Cody, WY July Turkey Match

[Daryl]

Oh yeah- there's a Black youngster bent over, it looks like, watching for the effect of the shot.

[westerner]

Does it say - turkey shoot at Saratoga Springs? At the bottom?  New York?

       Joe.

[Dphariss]

The starter surely is brass or bronze I would think. It surely represents a guide starter.
By 1850 the picket bullet was very popular for target shooting in the NE.
But it IS a painting not a photo and while there are important details there will always be things that are the way they are just because they were painted that way or omitted. The length of the rifle white beard is holding could be artistic license. But there are no rifles that we would consider long. All seem to have barrels under 36". Only one pouch and no powder horns. The crowd is probably somewhat compressed to fit the canvas. So there is a man apparently standing in front of the scorer/spotter. Then I wonder if they are shooting live turkeys or shooting for center to win a dead turkey. The weather is cold so killing the birds would allow for easier "storage" of the birds. Some matches, family history tells me, were shot at live birds, their heads and necks, with the shooter drawing blood winning that bird.
I suspect the painting it is probably 100% correct in general detail. The barrels and planks, the straw laid on the snow all make perfect sense. What is "out of the frame" we have no idea. Pen for the birds, a fire maybe?
We have 6 men smoking  cigars, most folks today don't smoke and load their rifle, with the one apparently lighting one from another, one with a clay pipe. A pair that have probably been tipping the bottle a little more than the rest.
Its a really important piece simply because it documents a rifle match.
While there is a lot of documentation of shoots actual IMAGES of matches of this era are practically unknown. Later when photography was better developed this changed. But by then the rifles had as well and the matches were in somewhat more civilized settings. Schuetzen and LR matches of the 1870s and late for example. These sometimes only show the competitors as a group with no "action" depicted.


Dan

[Dphariss]

Does it say - turkey shoot at Saratoga Springs? At the bottom?  New York?

       Joe.

Correct.
If your browser has a "zoom" function it should be possible to get better detail by enlarging.

Dan

[westerner]

The painter has shown us a lot of detail and styles as though was looking ahead.  Painting for us so we would know what it was like then. I remember studying about it in art history.   

We'll never know what kind of hooch was in the jug.  If the match had been at my grandpas, it would have been home made whiskey or raisin jack.  In pint bottles.

               Joe.

[SPG]

The guy with the fancy red-topped boots (and the hidden jug) collecting the money sure looks like a Gussenhoven to me.

[smylee grouch]

Steve, if I'm not mistaken there are a couple of those grand old target rifles with those style peep sights in the museum in Cody or maybe in the Davis museum in Clairmore, OK. Great looking old guns none the less.  Smylee

[westerner]

Gussenhoven would be the one running his mouth and not paying attention, lol!






Yes, the booze was flowing.  Ah, the good ole days! 


                  Joe.

[Daryl]

One must keep warm on a blistery day.

[westerner]

Last time I was at Cody in winter, when snow was on the ground, it was 22 below zero.  

If Steve should have this match in winter, I think a pint or TWO of Myers rum in a coat pocket would be in order.  For me anyway.  

              Joe.

[Dan]

OK Steve, next July you'll get to race with my flinter.  It do OK around 50 yards off the hand or elbows either way.  I may not drive home between matches.

Dan

[SPG]

Boys,

We have this match every first Saturday come $#*! or high water. The Kentuckians took exception to our 80 MPH winds when they were here and we have had several timid souls complain about the snow.

Dan, I will look forward to racing with your flint rifle but his sounds like a side wager to me...?

Interesting to note that we have had rifle calibers everywhere from .40 to .62 and nothing really stands out as being the best choice. One would assume that a .50 or bigger, given the usual wind, would be best but that has not shown up yet. I've shot mostly .45's but that may change soon as I'm working on a secret weapon. Mr. Phariss has made noises about building a match-specific rifle also. Many of the regulars are changing rifles to get more of an edge while working within the confines of the pre-1850 rule. Harnessing the natural inclination taylor a rifle specific to the match is how folks learn about what was available prior to 1850...and we all learn from the experience.

Can't wait till next month...

Steve

 

[Daryl]

I expect the larger bores haven't panned out, due to the necessary charges not being used.  At some point, higher velocity of a smaller bore, should drift less, ie: .40 or .45 running 2,200fps compared to a .50 making 1,600fps or 1,700fps?  A .69 at 1,500fps should do exceptionally well, if the shooter is up for a bit of punishment.  I'll have to run the numbers to see. Now, where's that list of BC's?

[Dan]

Pre 1850... might use a blade and notch sight.  Ain't afraid of wind...



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