Nationals at Ridgway PA - Range overview

I had the good fortune to take some time off from work and make the 8 hour drive to Ridgway from NH.  Thanks Ron for riding shotgun and otherwise adding to the fun of the adventure.  Not to mention help me get my shots onto the animals...dang 1 pig!  Showed up with chicken setting on Pig line...duh!

The Ridgway Lever Action range was in its infancy when I was there last in 2017.  It has turned into quite a range with some rather clever elements that I thought I would attempt to explain without putting folks to sleep.  

The range itself has 6 banks, 10 shooter positions.  6 banks because it is designed to support both the LAR distances of 50m, 100m, 150m and 200m as well as the PCLA/SBLA disciplines which are shot at 40m, 50m, 75m, 100m.  The three disciplines all share the same 50m and 100m rail.  I will provide details on how they accomplish this a little later.  Below you will see my crude attempt to highlight the 6 distances and the underlined distance is shared by all three disciplines.  Look closely at the 100m line and you will see both LAR pigs and PCLA/SBLA rams to illustrate the point.  The 50m PCLA/SBLA pigs are in a pile behind the chicken line bank number for those wondering where the half scale pigs are.  

As for animal spacing, in LAR they put up 5 in each bank and 10 animals in each bank for PCLA/SBLA.  100 full scale rams would be one heck of a lot of real estate.  In LAR, target setters run out between the first and second five shots to put up the 5 animals.  A nice break in the action to evaluate what went wrong and what went right on the first bank.   

To aid in proper spacing- and placement, pads have been welded onto the inverterted rail road track used for all animal banks.  Many tons of steel for sure.  To the left you can see full size pigs on the line with their half scale Ram cousins on the ground.  

Short version, this is a great range for shooting the sport!  Shooting line is covered and has a nice concrete pad for shooters to perfect their sport.  If you are ever in the area you should see if there is some form of silhouette match and go see it for yourself.  

Better yet, when the 2024 match dates come out in February, even when shooting is the very last thing on your mind, be sure to get the Ridgway dates and pencil them in.  100 shooters were at the Lever Action Nationals.  A wealth of knowledge always willing to share.

New England Silhouette Gazette Archive

 Below find links to New England Gazette emails which I send out from time to time.  Some may have deleted them, some of you may have only just been added to the North East Silhouette email list serve.  This used to be on MailChimp years ago for those veterans of New Hampshire Silhouette.  My effort is simple, share, educate, expose shooters to the game of Rifle Silhouette.  Air, high power, 22LR, any version. Great group of people, great if not vexing sport. Friends for a lifetime.  I hope you enjoy.  

Gazette #1  November 29, 2022 

Gazette #2  December 2, 2022

Gazette #3  December 12, 2022

Gazette #4  January 8, 2023

Pemi 2023 Mud Match

On a cold windy day in March we headed up to Pemi for the annual Mud Match.  By we, I mean 18 crazy shooters of which three regular Silhouette shooters were graciously allowed to come to the line and knock off the winter rust. One silhouette type even brought a vintage service rifle to help blend in with the crowd.  I failed in that regard!  Just once a year they will permit those silly lever guns.  Next year I am not sure they will be so accommodating.  But, since we are all standing on our own two feet, all willing to suffer the elements, we were allowed to burn some primers in an effort to see who could land more holes on paper with the highest values.  All "off hand" of course.    

It was cold.  More so, there was a steady wind if not vortex blowing through the covered range.  Would have been a nice breeze in July but not March.  After the first 10 shots, I had to look at my finger to confirm it was on the trigger and not some part of the lever.  

Many old guns.  Some new but more old guns than usual.  Nice.  Randy and Ev added the type of rifle being used by each competitor to help newbies learn more about the Service Rifle pursuit.  I got some good tips on how to tackle reloading for my M1.  I have not figured out how to reload 30-06 for it and my Greek supply is just about out.  Maybe when I retire!  For now, I have to stay focused on growing Silhouette and finding the next leader.  Maybe I can recruit a service rifle type???  

