Cody, WY July Turkey Match

[SPG]

Gentlemen,

I thought that the results of July turkey match here in Cody may be of interest to some...this has been a very popular match, enjoying a regular turnout of riflemen.

60 yards, patched round ball, plank and sawhorse rest, turkey head target with X-center, ten 1-shot matches, 11th match is aggregate string.
All shooters use the same rest, no spotting targets or aiming buds. Pay for each match, best aggregate string, and most turkeys hit.

S. Garbe- 8.632"- 10 turkeys
R. Gerondale- 14.670"- 9 turkeys
G. Dillman- 17.448"- 6 turkeys
R. Robinson- 20.688"- 5 turkeys
R. Patton- 21.250"- 5 turkeys
D. Buswell- 24.246"- 4 turkeys
D. Phariss- 26.072"- 8 turkeys
R. Jam- 28.141"- 7 turkeys

Light winds from right to left, bright sun, 80 degrees.

Shooting from the plank is not at all like shooting from prone as in a chunk match. The best way to describe it is a cross between offhand and benchrest.
The match is designed to be more of a early frontier-style live bird match with the emphasis on being able to simply shoot the bird in the head.

It is a real hoot...

Steve

[smylee grouch]

Yes, it sounds like alot of fun. Do you have any photos of the shooters in action to give us an idea of how its done?

[SPG]

Smylee,

No photos...I guess I was too busy shooting. Dan P. might have snapped a few.

I'm sure you've seen graphics of the old plank rest; one end of the plank up on a sawhorse with the shooter kneeling alongside. You rest the muzzle on the elevated end of the plank and your elbows on the back of the plank. It is more stable than offhand but not anywhere near as solid as prone. I'll see if Dan has some pictures and get him to post them here.

We try to keep it a simple match with a very traditional nature. Most guys load out of the pouch and there's plenty of time for visiting. Because we all use the same rest, each shot is noted with interest and, of course, commented on. This makes for lively discussion.

I failed to mention that one may take some or all of his shots offhand at 45 yards. Many guys shoot a combination of offhand and bench, as it suits them. The targets are the same and scored the same. If the wind isn't blowing much (a rare thing here) doing  the match offhand is good. Much wind and you are better advised to use the plank.

We also allow any pre-1850 iron sight. This means a traditional hooded front sight and a simple peep sight as is seen on some of the old Pennsylvania target rifles. It doesn't mean Redfield Olympics. We have several shooters who simply can't see barrel sights anymore and this allows them to participate. Many of the the old target rifles of the period had simple peep sights so we figured that this was a nod in their direction as well.

The match shares a lot with chunk gun shooting but is enough different to provide a counter-point. It seems to emphasize the ability to simply put a round ball where you want it without complicated equipment...a good shooting hunting rifle is all one needs.

Steve

[smylee grouch]

Thanks for that reply Steve. This type of match sounds like something our local club should try, it helps improve shooter intrest when you can in troduce something new once in awhile. Will look forward to seeing some photos if they become available.     Smylee

[Daryl]

TKs Steve- I'd like to see some pictures, too.

Wow- just over 6" between 1st and 2nd string measures.  You had a great, Day, Steve. good shooting.

[SPG]

Daryl,

I was trying a new flint rifle by Ron Borron that I had traded for. The barrel had seemed a little rough and hard to clean (also blowing patches) when I sighted it in at home so I did a light job of lapping. The match was the first real test and it did OK, very reliable, but didn't kill any spiders. I think it is slated for a full-blown lapping job. It's still quite "jumpy" to load.

Dan Phariss and I usually cross swords at these matches but Dan was having trouble with his swivel breech. Tried a new bullet mould and things went South for him. In this match, an inch a shot is a good string given our Cody winds. The best I've done so far (on a relatively calm day) was with a heavy-barreled Vincent .45 that Dan built on a Green Mountain barrel...3.806" and with a couple of dead spiders.

