July 2017 Mike Fink Shoot Is Now Open - Signup Here

[Winter Hawk]

Joe, Uncle Russ, thank you both for the kind words. 

Carol is doing very well, saw the doctor on Monday for a post-op and the doc is very pleased with how she is healing.  She just isn't supposed to lift anything over ten pounds and needs to spend as much time as possible in bed.  Running down and up the stairs more than two times per day is also on the verboden list for now.

It's a good thing that I have a handle on putting together chow for us, even if it may be some strange combinations! 

I should be able to put five rounds into that guy's face by the end of the month.  Hope he doesn't spill the whiskey on the way down!

~WH~

[Ohio Joe]

WH, I'm happy to hear your wife is doing better, and I apologize for not getting this posted earlier.

I expect she'll love the vittles you prepare. Can't think of a better remedy then camp food. You guys take care! 

[Winter Hawk]

We are swamped with zucchini and I've been cutting it small, throwing it in olive oil in the hot frying pan with seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder and stir frying it. Once it's done I add an egg and stir it all around until the egg is done, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over all.  She really likes that, and it's quick & easy.

Tried cooking the zucchini in tomato sauce I made last year (got to use that up so I have jars for this year!) and that was a flop.  She wants it cooked the other way!     Good thing she likes PBJs, because that is lunch most days....

~WH~

[Uncle Russ]

WH..........My dear old Grandmother informed me at a very early age that Chicken Soup was good for the Soul, and PBJ would for certain make ones bones stronger.
So far, according to Grandma, you're doing pretty good.

However, she also assured me that a change in diet, and a fairly often change at that, was one of the best things you could do to make a person smile.

Keep yer spouse smiling, it's best fer the both of you, according to Grandma, and Grandma was never wrong.....

Uncle Russ...

[dmarsh]

Winter Hawk,  just got back from the wilds of Vermont with no Internet or cell access.  First time on the site in a couple of weeks.  Sorry to hear about your your wife but I see she is on the mend which is great.  I have not shot my target as yet and left my packet up in Vermont so will have to print one off.  Will be getting it  done next week.  Again glad you wife is doing well.  Best of luck.

Dave

[Winter Hawk]

Thank you , Dave.  I will also try to spill the whiskey without spilling old Mike next week.

~WH~

[Winter Hawk]

Went out today and shot my target....

I sure hope Dave can get five "tens" and rescue our team, 'cause my hits were a tad high.  Now I'm not taking the blame exactly; I think that feller under the tin cup bobbed his head down whenever he saw my finger tighten on the trigger!    And that's a fact!

Notice that one was so high it just barely grazed the paper.  This after I shot five rounds at another target and all the shots hit an inch or so low, except for one which actually hit my piece of black tape.  After four shots at old Mike (or his partner, I'm not sure who's cup we're shooting at) I lost count and walked over to check the target.  That's when I realized I needed to hold low and which accounts for my one "ten".  So it looks like we have 20 points to now.  Go Dave! 

~WH~

P.s. The target is in the mail, Joe!

[dmarsh]

I shot mine yesterday as well.  I hate to disappoint you but I sure didn't get 5 tens.    I did get 2 tens, 2 sixes and a 4 for a 32 I believe pending Joe's review.  I think Mike was weaving and bobbing on me as well.  I shot a warm up target with a nice big orange bulls eye in the middle and hit the orange all 5 times.  Then I put Mike up and my group opened right up.  Maybe a bit nervous as I didn't want to kill the poor guy.  So I think we are at 52.  We will have to see what the others do.  Here's to you partner.

Dave

[Winter Hawk]

Yes, he's a sneaky fellow, that Fink character!  But hey, it's been fun, we need to do that again some time! 

~Kees~

[RobD]

finally got to the range yesterday and used the .36 skwerl flinter on the mike fink. 

this is about as good (make that, "lucky!") as it's gonna get for me offhand, and i'll take it!