John stepped up to the challenge and shot his M1.  Well done!  Amazing how we have gone from a giant 30-06 down to a .223/5.56 of today.  I also learned the correct term is MSR for Modern Sporting Rifle.  Not AR.  AR stands for ArmaLite.  

I thought I would share the photo below. Shell in air, bolt open on a M1 and if you look closely, a small bit of smoke in the chamber that was protected from the wind.  Although I cringe to think of what our WWII forefathers endured, this match reminds you of the sacrifices made by others so that we can enjoy days like this.  This photo spins my imagination and appreciation for the day we all enjoyed.    

A sample target.  Dang 9 o'clock shot, edge of paper! Dumb dumb dumb!  I would much have preferred 5 pts than 0 points.  Next year!  Used my self cast 3118 Lyman bullet as used on 50 meter chickens.  Mouse load.  Target used was a SR-1 which is a scaled down version of the 200 yard target for use at 100 yards.  Aiming black is 6.35" for those who are curious.  6" circle is small at 100 yards.  Period!!  

2023 Results.  Thanks Randy and Ev for putting on the match!

A chapter from my Smallbore Levergun journey

The above gun is one of the most homely, price point pieces of steel ever produced.  One of those guns that languishes in the used gun rack for months if not years.  An ugly duckling so to speak.  I would expect that none of you could name the manufacturer.  Bold statement because there are some pretty experienced and old shooters that could have received one as their first gun back in the '40-'50’s.  The picture came from Gun Broker.  The auction had a zero start and has been bid up to the astronomical amount of $77.  So why in the world am I talking about this rifle you ask?  Because I inherited one!

Going back to my Texas days, I flew BOS to DFW with a single gun case stuffed with two rifles, a Winchester model 74 and a Winchester model 52B.  Two rifles my Dad had in his youth.  The 52B I learned was a keeper and deserves its own write up.  But the lowly model 74 seemed to be an accident.  Absolutely no knowledge of it and it never came out for me to use as a kid.  Living outside of Boston, I had to live with my Crossman 760 which I still have.    

Fast forward to 2003.  I had been playing at Silhouette starting in 2000 and was hooked.  Bought my first NRA Scorebook in 2001.  The Texas gang was always looking for new frontiers to conquer.  I would learn Smallbore Cowboy was a recently added discipline.  After starting off shooting 1/2 scale animals with a scoped 22LR, now they started to work at shooting 1/2 scale animals with iron sights.  How could that be possible?  Madness I thought.  All of a sudden there was a new game and and it was all the rage.  1/2 scale animals but with a lever gun and iron sights.  One day as I was asking more stupid questions, a veteran asked me to list all the guns in my safe.  It was a short list.  He quickly pointed out the Model 74 was within the rules and was a “legal” gun.  Tube fed, no bolt action.  Excited, I busted out the Model 74 and brought it to the next “Smallbore Lever Action Rifle" match.

The yellow scores above were all shot in Texas with my homely Winchester Model 74!  A Grand Slam is when you shoot and hit all 10 animals in a row.  When you complete this for all 4 animals, you get a numbered pin and a bragging rights.  Yup, 10 in a row with a simple post and buckhorn sight.  Took me a few attempts to find the right sight picture for Turkeys but I figured it out and actually shot 14 that day.  I was too green to realize the accomplishment.  Now, 20 years later, I wonder if I should bring her out and see if it was young eyes or sheer luck.  

There you have it.  A sub $100 rifle shooting Winchester Dynapoints earned me three quarters of my NRA Grand Slam.  I convinced myself I needed a 39A like everyone else to get Rams. Read this link to learn more about that effort.   Later I had some feeding issues but it was a known issue. This youtube video fixed that. 

Moral of the story?  Don’t get hung up as I did on needing special equipment.  Sure, it would be nice to have a Rolex to tell time.  But a $20 Casio G-Shock will tell better time.  If you think you can shoot, bring what you own to a match, you might just find the bug bites. 

