Average Pull Weight Of Lever Or Trigger On A Matchlock

[Artificer]

Thank you, Rudyard.

I had loads of leave saved up, because I had just come off four years of detached duty, where I could not use most of my leave. I was one of the few Marines on Active Duty there at the time who was really into muzzleloading. I volunteered both because I believe one should "give back" to something one enjoys and for "the Honor of the Unit" in that we hosted the matches on an Active Duty Marine Base and I did not want things to go poorly at my Command. I was extremely pleased that Major Land had a huge hand in running it and enjoyed working with him once more.

Though I had watched the live round Cannon Competition at NSSA Championships before, I too was astounded when they shot at the watermelon hung on a line. I admit I was skeptical when they announced they had to hit a piece of the watermelon on a side, as a round in the center would only go straight through. When the smoke cleared after the first shot and it looked like there was a huge bite out of the watermelon, I was really impressed! The second shot splattered the watermelon all over the range, to the surprise and delight of most. That was remarkable shooting, even for a 3 inch Ordnance Rifle (Cannon)!

I was delighted when I learned the British Team offered to take up the slack at the last minute for the 1996 World Championships held at Wedgnock, in the Midlands, UK. The French were supposed to host it, but they mucked up the scheduling of the range. I was VERY surprised I was the only Team Armourer for those matches or the following World Championships there in 1998. I knew the UK had some great gunsmiths who could have done the job, but they didn't try to get one. However, members of the British Team assisted me greatly at both matches in that they loaned me a good machinist's vise to use and help me get some supplies I could not carry over on the airplane. One British Team Member even took me to where I could purchase a propane torch locally and then gave me a superb tour of the grounds of Kenilworth Castle and explained the Battle in great detail, after I asked him if he knew anything about the Castle. What a TREAT that was! That weekend, I walked to the Castle and took the walking tour throughout and it really made it much more interesting after his earlier talk.

I was extremely impressed with the Matches and the British Team at both World Matches and am still very grateful to how they treated all Teams at those World Matches.

Gus

 

[Rudyard]

Dear Gus Very pleased to hear you have good memories of the Internationals . I was on Scrutiny at the 1980 one at Bisley least I think it was that year .I have at times qualified as of right but was never into the dressing up blazers & ties ect , plus I was' living in a world ' you might say . I have made guns for the teams but that was it. I do remember the Melon getting shot very clearly and the big Matchlock one of the Japanees team fired I remember one match that had the useual gongs going to the most competative teams , USA & Germany. It was getting monotinous then The Japanees who can only HAVE matchlocks finally won a medal In ' Tanagashima' & there was a spontainiuos roar from the onlookers , might have been Bisley one of them . The short fellow might have been Roy Rickets , He got ' head hunted' by Navy arms sounds like him , bit of a wag .(not a bad thing ) ' Charrecter ' might suit better . One of your US team though born in UK now lives in Spokane bought a ' Mary Rose' Matchlock I had as' stock' at a friends place in Virginia Martyn bought it. Its on a video, Pukka knows the gun I think he shot Musket in the US Int' team not Match lock . Small World. I met up with him he took me up to last years Alberta shoot of BP arms . Regards Rudyard

 

[Artificer]

Outside a couple things that had nothing to do with the British Team, nor the Matches, I had a wonderful time on both trips to the Internationals at Wedgnock. One turned out to be "High Misadventure" when we had to go BACK to Heathrow late on the first night we arrived to pick up a Team Member, who missed his flight and came in very late. The other was one turnabout, which we call traffic circles, on the way to the range each day. I was not used to entering it by driving on the left hand side of the road and it was always super busy each day as we came through. Thank Goodness I never drove and when we got close each morning, I just shut my eyes when we approached the circle. We never got into an accident, mind you, but it always "distressed" me greatly as we drew near.

Gus