ALR December Postal Match

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Thanks for the compliments fellas...appreciate it. 

December's match is going to be a do it yourself target.  It's Christmas, so the targets will be Christmas Tree ornaments, those hand blown glass bulbs we knew when we were kids.  The paper size I used is simple computer paper, 8 1/2" x 11" white.  I drew five bulbs as follows:  3", 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", and 1".  You can fill them in black as I did, or multi colour, or just an outline to suit your shooting style and artistic ability.  They are worth as follows:  1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 points each.  So shoot one shot at each bulb offhand at 25 yards, unsupported.  Use any muzzleloading rifle, smoothbore or pistol, any metallic sights.  Scored by the half ball...half ball in goes to higher score.  Your possible best score will be 15 points.  Shoot and submit as many targets as you care to...best single target wins December's postal match.
I post a picture of the target I drew.  You can scan this one and print it but be sure your bulbs are per the measurements provided.  Hope to see a good turn out and good luck to all.

[Nessmuck]

Hey Pukka...Taylor took care of yah this month ...so you can shoot.

[Pukka Bundook]

Very nice of Taylor!
Fingers crossed!

Near minus 30C tonight.
One time I would have shot , but not no more unless being shot at!

[Seth Isaacson]

Should we be trying to keep the pattern close to yours in a 5 pattern from dice? Clustering them all together would of course make it easier to miss one and hit another. What is the rough distance between them?

[Daryl]

Seth - I would assume clustered globes would raise the possibility to put 2 shots on one bulb. I suggest that would eliminate both (2) shots, leaving only 3 possible to score on that target.
It would be perhaps, not a good idea to "cluster" targets.
I also suspect Taylor means to have a maximum of 5 shots on each target?
It's only -20 here this morning, but still too cold to shoot.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

You can see from my example that the bulbs are at least ~2" away from each other.  I wanted them to be spaced out well on the page, not clustered around the middle.  There's no Lexis for first prize here, only honour and glory, so use your good judgement.

[Seth Isaacson]

I have no desire to try to game the system by perhaps getting lucking and missing one target and hitting another, so don't take my comment that way!  Much the opposite. The hitting two shots in one eliminating both would definitely dispel any advantage of trying to cluster things. I'll probably spread mine out as much as possible so that I don't gravitate towards aiming at the larger one. I've found on multi-target targets or odder shaped targets in the past I have a tendency to err towards the center of the overall paper.

This should be good practice. I'm glad its something different. I haven't been able to get out and shoot since late October, so I'm going to try and get out and shoot this one if I can get some time with daylight and reasonably favorable wind conditions.

[Daryl]

Made up some targets this morning. Some completely filled in as Taylor's. Others only with about a 1" black circle in the middle.

[Jakob]

I've made 3 different PDF versions:
1 with outlines
1 black
1 black outlines with red fill

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pdX_XCimNksPc3eW3Vs-tVS13XZqZtRr/view?usp=share_link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iUDs6VFgZdPpqTVddr96glu0pHJ5M44M/view?usp=share_link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12WuX66331nqbtyCldUjBmxEzd1R_7Lh4/view?usp=share_link

This should be a fun target, but unfortunately I managed to shear off my cleaning jag with a thick cleaning patch at the bottom of my barrel. Being a Lymans, the breech plug is not budging.  However, one of the engineers(AME) at work suggested we should try and blow it out with the air compressor and will try that next week. I still have the option of trying to glue it back on with epoxy,  but it'll near impossible to avoid getting epoxy on the bore. (Which I could potentially burn out afterwards, but more work, etc).

[Nessmuck]

I've made 3 different PDF versions:
1 with outlines
1 black
1 black outlines with red fill

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pdX_XCimNksPc3eW3Vs-tVS13XZqZtRr/view?usp=share_link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iUDs6VFgZdPpqTVddr96glu0pHJ5M44M/view?usp=share_link
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12WuX66331nqbtyCldUjBmxEzd1R_7Lh4/view?usp=share_link

This should be a fun target, but unfortunately I managed to shear off my cleaning jag with a thick cleaning patch at the bottom of my barrel. Being a Lymans, the breech plug is not budging.  However, one of the engineers(AME) at work suggested we should try and blow it out with the air compressor and will try that next week. I still have the option of trying to glue it back on with epoxy,  but it'll near impossible to avoid getting epoxy on the bore. (Which I could potentially burn out afterwards, but more work, etc).