The best thing about these matches is that it encourages guys to drag out their regular hunting muzzle loader and have at it. We've picked up a good number of new shooters who have become regulars. The prize money gets spread around very well...6 out of the eight shooters won at least $8.00, and we award the most turkeys hit as well as the best spider. Dick Buswell nailed one with a .054 center shot. We charge $15.00 to enter and pay back nearly all the money. Coffee and doughnuts are free. The match is very laid-back and does not intimidate the guy who doesn't have a fancy layout. However, the match is also quite challenging and is by no means a "gimme". Some shooters elect to shoot the whole thing offhand, others split it up so there is something for everybody. We do try to keep it a traditional-style "Tavern" match. Some hardcases make side-wagers and so, all in all, it is a great way to spend a Saturday.

I've got an article about half-done on our Turkey matches that I hope I can get Muzzleloader or Muzzle Blasts to publish. It might be just the thing to stir people's imaginations...

Steve

[Dphariss]

Sure I shoot a good match nothing. I shoot lousy match and it gets put on the web site.
SPG is probably irritated that I was here
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=17123.new#new
today and he was stuck on the ground.
 But back to the important stuff

SPG at the May match


These are the revised targets with the "X" at the turkey's head.




This is the basic target we use being my sighter/backer for March I think.

 Sighters and score shots. I leave the sighter up and post my score targets over it it gives me something of a record without looking at 10 targets..
In the case the blind hog found a couple of acorns.
Modesty prevents my posting a photo of this months target.
 


Dan

[Daryl]

That's quite a postition - and it also allows a double elbow rest.  Does it have a "place" in history? Appears to be an 'any iron sight' match?

[xring2245]

Thanks for the visual aids.  Now, everything makes sense.

James

[Roger Fisher]

I do recall shooting a match (during another shoot) yrs ago: but can't remember where.

Good idea for a match for sure, helps the ol guys (we have many) that have trouble offhand.  I gottta look up a horse and a plank or plural maybe.  Course maybe the ol guys would need a young blonde gal to help them 'up'!

I assume and it sounds as though you pay $ rather than turkeys   After all less mess etc and with 10 turkeys the 'winner' would have to feed the whole neighborhood.

Do you allow sandbags on said plank to rest the ol gal on??

[SPG]

Daryl,

This style of shooting was what was done in the Northeast; distance varied from 50 to 110 yards (20 rods). There are several good vintage pieces of artwork displaying the position, I try to get at least one posted. The "offhand at 40 or rest at 60" was also a typical rule.

What started me researching this was the neat old target rifles that one sees with peep sights. The Klinedinst rifle on page 321 of Kindig's book is a great example and there are several others in his book alone. These are well-built longrifles; patchboxes, engraving, nice lines even if some are very heavy rifles. These were not plain rifles and most were fit with simple peep sights and shaders. Shooting matches were serious affairs both monetarily and socially; somewhat like high stakes poker but in many communities card playing was frowned upon whereas rifle matches were encouraged. These rifles reflected one's stature in the community and turkey matches or shooting at the mark was the chief form of entertainment among men (and some women).

They were different than the chunk matches in the South on several counts; I thought it would be good to try to revive this style of match. Any rifle legal for chunk shooting can waltz into a turkey match but the reverse is not true. Peeps are not allowed in log matches. In the turkey match everyone shoots at the same target without the aid of a sighter target so the rifleman must have the gun sighted in and more importantly, be able to hold for wind...no moving of a sighter target to allow for mirage or wind. This makes it, in my opinion, a bit more of a practical rifle match. There's the turkey, take a rest and shoot him in the head.

A diabolical variation may soon come to pass. One of our shooters is working on a backer for the target that will run off an eccentric to actually make the turkey's head move back and forth. We will probably do this as a side match. The idea came into being when several of us talked about how tough it would have been shooting live birds with the head showing above a log as was done at some matches back in the day. There are old-time references to the rifleman having to call the bird in order to get him to stick his head up...this would be a pretty tough match!

I was remiss in getting an equipment list for this match but I think Dan and I were the only shooters using barrel sights, the rest all had peeps. The peep sight does make a difference, both in sight clarity and sight radius. And don't discount the effects of a shader...it is definitely a help. Most shooters are using .50 caliber rifles. The good Reverend Robinson used a .40 Vincent which was the lightest rifle there and I used the aforementioned .45 Borron rifle. On light breezes I was holding about 2 inches of wind. We do allow one wind flag...everyone uses that that flag. I'm contemplating shooting the next match from offhand and using a little .32 flint rifle that has come into my possession. However, there may be some serious money wagered at the next match so I will hold the Phariss Vincent in reserve. I've never mentioned to Dan that he used to own that fine-shooting rifle...

