These contests?? And shoots??

[IronDawg]

OK, against my better judgement (used to shooting archery competively) I'm gonna ask.

What are these shoots you guys go to?? what do you shoot at?? how is it scored?? whats the average range?? And how do you find out where they are??

I'm.......... I'm just gonna go ......... go watch. yea I just wanna go watch. Sooooooo. tell me what they're like and what calibers most peoples use at em. Is it shoot watcha brang or specific rules and clases??

[BEAVERMAN]

It all depends on how the shoot is set up, now most Rondys here in the west have a combination aggregate  of 15 to 20 shots , total score of 3 diff events, Rifle, Pistol, and Knife and Hawk, some rondys have a 4th event Primitive Archery that you can choose instead of K&H,these events are usually shot at gongs out to 100 yards generally, with some places having targets out to 300, then usually 1 shot on paper for both rifle and pistol for a tie breaker, throw in some novelty targets along the way like playing cards to cut on their sides, taters, olives, lollipops, whatever some sadistic mind can come up with! ( my favorite is each shooter is given a jaw breaker when registering to suck down till it fits their bore, then that's shot at the last target of the walk usually 15 yards or less, I've also seen red licorice used)then there's  the Trade Gun Shoot, Squirrel gun, Shot Gun, Derringer, along with novelty shoots such as a candle shoot, ladies panty shoot, a strictly flint lock match, whatever is PHUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bigsmoke]

Well, like most everything else, the most common caliber is .50.  Some places have restrictions against anything over .58 or .62, as they don't want their silhouette targets mangled up.
What is shot at is pretty much at the discretion of the range officer.  Some places cannot get away from 10 ring targets.  Others have novelty paper targets.  Others have steel targets of some sort or another.  And still others have things like charcoal briquettes, spaghetti, potatoes, peanuts, ball and card splits, and whatever else they can think of.
And it depends on the shoot for whatever mechanical restrictions there might be.  Some shoots will not allow adjustable sights.  Some will not allow peep sights.  Some do not allow shaders.  Some say the rear sight has to be so far in front of the breech plug.  It just depends.
The one thing that is universal is having fun is encouraged.
WHAAAAAT???  Ladies Panty shoot?  Sounds like fun, what's that?

[Three Hawks]

Iron Dawg,

What you really should do is grab your rifle and go to a shoot.  I'll wager they'll push you right up to the line and have you shooting within minutes.   I've never seen a black powder group that didn't work it that way.  None  of 'em I've ever dealt with ever met a stranger.

About the only hard and fast rules have to do with safety, other than that the rules are to help level out the playing field.

Three Hawks

[biliff]

I assume you're talking about the trailwalks put on at most Rendesvous.

The primary rules are pre 1840 style rifle with open iron sights firing a patched round ball, but I've seen later style CW rifles used at some of them as well. Depends on how liberal the sponsoring club is. Since the main event usually involves some knockdown targets and/or longer range shots most people use 40 caliber on up. Targets can be gongs, chains, springs, steel cutouts in various shapes, cutting playing cards, cutting strings, driving tacks, moving targets, knockdown targets,etc. etc. etc. Range to targets can be anywhere from 10 to 150+++ yards. Sometimes there's something extra like throwing a hawk or knife.

Each shooter usually gets a scorecard and shoots the course with at least one other person so you can help each other score. Most places don't require you to shoot in period costume but give you an extra point on your score card if you do.

There are usually "sub" events for pistol, trade gun and squirrel rifle with the trails tailored for each weapon type.

Finding your first rondy is a matter of asking around locally (or online) until you make contact. Once you find one you can usually get into the loop and get more info on others.

They're fun to do. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

[/quote]

[Riley/MN]

tell us where you are, Irondawg, and I bet we can find you a shoot...

[IronDawg]

I'm in north Gawgia. foothills of the chatahoochie mts. And yea thats the reason for me askin. See I managed my way in to a certain rifle a rifle many guys around here that do these things know about. Know I am aquantances with alot of these guys but really only know one of them well. The thing is ever since I got that rifle I get called on occasssions and asked to show up here or show up there.

When I ask why they say it's because I have the finest shooting flinter in the southeastern U.S. I tell them the shooter has to have something to do with that. Their response is yea what ever, if you can't make it tell us and well have someone come by and get yer gun.

I'm going to be honest with you. I started in black powder with a (word not allowed) rifle and honestly even though very intrested in sidelocks and flinters?? I sort of got scoffed at by those that shot them. Up until I finally managed to get one. Then and ONLY then would they respond to my million questions and treat me like I was a person.  The issue was I only had one type reference and the second it was mentioned it was like they turned and walked away. Almost made me not want to be around them. two fellas welcomed me hard in to the fold and worked and encouraged me to get one and try it. One local, and one online (thanks cap).

See thats half of it. What I've personally saw makes me wonder how a stranger gets accepted. And I'd like to know what I am getting in to or what to expect. But then theres this.....