If it's a cap gun..remove the nipple and drizzle some 4f powder in there. Put the nipple back on ..and shoot it out. For a flintah...drizzle 4f in the touch hole..shoot it out

[Daryl]

Exactly - unless it's really wet down there and in that case, get it blown out right now.

Jacob - was the jag one of the one piece with brass threads?

If so, you'll need a new one, and in that case, I drill out the back end and put in a steel 8x32 or 10x32 piece of bolt or machine screw. That, I CA onto the thread.
No more broken off jags.

[alacran]

Thank you, Jakob. Just printed out three of the ones in black.
Wasn't able to compete on last month's match. I was too busy hunting and when I wasn't the weather got in the way.
Back home now. I will be hunting here also but have two weeks before that happens and need to play with the rifle I will be using.
this will be a good warm up target.

[Jakob]

If it's a cap gun..remove the nipple and drizzle some 4f powder in there. Put the nipple back on ..and shoot it out. For a flintah...drizzle 4f in the touch hole..shoot it out

I used a thicker cleaning patch than usual (wanted to scrub it good) and it's very stuck, so I'm a little reluctant to go that route..but I guess it'll take more than a little 4F to blow up the barrel?

[Nessmuck]

Yup...don't be afraid..put the 4f to it...and pop it out ..I've done it more than once...with 100% success rate

[Daryl]

I used a thicker cleaning patch than usual (wanted to scrub it good) and it's very stuck, so I'm a little reluctant to go that route..but I guess it'll take more than a little 4F to blow up the barrel?

You will not be able to get enough 4F or 3F into the breech, to cause ANY damage. Just make sure, after you put the powder in, to push the jag and patch down to the breech.  If it is not
pushed down, it may not come out. There also is the possibility of ringing the barrel just below the obstruction (if it isn't down on the "powder").

Most people who have done something similar, have "popped" the ball or jag out with this method.
It is simple and it works. Same deal if loading without powder - normally called "dry balled". So- pull the 'obstruction', or shoot it out - in a safe direction.

[alacran]

Co2 Discharger, easy peasy.

[Smokin dave]

I'm guessing 1 point for larger target and 5 points for smaller..... Is this correct?

[Daryl]

" I drew five bulbs as follows:  3", 2 1/2", 2", 1 1/2", and 1".  You can fill them in black as I did, or multi colour, or just an outline to suit your shooting style and artistic ability.  They are worth as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 points each. "

Score in order of presentation is how I read it.

[Dphariss]

Great idea Taylor. 

[Daryl]

Gotta wait for a warmer day, but looking forward to shooting this one, with my match rifle, of course.

[Dphariss]

Gotta wait for a warmer day, but looking forward to shooting this one, with my match rifle, of course.

Still windy here.  But I can shoot to 25 with a rest without much issue due to a berm at the range. If the range road is not drifted shut. Has been a nighmare for first responders since Tuesday on I-90. Even closed a 60+ mile stretch for a time. Sheriffs dept wanted it closed last night but state level never did this. Deputy described it in a radio call last night as “life threatening”. But either the decision maker could not be contacted or would not…

[Seth Isaacson]

Jakob, thanks for making the printable versions. I have Monday off, so I'm hoping to get out and shoot a bit then if the weather cooperates.

[Daryl]

Warmed up to almost the freezing mark, but windy and Taylor's out of town for a few days.
Today's his 74th birthday, btw.

[ed lundquist]

Happy Birthday Taylor and thanks for all your help and encouragement, you as well Daryl, only I don't know when your birthday is.

[alacran]

Happy Birthday Taylor. It is always good when you wake up for another one.