Excuse Me, I'm Loading

[FishDFly]

Safety is paramount at a range, folks do not need to be interuped.

 

[jdw276]

Just read a new draft of our club's new sop's today. All disciplines are shot on our complex. On the 100 yd range, only modern muzzleloaders shooting a single projectile allowed. If other non bp shooters show up, show courtesy and go to a location where the smoke will not bother them.

They are proposing we leave! Ha, try and fine me on that one. And that is if we shoot modern heaven forbid if we get caught shooting something really old, you know made in the last century. What is a modern muzzleloader i asked? Reply was, "i got no idea." My patience is on trial, here is to hoping for a hung jury.

 

[sportster73hp]

Just read a new draft of our club's new sop's today. All disciplines are shot on our complex. On the 100 yd range, only modern muzzleloaders shooting a single projectile allowed. If other non bp shooters show up, show courtesy and go to a location where the smoke will not bother them.

They are proposing we leave! Ha, try and fine me on that one. And that is if we shoot modern heaven forbid if we get caught shooting something really old, you know made in the last century. What is a modern muzzleloader i asked? Reply was, "i got no idea." My patience is on trial, here is to hoping for a hung jury.

Maybe a modern muzzleloader is one of those that they put smokeless into.
I have shot my sidelock at 100 yards, even the bess (really big target) . My encore at 200 open sights.

 

[Mulebrain]

I like to provide instruction, or answer questions while loading

Measure powder, pour in, and leave powder measure in muzzle till I am ready for wet patch and ball. Drive ball and patch with short starter and leave in barrel till I am ready to drive the ball home. Drive ball home and leave rod in until I am ready for firing

This way if I want to answer a question or talk,I know where I am at in my sequence of loading

I am on the range with many, who want to talk more than shoot so I came up with this

 

[BP Addict]

When you shoot at a range or in a group, it’s bound to happen. I’ll have the person putting on the match ask how many shots I have left. Someone else will inquire if I have a nipple wrench or ball puller, etc. Some like to BS on the Trail Walk. Or as the OP mentioned, someone new to this aspect of the Shooting Sports will come up, show an interest and start asking questions.

I have a system that helps to keep it down as long as I follow it. I use a Stainless-Steel Bench rod from Track of the Wolf. Before I load my rifle, I’ll wipe the bore with a clean patch. While it’s at the bottom, I apply the “empty” line with a black sharpie. After the ball is seated, I make another mark. That tells me if I’m empty, loaded, or somewhere in between. If I’m interrupted, while adding powder, I leave the measurer in the barrel (I’ve been using the same Treso with the built-in swivel funnel for decades). I’ll leave the ball and patch pressed into the muzzle if it happens then. Lastly, if it’s after I push the ball all the way down, I’ll just leave my bench rod sticking out. That way I have indicators that help me remember where I am in the process.

I really like many of the responses. Especially the one that said if they come up before you start loading, you can explain the process as you go. I’d add one more suggestion. Ask them if they want to shoot it!

Dry balling is something most of us will do as long as we shoot muzzleloaders. Mainly because **** Happens! However, I've often thought about posting a sign at my loading station that reads "BLACK STUFF FIRST"!!!!

Thanks!

Walt

 

[oldwood]

When m/l competition matches were a monthly event at the local sportsmen's club , the matches were fun and lots of laughter was common. Folks came to the shoot to have fun ,and shoot metal silhouettes ,some knock down , and some hit or miss. The 200 yd. knock down was a cub bear , that on a breezy day could weed out most guns under 50 ca.. Some parts of the matches were difficult , but a store bought gun , was what most guys shot , back in the day,
One guy , Fred , was a wise guy that good naturedly picked on everyone , so when he stepped up to shoot , it was all hands on deck to tease and torment him. He was peppered w/pine cones and what ever detritus was laying around. Verbal abuse was always aimed his way , as well.
There were a few more serious shooters , of the paper puncher type ,that would leave the shoots in a huff , but the attendance was always high. More folks liked to have fun , than shoot with a guy that had a perfectly tuned rifle and won every match , shooting paper. We had fun , To each his own......oldwood

 

[Mad L]

I seldom go to 'ranges' anymore; too crowded, too many complainers.
But when I did most people seem to stand back until after I shot, then move in for questions. When with a group then on-lookers usually would go up to one just standing around to ask questions.
I have met some fine people on the 'range', even had one guy make a short video of me and later contacted me on social media to let me know that he and his son are both going to give it a try!