I've been told by a person I trust very much that people you meet and become friends with a traditional muzzle loading shoots usually turn out to be friends for life. I dunno if I'll ever "shoot" shoot. But I do believe I may try and find one to go show up at and look and learn. I sure like lookin at them guns.

Suck a jawbreaker down huh?? That sounds ta me like the day ya wanna be shootin a 54 instead of a 32!!

[Wyoming Mike]

Shoots come in all flavors.  In primitive shoots you can shoot at various targets at different ranges.  The targets can be gongs, spinners, feathers, splitting the ball on an ax blade or anything else the people putting on the shoot have in mind.  Some require a pistol to shoot one of the targets and some don't.

There are also more formal target shoots where you shoot at paper targets for score at various ranges.  These can include pistol, rifle, smoothbore, big bore and squirrel gun targets.  Many times novelty paper targets are thrown the mix.  In Wyoming we have the Winter Challenge which is 10 paper targets shot at 25 to 200 yards.  There is as many variations here as there are in primitive matches.

Some clubs put on bench rest matches and some put on silhouette matches.  

As for rifles, 50 caliber is a good caliber for most shooting.  It has enough power to clang a gong well and does well with paper events carrying well at 100 yards and shooting flat enough at 25 and 50 yards.

Just go out and get into some matches.  Even if you don't win, it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[rickevans]

I am waiting for information on the "Ladies Panty" shoot.........

[Kermit]

C'mon, Beav, YOU brought it up!

[woodman]

I've been told by a person I trust very much that people you meet and become friends with a traditional muzzle loading shoots usually turn out to be friends for life.

 That is probably one of the truest statements that I have read on this or any other board.
   After a while of doing this sport or hobby whatever you want to call it. My rendezvous friends are closer than family and the ones that I know that when the chips are down ,they are there and ready to help how ever they can.
   As my friend Preacher puts it " I'd take a bullet for you then ask myself.Why in the Heck did I do that fer".....
Woodman

[BEAVERMAN]

I've been told by a person I trust very much that people you meet and become friends with a traditional muzzle loading shoots usually turn out to be friends for life.

 That is probably one of the truest statements that I have read on this or any other board.
   After a while of doing this sport or hobby whatever you want to call it. My rendezvous friends are closer than family and the ones that I know that when the chips are down ,they are there and ready to help how ever they can.
   As my friend Preacher puts it " I'd take a bullet for you then ask myself.Why in the Heck did I do that fer".....
Woodman

These statements are very true, most of my closest friends are front stuffers!



OK, OK, Ladies panty shoot, the ladies show up to the shoot with their rifles or pistol, whatever they want to shoot, target distance is 20 to 25 yards,  the target holder is a stretched clothes line and spring style clothes pins, when the ladies are there, they have to remove their panties and hang them on the line, then shoot them off the line by shooting the clothes pins and not cutting the clothesline with the shot, cut the line, your disqualified, now that being said................. I've seen this a 2 dif rondys, PLR rondy in Sequim, and ours, most of the ladies that shoot have been rondying for some time and are pretty sharp cookies not to mention some of the better shooters we have out this way including our own Many Voices! they'll show up with the ol mans boxers over their own and under the skirts to shoot off the line! but it's still a hoot to be a spectator at, kinda like the chicken shoot Paul Bunyan puts on, or the Blood Shoot

[IronDawg]

Now see?? see?? That sounds like something worth attending. wehere folks are more intrested in "hey can ya hit that?" and "I dunno but Im gonna have a blast trying" Than what did you score?? what did you score?? what did you score?? who won??

If you can PULL competition out of things like that. You can still challenge and display your skills and not turn it in to a whos better thing.

Thats why I don't shoot archery tournaments anylonger. Got tired of all the back biting and anything to win attitudes.

What you guys are describing sounds like fun. And I'd be curious enough to cock a hammer at that "cut a playing card in half" thing.

[BEAVERMAN]

Dawg you still have that 10 to 15% of those type people at any competition whether it be shooting or sports or tiddlywinks! Must of us guys that have been rondying for awhile don't really give a crap anymore, we may have our friendly bets between buds for bragging rights within our core group, or bet for who buys next rondys bottle or?? I go to shoot to hang out with my buds and have a dam good time, if I don't shoot sometimes at a rondy, no big deal I can have fun anyway, if I do shoot and have the horseshoe imbeeded deep in my butt that day and do well, cool, heck anymore I really dont care to pick from a prize blanket, been there got that and dont need it, or I send the misses up, or if theres somebody new to rondying and needs some stuff, I've seen alot of old timers,including many of our TMA members send them up when the ol timers name is called for the new guy to get what he needs, just go, have fun and to hell with scoring!

[IronDawg]

That reminds me beav. I think you and me are needing to do some trading. I'm gettin really tired of reaching and grabbing that leather thong and pulling out my capper when I needed my pan primer or vice versa. Shootin multiple rifles out of one single possibles bag is getting old.