Soooo, for the first time I can write my targets are in the mail!!
Actually I am not 100% positive the targets are valid, because, oh wonder, in metric county there are no 3x5es. I printed the 3x5 rectangles and cut them out before shooting them.
I had to participate, of course.
Now here is the story how I made it today (hopefully it doesn't sound like the dog ate my homework)
Rain, rain, rain for the last two weeks. Friday, a day off was the only day left. I was quite happy when the sun peeked through the storm clouds in the morning. After finishing the Honey-do-list, packed the stuff and off to the range. There are no covers, no roofs...you see it coming.
After I posted 2 targets in reasonable distance from each other I commenced the drill. Standing 25 yards from the targets with my shooting bag and horn and of course my 28 gauge flintlock smoothbore "The Lady".
Loading up the shot charge and fire, not too bad... now what is that black monster cloud coming in from Northwest. Loading a little bit quicker - wind picks up - bang wow that worked well the first roundball hit the card not far from the center. The first rain drop falls on my hand. OK, we gotta speed up things a little bit here - this is a bad one. Of course it is always a good idea to pour powder BEFORE the ball. My head beeing occupied with the thunder storm coming in, just omitted the powder charge. I must confess, I thought it'll never happen to me because of loading slow and deliberate. Well, today I joined the club. Fortunately I had the ball puller in the shooting bag. Ball out, spit patch in/out. And now fist powder then ball. By the time it's raining pretty good. Covering the lock with my hand, prime, cock, aim, poof no boom. Ok, pick the vent, prime fire. Boom, miss - dang, it started so good. The third roundball hits the card again, the fourth goes astray. Concentrate! Now the ligth coat is through, water running down my back and the targets don't look good either. Come one one more! After running a patch over the well watered lock loading, priming and firing, good hit the card again. Then pack up and drive home. The worst part is to get the soaked targest off the backer. Now I gotta run to the post office but before that the targets undergo a little drying with a hairdryer and finally are sent off.
This is what the targets look like (the third hit ripped quite a chunk out of the paper, because it was wet):
So there you have it...
:grin:
Silex