[greyhunter]

Shot my Mike Fink target, in the post tomorrow.  All I can say is I didn't kill him and all but one I believe scored. Don't know 'bout my partner, but I hope he fairs better than I.

[Ohio Joe]

Well here we are, August 1st. I will post Mike Fink Results at the end of this month since the Post Mark Date deadline on returned targets is August 15th... There's actually a little window here for anyone needing to get their Mike Fink Target shot, and still get it in the mail. 

[Uncle Russ]

Rob, you're going to be downright proud to have me as your partner today!

One of the better Mike Fink targets I have ever shot!

I stayed inside the cup, and I didn't hit Ol' Mike.......it don't get no mo beta than that!!!
I dearly love that L&R Rpl Lock!

A lot of folks will tell you that the lock is no more than just a part of the gun, and it's all in the barrel.

I suspect I may have said those very same words a time or two myself, but after my shooting today, which was the first 'serious' shooting I've done since installing that new lock, I will have to say I prefer Ketchup and Tartar Sauce on my Crow, when I have to eat it!

Just wait until you see my "Smoothbore" target!
(Both barrels are on the same platform with the L&R Lock, in fact, that's a 4 barrel set-up... full length bedding, with 13" "kick bar" to strengthen the platform and replacing the old trigger and trigger guard....I think it's kinda neat!)



Here is the "Kick Bar"...it's my own design and made to strengthen that well recognized "weak spot" on the Renegade wrist. Besides that it does away with that whirly / swirly trigger guard that T/C used on everything.
 

Here is the L&R Lock with the .56 Smoothie barrel....
The lock is still in the 'raw' as I have not blued it yet, and you can still see the marks from the magic marker on the mortice...I've been tinkering with the bedding, ie the CY you sent me, and then Acra-glass...you don't have a lot of working room once you fit the L & R Lock, and I darn sure don't want to have to go back and re-do something later on down the road....I think we all feel about the same way when we are involved in a project, ie, get it right the first time, still yet  this has been an ongoing project for well over a year now, while I just haven't had the opportunity to get out and check it out well enough.
I was very pleased with todays results!

[Ohio Joe]

Russ, I have an L&R John Bailes Cap & Flintlock Lock (Locks) I switch out on occasions with one of my rifles, and I have to say these two locks have the smoothest release I've ever experienced with any lock. I've been tinkering with the idea of changing out my "stock" GPR flintlock with an L&R, and one of these times I might just do that.

Nice shooting my friend! 

[Uncle Russ]

Joe, as I have often said in the past, a lock is a lock, and a necessary part of the rifle...it's all in the barrel.

Today I found out differently!

If you have a really good barrel, the best way to the most out of that barrel is to pair it with a good lock.

I have owned several different good locks, and good barrels over time, that were matched up by someone else.
Today happened by accident, in a sense.

I have a very old T/C Renegade that has been a 'work in progress' for no less that 15 plus years, probably closer to 25..
As a stock, out of the box, smooth rifle, it was always exceptional, as far as I'm concerned.
I have never shot groups with that rifle that I could say that was just plain bad....like some other smoothbores I have owned, and even own today.

Plus, I've never shot 'groups' with any of the other smooth bores that would even come close.
From day-one, I found it very forgiving.
It would shoot just about anything I could get down the barrel, and do a pretty good job of doing so.

As the years went by, it was one thing then another trying to use the Renegade platform to get a good shooting rifle, mostly because I've always liked the English Sporting Rifle, and I wanted the Renegade to look as much like one as possible.

The last thing I installed was the L&R lock.
It had never been fully tested until today, and I have to say I was very happy with what I found.

In my entire shooting life, I have never given a lot of thought to 'lock time' on any muzzleloader I have ever owned, and I have owned a bunch.
But after today.......what can I say?  Some of the most consistent shots I have ever fired in my entire life, once I figured out where the shot was breaking....

Life is good, once again!!

Uncle Russ...