Woods Walk at Friendship

[Larry Pletcher]

This spring at Friendship I invited David Price to the woods walk.  When we planned the day and time, david asked me what I was going to shoot.  I told him I had a .45 cal flint gun.  He asked me," Do you want to shoot one of mine?"

I was caught off guard.  I took me a while to stammer out, "Hxll Yes!"  Anyway I shot the woods walk with the finest rifle I have every fired.   It was a treat to say the least.  The gun was a beautifully carved single barrel that David uses for hunting.  As .54 cal go is was very light.  David told me it was perhaps the lightest barrel in which Don would do a .54.  There were 4 rifles along that day made by David.  All were flawless in operation.  I wiped the flint edge and frizzen between shots, but that was all.  One patch down the barrel about half way through. 

David taking aim at station one, just inside the wods.



Here is David touching one off.  That looks like Goex.



I'm tending to my flint edge here.



That's me under recoil  -  65 gr Swiss fffg


ALR member, Steve Chapman, just sent one down range.


Thanks David for the experience,
Larry

[chapmans]

By the way Larry had the high score of that group shooting a 9 out of 12 targets, we had a great time, David's guns performed flawlessly, I on the other hand had one flash in the pan but that was the only problem, no wiping for the 12 + tie breaker shots. The whole week was great!! I think Larry thought the food was ok??
   Regards, Steve Chapman

[David Rase]

This spring at Friendship I invited David Price to the woods walk.  When we planned the day and time, david asked me what I was going to shoot.  I told him I had a .45 cal flint gun.  He asked me," Do you want to shoot one of mine?"

I was caught off guard.  I took me a while to stammer out, "Hxll Yes!"  Anyway I shot the woods walk with the finest rifle I have every fired.   It was a treat to say the least.  The gun was a beautifully carved single barrel that David uses for hunting.  As .54 cal go is was very light.  David told me it was perhaps the lightest barrel in which Don would do a .54.  There were 4 rifles along that day made by David.  All were flawless in operation.  I wiped the flint edge and frizzen between shots, but that was all.  One patch down the barrel about half way through. 

Larry,  I had the privilege of shooting David's "Stealth gun" several January's ago.  I was traveling to Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for work and David invited me to join him and his life long friend Russell at a primitive Biathlon in Vermont.  You are right, what a marvelous looking and shooting gun. 
DMR

[David Price]

Larry ,

It is questionable who enjoyed the woods walk more, you or me.  My new friend Steve Chapman was also a delight to be with,  he is also one of the best shots that I have ever had the pleasure to shoot with.  The next day I saw a target that he shot on the off hand match, a fifty with five x's.

Dave,

I remember that biathlon very will, another great time.  You should try to do it again with me. 

I hope to see both of you at Dixon's.

[Larry Pletcher]

David,
It really was a good time.  Thanks again for allowing me to use the "Stealth" gun.  BTW is there a special story about the gun's name? 

Steve is a great shot.  Until the woods walk I had never scored higher in a match.  I'm glad he didn't use the gun he's used to.  Steve is a great help in the experiments we're doing too.

Steve and I have a batch of pics that we'll put together and send you.   I don'y know how to send pics to the other members of the group.

Regards,
Pletch

[T*O*F]

Larry,
Missed you guys this year.  I got there Weds afternoon and left Thurs nite, but didn't bring a gun.  Talked with Steve a bit.  Also talked with David Price a bit on Thurs morn at the silhouette range, but was headed somewhere and didn't get around to introducing myself to him.

[chapmans]

  David and Larry,
   Thanks for the kind words, I thought you both shot well,(better than I) It's obvious you've both been behind a flintlock for many years, percussion has always been my game because all of the clubs I shoot at allow them and any mettalic sights so I haven't spent much time with a flinter but I hope that changes, I did hunt with it some last fall. I shot several other good targets but couldn't put an agg together, if the scores held I should get 5 medals.
    Regards, Steve

[Larry Pletcher]

Larry,
Missed you guys this year.  I got there Weds afternoon and left Thurs nite, but didn't bring a gun.  Talked with Steve a bit.  Also talked with David Price a bit on Thurs morn at the silhouette range, but was headed somewhere and didn't get around to introducing myself to him.

Sorry I missed you.  Knowing that you were coming the late half of the week, I thought that might happen.  Steve shot very well.  I lucked out on the woods walk.  And David's was a joy to shoot.  Will you be going to CLA?
Regards,
Pletch

[La Longue Carabine]

As a new comer to this era/sport, where is this "Woods Walk" shoot held at?? That sounds like that would be a whole lot of fun. I don't know of anything like that around here in East Tennessee....

[Larry Pletcher]

The woods walk that the topic was about is held at Friendship each spring and fall.  You reach the start by walking up between the offices and the White Farm House.  the trail goes back into the woods with varying numbers of swinging, falling, etc targets.  One is a "split the card" used in many such walks around the country.

If you meant to find a woods walk in your area, I suggest finding a member of a local club.  Many run similar things.

Regards,
Pletch

[La Longue Carabine]

The woods walk that the topic was about is held at Friendship each spring and fall.  You reach the start by walking up between the offices and the White Farm House.  the trail goes back into the woods with varying numbers of swinging, falling, etc targets.  One is a "split the card" used in many such walks around the country.

If you meant to find a woods walk in your area, I suggest finding a member of a local club.  Many run similar things.

Regards,
Pletch

"Friendship" what state is that in?? And it still sounds like fun, is it a competition?? I've shot in 3-D Archery competitions for years, where you would go from stake to stake and shoot at 3-D foam targets w/scoring rings, with each one set-up a little different from the others and the one in his or her class with the highest score won a trophy or money, depending on which class you entered. Is it anything like that??

[Larry Pletcher]

I didn't start the right place.  The woods walk is a part of the Shoot program at the NMLRA Spring Nationals held in Friendship Indiana.   It is also shot in the Fall shoot as well.  I've shot the woods walk for the past few years, but this spring had the pleasure of shooting it with ALR members, David Price and Steve Chapman.  This yearwas especially fun because I shot the walk with David's  carved hunting rifle, the finest rifle I've ever shot.

Regards,
Pletch

[Daryl]

Trail walks are especially rewarding - and even more so with a flintlock.

[Roger Fisher]

Trail walks are especially rewarding - and even more so with a flintlock.

They truely are!  I shot 3 of them last wknd at Elmenton, Pa - Rattle box, stand on a rock on 1 foot (lift the other foot- twice.. split the ball, knock over the turkey head, heart shot on a deer with a real rack, hit the horizontal chain, hit the steel cross, shoot from a wooden log 'horse' while suspending your both legs (no stirrup) shoot the x stix on long shot small targets... a real gas.  Trade gun walk with similar but tough shots incl one on the clay bird with shot.  Flying (the bird not me) Had just a $#*! of a time.  Opened a new old tavern pop corn whiskey and great beer. Good food Sat night good folks and good shootin.... We even shot paper..!   It was in fact quite 'rewarding'