But mostly I just heard people complain "He is loading on the back bench!" (Range 'rules'), or giving me nasty looks about the smoke or even the noise - more once I have heard "Damn Cannon!"....??
Even here on a small hillside I had a guy come up and complain "I'm trying to run a class here and you show up with"....yes, he said it...."a Damn Cannon!!" - - my .50 cal Pennsylvania with a mear 60grain charge??? (I should have pulled out the Blunderbuss!!)

Luckily I left all that behind a few years ago - I LOVE the good folks at Angeles Range, but some of the shooters there not so much. Now i just head out on Public land and enjoy a nice relaxing, none distracted day shooting at my own pace. And i still have met some good fellow (unmentionable) shooters from time to time, only now when they approach me I can answer their questions, even offer to let them shoot, all with having to yell!

 

[BP Addict]

When m/l competition matches were a monthly event at the local sportsmen's club , the matches were fun and lots of laughter was common. Folks came to the shoot to have fun ,and shoot metal silhouettes ,some knock down , and some hit or miss. The 200 yd. knock down was a cub bear , that on a breezy day could weed out most guns under 50 ca.. Some parts of the matches were difficult , but a store bought gun , was what most guys shot , back in the day,
One guy , Fred , was a wise guy that good naturedly picked on everyone , so when he stepped up to shoot , it was all hands on deck to tease and torment him. He was peppered w/pine cones and what ever detritus was laying around. Verbal abuse was always aimed his way , as well.
There were a few more serious shooters , of the paper puncher type ,that would leave the shoots in a huff , but the attendance was always high. More folks liked to have fun , than shoot with a guy that had a perfectly tuned rifle and won every match , shooting paper. We had fun , To each his own......oldwood

There's one guy in our club that shoots competitively and is there to win. He sets up down the benches from the rest of us, so our banter doesn't ruin his concentration. He tells me he shoots with the same group of guys on the Trail Walks and nobody makes a peep while you're shooting.

I used to be all about winning until I realized that being upset if I wasn't first was sucking all the enjoyment out of my sport. I like winning but more importantly, I love shooting muzzies and having fun!

Thanks!

Walt

 

[BadDaditood]

My routine is similar to many here, except at matches I will pour powder leaving the measure in, stroll down to the best shooter and ask him stupid questions.
Next I seat the ball leaving the range rod in and visit the next best shooter and try to distract him too.
Last week a guy dryballed 3 times in a row… wish I could remember what I asked him to get that ball rolling!
;-)

 

[oldwood]

BPAddict........Walt.......My Dad was an NRA Life Time Master rifle shooter. He had me into small bore shooting at an early age. Later , we began shooting in trap competitions. I learned how to pull out all the stops to win. Discipline was the order of the day. I worked my way through Tech. college , got hired to work in Central Pa. , and was still shooting comp. trap. I won a club championship , and was bored after doing the SOS , year after year. Three years before bordem set in , a friend that had a black powder gun shop in Ligonier , Pa. , asked me to assemble some B.B.Musket kits for Fort Ligonier. I did that , and was hooked on black powder for life. Eventually , the trap gun went away , and shooting at the local black powder club took over. The matches were fun , mostly because we were doing a new sport , learning together, and I met my life long friend , shooting in competition at a 25 yd. offhand , paper match. He would shoot the best score in a match , then I would best him. This went on for a whole afternoon. Since I couldn't best him , all the time , I figured to meet this guy , and mentally cripple his abilities. We talked , and continued to shoot relays , he was implacable , and our competition was a draw until the last relay. My 10 X was slightly off center , and his was dead center. Rules are rules , and I lost. He and I began going shooting b/p guns , and finally hunting together for 50 + years. It's been fun. , though I can still shoot better than HIM. Black powder is about fun , modern unmentionable competition is discipline ,and who has the most expensive equipment......... ..........oldwood

 

[sheriff john]

On or about 1971 muzzloader shoots were held at some rural co unty fairs and picnics. One in Maries County was in a field a short distance from other festivities. Most shot originals, off'n a picnic table with a rest of some home made sandbags. The target was a small black bullseye on a piece of white paper. A roofing nail held the target to a large cut-off piece of a log. Off to the side - perhaps 20 - 30 feet sat a man in a folding chair.

About 20 shooters of varying ages took turns shooting at the target - three shots apiece. The man in the chair measured each shot's location from the roofing nail. Shortest combined distance won - unless someone drove the nail and dropped the target. If that happened, that shooter won that match and another target was put up.

When I sat at the table, there were cows grazing in a pasture quite a ways beyond the target but still in range. I asked "What if I miss and hit a cow?"

