2018 "March" Monthly Postal Match Results

[Ohio Joe]

March 2018 - 25 Yards Offhand - Rifle - TMA-BF-5B2 Target (1 Shot Per Bull) 5 Total Shots

Axe....................37-0x
BlackPowderBill....34-0x
No Powder...........27-0x
Ohio Joe.............19-1x
SharpStick..........17-0X
PaulK.................09-0X
Winter Hawk......(        ) Turned in without shooting it. Thanks for the donation ~kees~ 

[Uncle Russ]

March 2018 - 25 Yards Offhand - Rifle - TMA-BF-5B2 Target (1 Shot Per Bull) 5 Total Shots

Axe....................37-0x

Good shooting Mark!
I saw your target on Facebook, it looked real good.

Uncle Russ...

[Ohio Joe]

Got out this morning and shot my March target with my converted (cap to flint) rifle. Nothing to write home about as you can see. Started at the top left and got a 10X right off the bat,,, then moved to shot two (top right) a 9,,, was feeling pretty good about my cap to flint conversion and then it fell apart on shots 3, 4, and 5, all three of those shots marking high right from my center bull aiming point??? It didn't feel like I was flinching at all on any of the shots I took, but I must have been on those last three...   Regardless of the score it was great to get out and shoot after such a long time off from it. 



Here's the rifle I used. Also, I got to use my new shooting bag I made over the winter. You know, a person may not think about it but familiarizing one's self with new equipment is part of this shooting game as well. 

[Ohio Joe]

Got out this morning and shot my March target with my converted (cap to flint) rifle. Nothing to write home about as you can see. Started at the top left and got a 10X right off the bat,,, then moved to shot two (top right) a 9,,, was feeling pretty good about my cap to flint conversion and then it fell apart on shots 3, 4, and 5, all three of those shots marking high right from my center bull aiming point??? It didn't feel like I was flinching at all on any of the shots I took, but I must have been on those last three...   Regardless of the score it was great to get out and shoot after such a long time off from it. 



Here's the rifle I used. Also, I got to use my new shooting bag I made over the winter. You know, a person may not think about it but familiarizing one's self with new equipment is part of this shooting game as well. 

Well I now know what my problem was. It wasn't flinching at all (yet I can't explain my first two shots being good ones),,, however,,, I went out to my workshop to look at a couple sight work orders I have to do some work on for a couple guys this coming Spring,,, and guess what I found???

A note to myself on my work clip board saying;

"Rework Matthew's Rear Rifle Sight To Match Front Sight" (Matthew's Rifle is the Rifle I converted to Flint, the one you see above - that he doesn't shoot anymore since going off to college almost 4 years ago...

So,,, sure enough the rear sight was to high and was canted just enough to where it was most likely the cause of shooting high right... O'kay,,, it's fixed now...

I need to read my workshop clip board more often!  However, it was still fun getting out and shooting today. It's 70 degrees right now! Cold and snow in the forecast this weekend of course...   

[Winter Hawk]

However, it was still fun getting out and shooting today. It's 70 degrees right now! Cold and snow in the forecast this weekend of course...

You can send some of that over here - 27^o this morning with spitting snow, and it hasn't gotten much better!

-Kees-

[Ohio Joe]

However, it was still fun getting out and shooting today. It's 70 degrees right now! Cold and snow in the forecast this weekend of course...

You can send some of that over here - 27^o this morning with spitting snow, and it hasn't gotten much better!

-Kees-

Kees, I remember those cold Ohio Winters, and boy they were something when we'd get snowed in living out on the farm (4 or 5 miles from Waynesfield), and that cold wind would blow so hard you'd have ice-sickles hang off your nose just making a trip to and from the outhouse...

Those were the good ol' days however. I remember when the wild strawberry's would be ready to pick along side the road when we were coming back from Sunday Church. We'd pick baskets full! Wouldn't dare do that today with all the toxic chemicals they spray in those ditches to keep the weeds down.  There were also plenty of walnut trees along those country roads and we'd gather walnuts also in the Fall... Yep, regular little pack (car load) of squirrels we were back then... The good ol' days!  Stay warm!

[Maven]

I've had targets like that too, Joe.  After 6 - 9 months of poor shooting, including last year's Sil. Match, I realized the medication I was taking was the culprit.  (However, I don't know what excuse I'll make this year if I do as badly as last year! )   Btw, I also found that shouldering, aiming and dry firing the [empty] rifle I intend to use in a match or woods walk several times a week for a few weeks prior to the event or range session helps immensely. 

