Are you up to a Revolutionary sized personal challenge?

[The Miner '49er]

No, Winter Hawk, there is no limit to how often you or anyone else attempts it. The only requirements are: offhand, and just one cold bore shot, at the scaled 100 yard target.  I know I will be making my attempt each month of the postal matches, so that's why I said "next month." If I decide to shoot Clementine more often then I will have a few more opportunities. Good luck to all.

[Winter Hawk]

PHEW, thank you.  I was getting worried there....

~Kees~

[Nessmuk]

ARRRGH!!!!! I'm getting tired of reporting missed attempts at the Capt. Morgan challenge, at least this time I hit paper.

A quick question for the Miner 49er, how long does it take for a barrel to become "Cold Bore"?

If I go to practice and try the Challenge with my .45, miss, naturally. Practice for an hour or so with my .40 (not at the Challenge target or distance).
Then before I leave can I pick up the now cold .45 and try one more time at the Challenge?

[The Miner '49er]

Oh, Nessmuk, that's a tough nut to crack. Since this is a personal challenge, it's up to each person to do it as he or she sees fit. As for me, "cold bore" means no patched ball has been shot from it, but I'm not laying down "the law." I have only tried once. I walked down posted the target, walked back, loaded old Clementine and gave it a go, then I muttered something under my breath. For me that meant no more trys that day from that rifle as the bore was now fouled. Great question, let's see what other guys think.

[Winter Hawk]

I have to report abject failure today; an inch or so below and another inch to the right of the bottom right corner of the paper.  At least my target will be available for my next try.

As to "cold Bore", I take it to mean that the shooter hasn't taken any shots prior to his qualifying one.  I see it as a test that, if Morgan's man has been slipping around in the woods scouting and sees, say a redcoat officer at long range, he has the ability to take the shot with confidence that he will take out the enemy.  So by my interpretation of the rules even if the rifle has cooled off totally, the shooter has been able to practice if he shoots something else between his attempts at the shingle.  Consider that back in Morgan's time the applicant probably only had one gun, so he didn't have the luxury of having warmed up with another one.

~Kees~

[Hank in WV]

I may be wrong (it's happened), but I took the rules to mean an unfouled bore.

[Nessmuk]

I think Kees nailed it. First shot of the day is the one that counts. Just like the scenario Kees laid out. Once you take that first shot, successful or not, the redcoats know exactly where you are.

[Ohio Joe]

I expect most don't have a dedicated 100 yard zeroed rifle with our fixed sight muzzle loading rifle, so this very well could be a two "Range" trip challenge (or better). First trip to get that 100 yard zero (or at least to figure out where you're marking and need to aim at 100 yards (which would be the time to clean the bore between shots) - then the day(s) after that trying the challenge... But, one never knows - you might get lucky on your first trip out. It can happen if 'n you know your rifle inside and out for your hold. After all, it's just another 100 yard target you have to hit in a shooting challenge. And a good one at that!!!

Side Note; We have over a foot of snow out here where I live (from this last storm that has went through over the last couple of days - so I won't be getting to the Range anytime soon... (or at least not until towards the end of the month) - we have drifts up to; 2 to 3 feet in a lot of areas. I'm just lucky I can get out of my alley...)   

[No Powder]

Joe, have you been paying your taxes?

[Ohio Joe]

Joe, have you been paying your taxes?

They're not suppose to be using our local tax dollars for buying snow... 

[Nessmuk]

My problem is you have to have a nearly calm day to zero-in. In Oklahoma a nearly calm day when the wind is under 15mph and those are rare as snow in KEY WEST.

 

[Ohio Joe]

I believe it Nessmuk! That's not a whole lot 'a difference here at our local Range when that wind sweeps down off the grasslands to my North and sweeps along the edge of these buttes and across our local Range. That's why I like to get as close as I can to our "Range Berm Dividers" and even then I think this wind simply likes to sweep down into these protected places just to show us it can!   

But somehow (like yourself) we make it work! 

[No Powder]

I think I missed two good days to shoot by not going to the range on Monday or Tuesday . Those  days would have been good for shingle shooting. But on the other hand , the range is about 11 miles away and the weather could have been completely different there. Now a cold front is moving in and the wind is picking up. That cutting the grass target looks like a real challenge to me, but I'm hoping I can shoot it next week and take another poke at that shingle.

[Ohio Joe]

We have "4 to 5 foot plus" snow drifts all over the place here. The city did plow out my alley this morning (which had some big snow drifts in). It's going to be a' while before I get to the Range now... I expect our lane to our Range entrance gate is probably drifted in as well. I'm not even going to guess what it looks like inside our Range confines... But, this is NW Nebraska and this isn't all that uncommon... It'll certainly green things up when it melts!

And yes, I'll complain how danged hot it is in July and August!!! 

[Winter Hawk]

Next time I'm up your way, Joe, I'll drop off my snow blower which hasn't been used in 4 years.  I just went through it last fall, changing oil, replacing the air filter, new belt and the scraper bar.  It should cut through those 4' drifts in no time!   

~Kees~