Are you up to a Revolutionary sized personal challenge?

[The Miner '49er]

I really like Rev War history which dovetails with shooting BP guns. Last year, a long-distance rifle match was part of our postal shoot. It was fun, a challenge (an 8 1/2" x 11" target at 100 yards), but on a good day, a doable one. Now imagine shooting at a 7"x10" target at 250 yards, one cold bore shot, standing. That was Capt. Daniel Morgan's make it or not test to qualify to be one of his famed Sharpshooters who used those newfangled long guns with rifling! Scaled down for 100 yards that shingle measures 2 7/8"x4" see it below. I'm personally challenging myself by making my fouling shot, prior to shooting Nessmuk's monthly postal match, by shooting at one of these scaled targets at 100 yards. If I ever do it, you will probably never know about it due to the massive coronary I'll probably suffer. Seriously, try it if you dare and be sure to post your target and brag to high heaven. If you do  [ Invalid Attachment ] it, drinks are on me --Sam Adams Boston lager-- of course! ONE SHOT, COLD BORE, STANDING, 100 YARDS, 2 7/8"x4" TARGET. Good luck!!!

[Winter Hawk]

May I wait until the weather warms up? 

~Kees~

[The Miner '49er]

Of course you can, WH! And I bet while you're waiting that target will begin calling to you like it's doing to me. I keep hearing "do you feel lucky, soldier, well do you?" I went to the library today and made 8 copies, one for the next time I hit the range and the rest for this year's postals. I plan to use my standard 25 yard  load of 50 grains of 3F with a .490 ball and I'm thinking that will require about 9" of holdover at 100. Thanks for deciding to give it a whirl. I hope more guys do the same.

[Nessmuk]

Well, the cold bore caveat scares me but challenge accepted!! My first shot at every practice session, club match and Postal match will be at that little postage stamp target.

[The Miner '49er]

Way to go, Nessmuk, that makes 3 of us! Any more guys want to try for a spot in Morgan's latter day company of old timer irregulars like me? Remember, along with the fame comes some Sam Adams lager. Can't wait for April fools day to start your postals.

[Ohio Joe]

I'll give it a try with the ol' .45 caliber flintlock. Probably won't get to it until April sometime. 

[The Miner '49er]

OK, Joe! That makes 4, and there's plenty more room in the boat. Who else wants in?

[No Powder]

Can I tape my binoculars to my barrel before shooting my target? By the way, walking 600 miles and taking part in a battle does not seem like a very nice prize for accomplishing this amazing feat.

[The Miner '49er]

Sure . . . just duct tape the ramrod first!   

[Ohio Joe]

Can I tape my binoculars to my barrel before shooting my target? By the way, walking 600 miles and taking part in a battle does not seem like a very nice prize for accomplishing this amazing feat.

walking 600 miles and taking part in a battle

That's a good point for sure. On the bright side however (but it didn't always work out for the Riflemen as IMHO I don't believe some Officer's of the Line) quite understood how to deploy them... However, when the Riflemen were used as intended - we know they were very effective, and feared.   

[No Powder]

Don, as long I'm at the range, I might as well throw my fouling shot somewhere in the general vicinity of one of those 100 yd. targets. By the way, do you think any of those Morgan team members couldn't have hit a bull in the butt with a banjo but just got lucky and lobbed one into that shingle? Well there's two things for certain, I ain't got no banjo and I
 ain't planning on getting that close to a bull.

[KDubs]

What's a library , they still exist ??
 I'll play .
 I'm stocked up for a season of sulfur burnin' .
 Kevin

[Ohio Joe]

I think it's doable / and as No Powder has mentioned, there very well may have been some luck involved with some shooters. If you think about it; the 9 Ring on a (NRA TQ-4 100 Yard Target) is 4 inches (and that's hit 'able offhand at 100 Yards), so one's windage is the key to staying inside that 2-7/8" width... At my age I'll be happy if I hit anywhere on the 8.5" x 11" paper that has the 2-7/8" x 4" target on... 

I do wonder from an historical view / if the shooters taking part in trying out for Morgan's Rifle Corp - if they were allowed some shot to get their "Range" - as many of these fellers were woodsmen - and hunted in the woods - so their odds of taking 200 yard shots in the woods (back then) seem pretty slim to me when they were out hunting... I really can't see where they could simply walk up to the firing line and hit a 5x7 inch shingle - without first having taken some practice shots... Just my opinion.

[The Miner '49er]

Glad to see No Powder and KDubs join in. Right now that makes a "six-pack" of shooters. Anyone else thirsty for fame and beer? Good point about the windage, Joe.

[No Powder]

That's sure is a good point Joe. I also like to shoot a fouling shot before shooting any competition targets. And I would think with all the bear grease in their barrels ,they surely would do something similar. I've found that the P.O.I. is a little different than the next shot out of a fouled barrel.