Creedmoor 150

[snapper]

Rick Weber has been hosting long range ML matches at the Oakridge TN range for quite a few years.  It would be hard to find anyone that has done more to keep our sport alive for LRML shooting in the United States then Rick.

In 2024 it will be the 150th anniversary of the famous Creedmoore matches held between the Irish and the American teams.

Starting this year March 22 and 23, Rick has decided to recreate those matches held so long ago on Long Island.  The matches will lead up to the 2024 match and the 150th anniversary. 

Rick has been busy getting stuff ready for this year.  The targets used will also be a recreation of the same targets used in the original matches.

There is a facebook page of Creedmoore150.

I spoke to Rick yesterday and he has some really neat ideas that he is working on.  I cant speak to all of them, but I think in 2024 it will be a fall match, could be a week long, good chance that there will be teams with entry fees and nice prizes.

A good read for the original matches and how big of a deal they were for the times is the book "Irish Riflemen in America".  This book I think is very interesting, it also discusses some of the sight seeing they did after the matches and how big of a celebrity status these shooters had.  Also keep in mind that shooting sports at this time period was perhaps the most popular sport.

God willing I will be in Oakridge shooting in a few weeks and I am really looking forward to the 150 year match.

Wouldn't be really neat if the Irish could put together a team and be here for the 2024 matches?

Fleener

[shifty]

  I am only a few miles away would like to go and just observe,if that is allowed.

[snapper]

Of coarse!

I would give some serious consideration to come Friday afternoon and stay for supper that is catered in by Famous Dave's Barbecue at the club house.  Good time to visit with people.  Typical bp shooters.  They will visit with you if you are willing.  If you want to do that, there would be just a fee for supper.  Contact Rick Weber at ricksweber@gmail.com, let him know I sent you.  If you come, make sure you seek me out and I would be happy to visit with you when I am not shooting.

The gate is locked.  Rick will have to give you the gate code to get in, I dont know what it is yet.

Art Fleener

[Daryl]

Oh - to have one of those Rigby rifles today!!

[snapper]

Well I kinda do have one of those Rigby rifles.

I bought this rifle at Cowans Auctions a few years ago.  Jim Westberg, who quietly lurks here, but is truly one of the best guns smiths you will ever know graciously did some preservation work on the rifle for me.

When I bought the rifle I did not know any of the history or Provence of the rifle.  I emailed Rigby and got the following:


No.12xxx
Robert S. Greenhill (of High Street)
8 June 1864
Best Match Rifle with aperture sights
£ 25/4/0
52 bore
37-inch barrel


I was able to contact a guy I know in the UK and he provided the following to me.

Robert Sadler Greenhill
Born: Belfast, Antrim, Ireland, 1840
Died: Hove, Sussex, England, 1934
Tanner & Leather Merchant

New York Herald, 26 August 1877
"Mr. Greenhill is another of the Irish team who paid us a visit last year, and his merry, good natured Irish face will be very welcome. He is thirty-seven years old, and a man of singular energy and enterprise, and is moreover a successful rifle shot - having been several times in the Irish eight - winner of he Abercorn and Spencer cups and a well known habitue of Wimbledon, where he never fails to get his name frequently recorded among the winners of prizes."

So, I dont know if my rifle was at the Creedmoor Centennial match of 1876, but I do know that Robert Greenhill was.

Greenhill was a part of the famous Irish 8 that shot in the Elcho Shield match the first year that the Irish team was invited in 1865.  I am assuming that he shot the rifle that I own at that match.  (the Irish lost)

Just in case you dont know your history, but Rigby was the team captain for the Irish.

Needless to say I am quite proud to own this rifle and consider myself quite lucky.  I have won several matches with this rifle including setting a new world record in 2015 at 900 yards.  I shot a 67 3V at 900 yards out of 75 points. V's are the British version of X's. 

For a Rigby this rifle is highly engraved and is very unique in that aspect.   I really like the Griffin in the last picture  that is on breach plug.

I am trying to do my best to simply be the caretaker of this rifle for the next owner.

Fleener



 

[Bob Roller]

Art,
I remember that gun as shown with the hammer spur gone.I saw it again after
it was restored and whoever did that did a MORE than remarkable job and way
above my pay grade.
Terry Savage.My enfeebled mind FINALLY remembered him.He was a dentist as I recall
in the Northwest USA,maybe Washington and a member of the US International Team.
He brought a friend,I think her name was Diana Germain(e).I don't know if either of them is still
alive and I only met them once at the International Match in Kitchener,Ontario,Canada and
that was in 1987. This is all I can remember after such a brief contact and I hope it helps.
Also I know nothng about any rifle kits he may have made up.

Bob Roller

[snapper]

Jim Westberg fixed the hammer.  As I said he is truly a gifted gun smith.

Fleener

[Daryl]

Tks for the pictures, Fleener - that's wonderful and such a treasure. Just look how that hammer fits the fence.

[Robin Henderson]

Rick is a real "go getter done" kind of guy. I believe I could get interested in that style of shooting but I ain't got no riflegun suitable for the discipline. I do have a chunk gun, however, and hopefully if nothing breaks bigger than a shoe string, I'll be at Pall Mall....it's the same weekend as the York festivities. Maybe sometime in the future.   

[snapper]

One of these years I will make it to the York shoot.

I think one of the long range guys is going on Saturday to the York match.  We start shooting on Friday so he will get one day of each.

Fleener