String Cutting at 100 yards with my Bridger Hawken

[Herb]

Being the champion string cutter of the High Uinta Mountain Man club (3 in a row offhand at 25 yards), I tried it at 100 yards from rest on the last fair day of the season.  About 15" of snow on my range now.  Shooting 100 grains of weight-calibrated measured Old Eynsford 1 1/2F, I fired three on a white sighter target behind me in the photo.  I used some .525 cast balls and linen patching, with a cleaning patch on the seating jag.  Then I went to the top green target, with the black borders around it so I could see to hold precisely.  I stuck the red yarn through the hole above the target, with a weight on each end.  Of course it dropped out when I cut it, using .530 cast balls.  Then I stapled the string to the top target and shot the bottom one, using 100 grains w/m OE 2F.  The first shot cut the string, but I fired another four for group and velocity.

Here is my sighter target with the centerline indicated.  The fourth shot was a fouler after cleaning the bore before Target 2.  If I had hung a string, shot 3 might have nicked it.

Here, Shot 4 frayed the string and shot 5 cut it.

With OE 2F, my first shot cut the string.  Thus one nicked string and two cuts at 100 yards from rest.

In my .54 and .58 caliber rifles, I like Old Eynsford 1 1/2F better than 2F.

[duca]

Nice Shoot'en! 

[Candle Snuffer]

Now that's a shot!  And with fixed iron sights (all I ever use I might add)!  It doesn't get any better then that, Herb.  Great shot!!!

[wattlebuster]

Good shootin. I could'nt have seen the string at 100 and might have not at 25

[d-a]

Great shooting, and with a gun your own hands produced.

d-a

[George Sutton]

Great shooting
Centershot

[T*O*F]

Hitting a vertical string is relatively easy.  Next time out try to repeat your results with an horizontal string.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

 Next time out try to repeat your results with an horizontal string.

That's a mouthful Dave.  Our trail has ~ 55 targets on it, but the most difficult for me is a horizontal bar about 3/4" in diameter set out at about thirty yds.  We have a horizontal string cut too, but the range is only about 5 yds.  At that range, you have to aim a ball high, or use your 100 yd. sight picture.

It looks like you have that rifle fine turned Herb...It is good shooting for certain.  I hope you'll get involved in  the 50, 100 and 200 yd postal match here.

[HardBall]

Good shooting, Herb.  Nice rifle too.

[smokinbuck]

Herb,
All I can say is WOW. No way I could have even seen the string, the paper is a maybe.
Mark

[oldarcher]

Wow, really nice shooting. The rifle is outstanding you have every right to be proud. Best wishes for continued success with it.

[Candle Snuffer]

Herb, I said it before and I'll say it again, great shooting!  Reading some of these other post has given me the idea of working in a string shoot at our local club.  Challenging and rewarding for sure when one makes the shot - even from short range which we'll probably do.  Last time I shot at a string (with a rock tied to the bottom end for weight) offhand from about 15 yards was at a Spring Rendezvous shoot some years back.  That too was fun.

Oh, and I missed!

[Herb]

T*O*F, my range has two feet of snow on it and I am done till spring.  Why don't you shoot the horizontal string and show us how its done?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I learned a good way to ensure that your sights are zeroed from an old target shooter, many years ago.

At whatever range you please, make a vertical line on the target board, and shoot, adjusting your sights until you can hit the vertical line every time.

Then make one horizontal, and do the same.  It is both a way to ensure you are tack on, and the practice at the two types of targets is all good.

[blaksmth]

Herb, Do they make a 1inch wide string? or does anyone know where I could get one that's what I would need .

Seriously though that is really good shooting!!!!!!

[cahil_2]

I don't think that I could even see the string at that distance let alone hit it.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I doubt Herb could either.  But he put the string right across the centre of the target, and aimed centre.  You can call it what your will, but it happened - twice - pretty profound.

[smylee grouch]

Herb, We used to shoot a version of the string  shoot match at the old range in Cooperstown, quite a few years ago. I think that is were I shot my ramrod down range. Nice shooting by the way.   Smylee

[smokinbuck]

Smylee,
Does it count if the ram rod cuts the string?
Mark

[smylee grouch]

Dont know if that would count if you cut the string because I didnt hit the string and never found the ramrod. That was an almost spirtual experience that I hope to brake the habit of. Took alot of ribbing for that one. 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I've seen quite a few ramrods shot downrange, but have never had the pleasure m'self.  But the best one was a 48" long hickory range rod a full 7/16" in diameter during a turkey shoot.  You had to gobble up the bird, and only had a few seconds to make your shot.  the shooter's left foot came off the ground as he tipped over, but he got the bird.

[Candle Snuffer]

I've seen quite a few ramrods shot downrange, but have never had the pleasure m'self.  But the best one was a 48" long hickory range rod a full 7/16" in diameter during a turkey shoot.  You had to gobble up the bird, and only had a few seconds to make your shot.  the shooter's left foot came off the ground as he tipped over, but he got the bird.

Just as important to follow through with a ramrod shot....

[T*O*F]

Why don't you shoot the horizontal string and show us how its done?

This lowly Tennessee rifleman begs your most humble pardon.  Not profess to be expert buffalo hunter like great Western mountain man shooting venerable Hawken rifle.  Merely suggest target worthy of your prowess.

At whatever range you please, make a vertical line on the target board, and shoot, adjusting your sights until you can hit the vertical line every time.  Then make one horizontal, and do the same.

Taylor, we used to have a target that resembled that.  Vertical strings at 25 yards.  35mm film cans swinging from string at 50 yards.  Object to line up both to cut string and hit film can with one shot.

[Herb]

Taylor describes how this is done, and my photos show it also, that is, the well-defined target so you can aim exactly.   Just shoot for the middle.  T*O*F, I have already cut the horizontal string with another rifle.  See Candle Snuffer's post nearby concerning shooting Olde Eynsford in a flintlock rifle.  There I posted a photo of a target I shot at 100 yards with my .58 fullstock flintlock Hawken I built.  There is a faint pencil line at the middle of the paper target, vertical and horizontal.  My first two shots went through the same hole and would have cut a horizontal string there, and the fifth also would have hit it.  My wonder is not that I can shoot so well but that all the shots don't go into the same small group.  I think it must be the cast lead balls.  If I mike them for size, they are not round, and this must be one of the factors that results in large groups.  That and holding the rifle and taking up recoil exactly the same each time, let alone seeing the sights and target.  I will shoot horizontal strings when I can get to my range.

Yesterday I went to Ogden to meet with the Fort Bridger Rendezvous Association board of directors to offer them my Bridger rifle for next year's (2014) Fort Bridger Rendezvous rifle raffle.  I explained how I built the rifle and in case anyone asked "how does it shoot?" I wanted to offer proof.  My photos of this string cutting at 100 yards was that proof.  They will let me know if they want the rifle.

Others of you can also cut strings like this.  Maybe start out at 50 yards, practice up and amaze your friends.