shoot'n groups, and just where your guns hitting.  whats yours?

25 yards will give you an idea of if the rifle is shooting inline with the sights but little else.
Shooting groups at 25 is a waste of time. Some smoothbores will shoot small groups at 25.
Put a target up at one of the 50+ yard gong sites and shoot groups there.

Dan

[George Sutton]

Well Daryl, I see you are a gentleman. Thanks for the offer but I have my own tent and cooking gear.

I rode out to Idaho on my bike last summer and was thinking about driving through Canada this summer. Maybe I'll take the car and show up at your shoot.

Congratulations to you Frizzen, that is impressive shooting.

Centershot

[bob in the woods]

At our club we shoot off hand at 50 yds and 100 yds.  No 25 yd matches except for smootbores.
I've shot 3 "50"s , 1 a 4x , 2 were 3 x's.  After 3 x's the range officer spotted for me, since otherwise it would have been really difficult to see if I'd actually put the 5 shots through the centre. [  .54 cal . ] Targets were signed by the witnesses . Now, the rest of the story- those targets were shot over the course of the last 16 years !!!    
 Accidents do occasionally happen...sometimes the stars line up 
On any given day, any score at the off hand 50 yd target that is 46 or higher could win the match. Depends on the wind.

[Daryl]

Centreshot & Phil - you are both MOST welcome to join us & I will help/assist in any way I can.  Hopefully, Dave and Gail can also attend again this coming year.

Good shooting, Phil.

[Frizzen]

Stop by Centershot,I'm in Kansas City and we can ride together. I have a 125 cc Buddy Scooter.
If you think you can keep up.!!!

[George Sutton]

Thanks Frizzen, I'll see if my mechanic can put a nitrous system on the Harley.

Centershot

[Candle Snuffer]

For what it's worth when we're talking competiton shooting, I've always lived by the following for my practices sessions before going into a sanctioned match;

1.  Stay close (score wise) at 25 yards...
2.  Win the Aggregate with your 50 & 100 yard shooting, but more so the 100 yard shooting.

IMHO, all three distances are important to practice.  Get as many points as you can from all three ranges.  If you practice 100 yard shooting as much as you practice the 25 & 50 yard combined, you can post a good Aggregate score and have a good chance at a top 3 finish.  Butcher a 25 or 50 yard target with a bad score, well then it's hard to recover from that.