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Never made it to the Estes Range today. The grandkiddos got to my dad’s house this morning and decided to spend the next 4 hours shooting archery. I had a good time, they had a blast.

I’ll be heading up to the Estes Range on Tuesday. It’s a beautiful range, when it’s o-degrees on the flats it’s 65 to 70 degrees at the Estes Range. I’ll post some images…and post some results.
 
What a beautiful blue bird day to hit a mountain range and go shooting. The one thing I miss about the FtLupton Range is cell phone service. I am unable to post my progress in real time…I have to wait till I’m back in town.

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Today is Tuesday, my triggers came back from Kibler yesterday…so yeah, 1st opportunity to hit the range.

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Trust me, somewhere out there is my target at 50 yrds. We started shooting at 8:30, fired my last shot just before noon. It was a long day.

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Here’s my targets for the 0.390 RB; left to right, 35 grains fffg, then 40 grains fffg in the middle, and far right is 45 grains fffg.

There are two distinct groups on each target, excluding the 45 grain fffg target. My 1st time through, I aimed at the black bull…then went and shot some groups for the .380 RB, came back and re-shot the 35 grain target and the 40 grain target, using the blue dot as my aim point.
 
Here’s the .380 RBs at 50 yrds

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These targets are the .380 RB, using a heavy canvas patching, moose milk lube. From left to right, 30 grains fffg, 35 grains fffg in the middle, and 40 grains fffg on the far right.

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I finally had to replace the original Kibler flint…so I got almost 90 shots on that flint, before I had to replace it. So that tuning of the main-spring was beneficial.

I’m sitting at Sam’s trying to type this out, my dad is in a hurry to go…some peoples kids
 
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When 1st shooting, I had a nice group of 3 shots, & 35 grains fffg. I know I pulled one of those shots. What has caught my attention is the final group, after hours of shooting, that final 40 grain load grouping looks real promising.

So making headway
 
Im going to the Ft Lupton range tomorrow I need to see and smell smoke. Since Im now being accused of being a terrorist I might as well act like one and shoot some.
When things cool down later this fall, I’ll be back at the FtLupton Range.

The other day when we were shooting, it was 95 degrees in Johnstown, it was 74 degrees at the Estes Park Range. I much prefer the FtLupton Range, it is a blackpowder range, where the Estes Range is not. But it is so nice to shoot in 74 degree weather.
 
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Made it to the range by 8:30 this morning, by 8:45 I was shooting and making smoke.

Real tired and groggy today, don’t know why. At the range, the day started off cloudy and overcast, actually made sighting the targets pretty easy. Once things cleared off and the sun came out, my brass front sight became very hard to see…The 40 grain charge, I could not see my brass front sight against the light background. All those holes in a line, should probably be in a nice tight group.

Today I was again shooting my Kibler SMR. I was looking at the .395 RB. My patching is a thin cotton material that I got from a pair of pants that tore out. I shot 3 sets of targets; 35 grains on the left; 40 grains in the middle; & 45 grains on the right.

After all this shooting with the Kibler…it’s looking like the gun likes 40 grains.

I need to get some new targets before I head back to do more range work.
 
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Was at the local range Wednesday and shot this off the bags at 50. Somebody with better eyes thsn mine could do better. I blew one shot and knew it when it went off. 45 grains of 3fg Goex. .395 ball in my 40 caliber Hawken Squirrel rifle. Love this gun. Id like to try an .018 patch but only have .015 right now.
 
I've got a Kibler SMR ordered, and looking for another. I'd love to find a class here in CO.
 
Any of our CO members have a Fusil de Chasse? I may be looking at a kit, and want to know how much wood I'll need to remove to make it feel proper.
 
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