Btw, we're still in FL, but will be home for a few days in early April before heading to Columbus, O to see our granddaughter's dance recital.  Not looking forward to the cold weather, but we'll suck it up and deal with it as we always do.  OTOH, it will be nice to be able to shoot outdoors again even if it's a bit nippy.

[Ohio Joe]

I'll bet you do just fine this year, Maven.  Heck, if they got your medication straightened out, the sky's the limit on how well you'll do. 

I also shoulder my rifle quite a bit to keep the feel, and I have to mention that to me, the wood feels a bit proud at the top of the cheek. I'm thinking about taking a bit off, but I want to test the rifle first before doing anything since I "squared up" my rear sight.

Have a safe trip and visit my friend! 

[Winter Hawk]

I am a firm believer in dry firing.  When I went to UA in Fairbanks 50+ years ago now, I hung out a lot at the rifle range.  The coach made me a believer in practicing with an empty firearm every evening.  I guess it's "muscle memory" although we didn't call it that then.  My flintlocks both have wood chips in the jaws so I can dry fire them whenever I feel like, and not wear down the hammer (a tip of the hat to Joe for pointing out that term instead of "frizzen").

Weather is nice today, but I am stuck inside.  Tomorrow I guess it will be nasty again according to Carol....

-Kees-

[Ohio Joe]

Here's a quick preview of the 2018 "April" Postal Match;

April

25 Yards Offhand - Smoothbore - (SB-75 Target) (7 Shots - Will Score The Highest 5 Shots)
50 Yards Offhand - Rifle - SB-75 Target (5 Shots)

Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us for both the Smoothbore at 25 yards & Rifle at 50 yards, Matches. Of course, we got to get through March first, but I'm looking forward to both of the April contests. It'll be a good chance to practice up with the flintlock's as I plan on shooting these two muzzle loading firearms at the July 2018 Chadron Rendezvous shootin' matches.

The Smoothbore contest ought to be interesting as we're only counting the best 5 shots out of 7 shots for official score. Not sure we've done this before but it adds something a little different in the Smoothbore Match.

So check your schedule and your calendar, and hope to see lots of April Targets. 

[Winter Hawk]

I hope I can get out to shoot the March target, but the contractor is going to be busy repairing the water damage from our bathtub overflowing (upstairs & into the living room down) and I should stay home for that.  I'll see how it works out.

-Kees-

[Uncle Russ]

I hope I can get out to shoot the March target, but the contractor is going to be busy repairing the water damage from our bathtub overflowing (upstairs & into the living room down) and I should stay home for that.  I'll see how it works out.

-Kees-

Kees, don't forget Joe is giving us a a couple of weeks leeway at the end of every month.
(At least he was, maybe I should have checked with him to see if that policy is still in effect before I said anything.)
Anywhooo, you will find Joe very understanding and easy to work with.

Sorry about that water damage!
Had a very similar thing happen to me when I lived over on the Coast, and that twern't no fun at all!
Good luck with that!

Uncle Russ...

[Ohio Joe]

I hope I can get out to shoot the March target, but the contractor is going to be busy repairing the water damage from our bathtub overflowing (upstairs & into the living room down) and I should stay home for that.  I'll see how it works out.

-Kees-

Kees, don't forget Joe is giving us a a couple of weeks leeway at the end of every month.
(At least he was, maybe I should have checked with him to see if that policy is still in effect before I said anything.)
Anywhooo, you will find Joe very understanding and easy to work with.

Sorry about that water damage!
Had a very similar thing happen to me when I lived over on the Coast, and that twern't no fun at all!
Good luck with that!

Uncle Russ...

Yes, sorry to hear of the water damage, Kees.

Russ is correct, we have a two week leeway to get targets post marked. Perhaps the weather will cooperate after all? 

[Winter Hawk]

Sorry about that water damage!

Me too!   

Thank you, and Joe also, for the condolences.  The workers are hard at it right now, and it's a beautiful, sun-shiny day.  When they get done it'll probably turn into rain city! 

-Kees-

[Ohio Joe]

And I thought that kind of stuff only happened to me, Kees...  It'll get better. 

I think I solved just another little bit of the puzzle to this rifle I shot my March Monthly Match with;

As you know, I mentioned above that my rear sight had a cant in it which I corrected... Well yesterday I was sighting down the barrel and the rifle still didn't feel just quite right to me (though better then before with the rear canted sight)...

So,,, I decided to do a little "Beavertail" cheekpiece work on it out in my workshop. I took some of that cheekpiece wood down, and I must have gotten it right because now when I shoulder this rifle it feels completely right to me, and target acquisition is instant with a clean sight picture.

I'm a gonna test it this coming Friday using the same TMA 5 Bull Buffalo Target we're shooting here in March and see what it does.