November online match

[alacran]

Back by popular demand is October's online match. The same rules as for October.  See October online match for the rules and the link for the target.

[New Fowler]

Hope to get out and shoot this with my new rifle tomorrow, maybe the fowler too if there's time.

[New Fowler]

Here is a rather feeble attempt at 50 yards with my new Early hawken after getting it sighted in. Not bad for my first time shooting it offhand but need more practice. The load I settled on was 80 grains of goex 2f and a 570 ball with a .018 patch. In my defense this was shot at sunset, with the targets set in the shade with the sun at my back. Perhaps I'll get out again this month and attempt this again. Best I can tell this is a 22/50 but I could be wrong.

[alacran]

Yes, New Fowler that is a 22.
I read your previous post and you had me confused as to which gun you were shooting offhand.
You had a question as to how to improve your offhand shooting in the other post. The best way to improve offhand shooting is to shoot offhand and stay off the bench. Don't hold your rifle up too long. Bring the rifle down and start over. The gun will always move; this is called a wobble. Stay within your wobble fighting it only makes things worse.
Your target is not bad, if we were using the 8-ring black 100-yard NMLRA target which is commonly used at 50 yards, all your shots would have counted.
Thank you for participating.

[New Fowler]

Yes, New Fowler that is a 22.
I read your previous post and you had me confused as to which gun you were shooting offhand.
You had a question as to how to improve your offhand shooting in the other post. The best way to improve offhand shooting is to shoot offhand and stay off the bench. Don't hold your rifle up too long. Bring the rifle down and start over. The gun will always move; this is called a wobble. Stay within your wobble fighting it only makes things worse.
Your target is not bad, if we were using the 8-ring black 100-yard NMLRA target which is commonly used at 50 yards, all your shots would have counted.
Thank you for participating.

Thank you

[alacran]

We are halfway through November. New Fowler leads against all comers with a 22.

[foresterdj]

Still waiting for a deer to come out in the daylight.

[alacran]

Hunt at night!

[Daryl]

Wish we could do that. Nadda!

[alacran]

I was joking. In Arizona there are some units where you can hunt coyotes at night. In Texas you can hunt feral hogs at night. I'm not sure if it is still legal
but in England waterfowl punt-gun shooting is done at night. Raccoons can be hunted at night in quite a few states.
It appears that deer become nocturnal when too much pressure is applied.

[Daryl]

Wolves do that here.

[foresterdj]

Likely will not have a chance to shoot this month. Was hoping for this next week, but our range temporarily closed because of a timber harvest just beyond the berms. Fair enough, would not want a stray round over the mound while they are there. Plus, sounds like winter will be here Tuesday.

[okawbow]

Finally got to shoot 1 target. 50 yards from my turkey seat that  I sometimes use deer hunting. New Kibler Colonial, .58 caliber. 85 grains 2f. Denim patch. Deer tallow/ bear oil mix. Should be ok for deer hunting.

[Dennis Daigger]

Shot the target four times and couldn’t break 40.



Dennis

[alacran]

Thanks, Okabow and Dennis for getting these targets under the wire.
Dennis is the current leader with a 38. Good shooting! Still a couple of days left.
I know the weather in the Midwest is dismal right now but the whole country isn't in the crapper. Hopefully we will get a few more.
Dennis is that rifle an original? Looks like a Griffith breech plug. I like the wooden trigger guard; it's a fine looking rifle.

[Dennis Daigger]

Yes, an original gun. It is in unusually good condition with a near flawless bore but like the Meidl cape gun that I’ve submitted targets for in the past, it has a fast twist rate and is not so good with round balls. Surprisingly a 70 grain load shot pretty well at 50 yards but less so at 100.

When I got the rifle it had a bent hammer nose and had a washer under the cock to position the nose properly over the nipple. I had to heat and then bend it back to its proper position. David Rase did a great job casehardening it and it looks original to the lock.

This is a short barreled and relatively light rifle. I tried a 320 grain conical in it with 60 grains of powder and the recoil was punishing. Once was enough.

Not sure what a Griffith breech plug is but it is unfortunately not a hooked breach but I’m used to removing barrels for cleaning anyway so doesn’t really matter.
Dennis

[alacran]

It had me fooled it looks like a hooked breech.

Griffith breech plug.

[Daryl]

Yes - looks like a 46/50 good job.

[Dennis Daigger]

Alacran,
If I understand correctly the contour of the bolster is where the ‘Griffith’ comes from. Is that a Hawken?
Dennis

[alacran]

Dennis, yes that is a Hawken I built. The Griffith comes from Griffith Tool company, that was out of Addison Illinois. The Hawken shop apparently bought their tooling and sell the Breech plugs and locks.
The target was shot the year I joined ALR. We used to have more folks participating in the online matches then.
I guess we just have more kit builders than shooters now.

[Daryl]

Not sure what is going on. I'll have to speak to Taylor. It's right at our cold limit now, -5.
Just can't 'take' the cold like we used to.
-14 in 2009. Both pics, same day. The "lass" on the right, big guy in green's wife, is holding my rifle.
When she stepped off the "packed" trail to capture the rope for the flying goose she sunk into the snow above her waist.

[alacran]

Looks like Dennis is the winner for November with a 38.
Looking forward to what he may have in store for December.