"Sonny, if you can't hit that stump, don't shoot."

Some loaded off tailgates, others on large utility company spools or some other place handy. Some ladies shot, lots of geezers too. Point is ...everyone respected each other, took time to do their loading safely, and it went on all afternoon.

Occasionally, the "official measurer" would take a break, but other than those pauses, it was just a lot of fun.

 

[cliff lee]

Hi. As a range officer before I close the range to change targets I always make sure that no muzzloaders are loaded or being loaded ready to shoot they always come first and cindly ask if there OK to close the range while shooting with other modern firearm shooters just plain sense and good manners. Can't argue with safety. Cheers

 

[mmb617]

I used to be all about winning until I realized that being upset if I wasn't first was sucking all the enjoyment out of my sport. I like winning but more importantly, I love shooting muzzies and having fun!

Thanks!

Walt

I'm pretty new to black powder but I go to the range a lot and have watched a few of the shoots sponsored by our club. One of the organizers keeps urging me to enter one of the shoots. They do seem pretty informal and fun for the most part, but scores are kept. I'm a little reluctant because I know myself and I tend to be a bit over-competitive. I often put pressure on myself that can suck the fun out of things.

I competed in powerlifting for many years and I bracket raced my car for 7 years. Both those sports started out as fun but eventually I got to the point that if I didn't do as well as I thought I should have it bothered me way too much. Right now I'm really enjoying shooting and I'm not sure I can keep myself from falling down that hole if I start any kind of competition no matter how informal. I never raced for money, the prizes were only trophies and pizzas and I still got too obsessed with winning. It's just how I'm wired. Maybe I'll grow out of that someday but it hasn't happened in the first 70 years.

 

[Josephg]

Nevermind. Pissn match in progress.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Most ranges require a flint lock shield if shooting a flintlock.

Proper manners is to warn folks that you are shooting a flintlock so they can move back.

Some ranges have banned black powder shooters because of problems. Banning makes since before someone is injured, especially with your attitude..

My club doesn't require flash shields, so don't go saying that all ranges require them. And what attitude do I have? So I have no right to tell someone I can be there? I have no right to interate to someone that I may have been there first? Why does the black powder shooter have to leave? Again, we have just as much right to enjoy our hobbies as the next guy. You sir sound a little elitist to me. Are you one of those ..... hoity toits, who dares to look down his nose at anyone not decked out in the latest high tech gear.

 

[Mad L]

Never been to a range the required flash shields...?
I never "warned" anyone that I was shooting powder either.
I just set up down wind of others and always waited to step up to the line with enough clearance in my right....just good manners. They see the big ling rifle coming and know what is next.

But then, crowded ranges, that is why I dont bother with them anymore.

 

[FishDFly]

"Never been to a range the required flash shields...?

"My club doesn't require flash shields, so don't go saying that all ranges require them"

Most ranges require a flint lock shield if shooting a flintlock.

I did not say all ranges require them, see above. The three (3) ranges that I shoot at require them. It is a safety requirement along with safety glasses and hearing protection.

 

[DuncNZ]

"Never been to a range the required flash shields...?

"My club doesn't require flash shields, so don't go saying that all ranges require them"

Most ranges require a flint lock shield if shooting a flintlock.

I did not say all ranges require them, see above. The three (3) ranges that I shoot at require them. It is a safety requirement along with safety glasses and hearing protection.

I'm the only shooter in my club with a flintlock , match lock or wheel lock , they just stick me down the right hand end of the range out of the way . I have a flash shield on my Musket but not on the others , .

 

[FishDFly]

That makes sense and is safe.

I don't know anyone who wants to be injuried from a flintlock going off. It does not feel good.

 

[stephenprops1]

There's one guy in our club that shoots competitively and is there to win. He sets up down the benches from the rest of us, so our banter doesn't ruin his concentration. He tells me he shoots with the same group of guys on the Trail Walks and nobody makes a peep while you're shooting.

I used to be all about winning until I realized that being upset if I wasn't first was sucking all the enjoyment out of my sport. I like winning but more importantly, I love shooting muzzies and having fun!

Thanks!

Walt

Good point. --- When I first started shooting competitively (for fun and bragging rights, not professionally) I wanted to win. I was quickly put in my place at my very first match. (36th place out of 38 shooters.) It took me a few matches to get off my high horse and mingle with other shooters. Gradually, I learned from them and learned to strive to be the best shooter I could be. With my self-induced pressure gone I became a better shot. It has been several years ago, but my very best score was 2nd place in my class and 3rd place overall out of 250 shooters.