Steve

[SPG]

Roger,

We use a folded blanket to pad the front of the plank...all use the same pad. It is also obvious that a barrel "chunk" generally will not work in this scenario, however, we do not exclude their use.

We pay out money rather than turkeys, sometimes whisky. We were challenged by a team of stalwarts from Kentucky a few months ago...we are still drinking their whisky. Fortunately, some Cody breezes aided us in our conquest. There are some side wagers laid by various individuals on their various favorite shooters so this also enlivens the match. Also...a point that I forgot to mention- one does not have to shoot all the matches. You can jump in for any of the 1-shot matches...of course, this will cut you out of the aggregate, but some of our older shooters come to have a cup of coffee, visit, and shoot a couple of turkeys. Makes it easy and enjoyable for them.

We are going to have a championship match in September where we will shoot the match for silver dollars. This ramps things up quite a bit and obviously is not for everyone. We are trying to entice some notables from Back East to participate in the 2nd Annual Cody Hard Money Turkey Match. Last year we had a fair turnout; given current silver prices we are hoping for better things this year...

Steve

[Dphariss]

SPG  sent some photos of a period shooting match.






Dan

[SPG]

Gentlemen,

The painting is by John W. Ehninger and was done in the mid 1850's. The original is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Mass.

Look closely...there are several very interesting things to take note of- rifles as well as the clothing being worn by the participants. Also, it looks from the sign in front of the buildings in the upper right-hand corner that the match was being done at a tavern or inn. I bet they didn't have any problem selling hot buttered rum after this match.

Steve

[westerner]

Neat picture Steve/ Dan. They're using a wood saw horse and a one inch board.  Your setup is much more rigid.  Looks like a scaffold plank?  I have a good supply of Western Cedar boards if you need some.

I'll bet there were a few pints in those coat pockets. 

                Joe.  

[Daryl]

Pretty cool picture - and a large disk peep sighted 1/2 stocked rifle on the 'line'. Your 'rest' looks quite skookum compared to the saw-horse and 1" X 12" board. Bet theirs giggled in the wind.

Steve - the .32 flinter will be challenging.  I'm not finished fiddling with mine yet as the best I can get so far, rested, is 1" at 50 yards.

I haven't benched the .320" buckshot as of yet, only the ..311" cast with ..021" mattress ticking patches. Store bought 00 Buckshot loads OK with the same patch, albeit somewhat stiffer seating flush with the muzzle. Mere pressure on the starter's bud does it with the tiny ball. They 'draw' down into the bore quite easily.

[westerner]

A whippy Cedar board would make it more challenging.

Looks like a large disc peep sight to me.  They could have been using picket bullets too.



            Joe.

[westerner]

No? Could be the collar of his coat? 

     Joe.

[SPG]

Joe,

Good chance some were using picket balls...the guy on the left loading his rifle looks like he is using a guide bullet starter.

For my money at 60 yards I'll use a round ball rather than one of them pesky pickets. Tell that to the Kid.

Has anyone else noted the black shooter with a turkey he has won and a rifle of his own? This was a pretty liberal statement to make in 1850, even in the Northeast, and says a lot about the politics of the artist. I'm sure it was not included by chance.

Steve

[Daryl]

Right about the guide starter - didn't notice that before. Did notice the black chap with rifle and turkey, though. Didn't know the date - might have missed that somewhere.

[westerner]

There's two Negros in the painting. Judging from the clothes and snow it must be in the NE.  I dont see the bullet starter.   The fancy poured nose cap on the shooters rifle, New England?   

                  Joe.

[Daryl]

I only see one black chap- the other dark spot on the left looks like the turkey's butt to me. The one fellow is about the hit the top of the starter's "T" top with is plam, looks to me.

[Dphariss]

This is a little higher resolution and should zoom with more detail.
I hope.

Dan

[westerner]

To the right of the shooter, kneeling.  The jug of hooch is sitting in front of the barrel.   There had to be a jug somewhere, lol!

Something else about the painting. All sorts of hats.  No two alike.  Most old group " pictures "  Show almost everyone wearing the same style hat. 

             Joe.

[westerner]

I dont see a tavern sign as Steve points out. Looks like a farm to me. 

             Joe.