As always, send me an email if you want to learn more about local silhouette competition or just to get your name added to North East Silhouette Gazette newsletter which covers silhouette related activity at all clubs. 

2022-2023 10 Meter Air match #01 and #02 notes

 As seen in my inventory of scores, the last time I played at 10m air was 10 years ago.  Where did all the time go?  I refuse to admit age in a factor in shooting.  I think it means you just have to work smarter to get the desired results.  I need to make time to improve.  This personal shooting diary is to force me to train.  This year getting to 500 will be a fight.  No jacket, no glove to make it as similar to Silhouette as possible.  

Match #01. Must extinguish the "get it over" shot release.  Match was a last minute, spontaneous jump on the air bus.  Shake down cruise to make sure I had all the right equipment.  I went without spotting aid.  I read my prior match notes and saw my score improved when I skipped confirming where the shot impact went.  Less gear to bring.  I rushed the trigger.  Wanting to "get it over".  Relearning the trigger took time.  I started.

Match #02.  Goal was ZERO pellets touching white.  Better scores don't happen with more 10s but fewer low value scores.  480 is 60 8s.  5s just cannot happen.  That was my goal.  I had 3 pellets touch white which gave up (3x6) 18 points.  Practice is to shoot at used targets and see how many pellets I can launch without hitting the white.  Quality shots.  Physical conditioning.  Just holding the gun on target for a period of time is going to be my focus.  

2022-23 Season score log

#01 419 (72 67 72 68 69 71)  H&N pellets.  15 minutes per 20 shots.  I was rushing.
#02 448 (78 76 73 76 77 68)  H&N pellets.  3 snow birds (hole touching white) and 3 5s.

2012-13 Season score log

#01 501 (81 81 84 85 82 88)
#02 515 (87 88 89 83 85 83) 11 7s or lower, 15 10x. previous practice 1x (3.6)
#03 485 (82 82 80 77 86 78) 19 7s or lower, 7 10x. Daisy pellets, reduced barrel weight.(3.6)
#04 494 (88 74 87 88 76 81) 14 7s or lower, 11 10x. JSB SCHaK pellets. First Tuesday night.(3.6)
#05 522 (89 88 90 88 82 88) 7 7s nothing lower, 11 10x. Many high value 9s! H&N + SCHaK (3.2)
#06 492 (75 85 76 84 86 86) 14 7s or lower, 6 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#07 520 (88 84 90 86 87 85) 8 7s, 12 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#08 490 (75 85 76 84 86 84) not worth noting. SCHaK (3.8)  Guest shooter.
#09 516 (91 87 86 82 86 84) 11 7s, 13 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Must stamp out 7s!
#10 513 (88 85 89 85 86 80) 9 7s or worse, 9 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Stock shorter
#11 518 (83 92 83 87 85 87) 8 7s, 1 6, 12 10x. H&N (3.8)

2011-12 Season score log

#1 515 (87 83 87 88 90 80)
#2 510 (85 89 85 86 82 83)
#3 532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) (season high, 94/100 tied best ever 10 shots)
#4 530 (87 90 90 93 89 81)
#5 524 (86 84 88 91 85 90)
#6 517 (88 85 88 87 90 79)
#7 524 (82 91 88 91 84 88)


Personal Top three 600 scores. Goal, 540.

539 (93 90 90 85 87 94). 11x 7 or lower, 22 10x. 11/??/08
532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) 3/??/12
530 (87 90 90 93 89 81) 3/??/12

2023 goal and load development to help me get there.

2017 NRA Scorebook

I have made it a goal to earn my PCLA (Pistol Cartridge Lever Action) Grand Slam Pin in 2023 to complete the Lever Gun Trifecta.  Why not join me in the pursuit?  I posted many moons ago about my 2,878 day pursuit of my Small bore Lever Gun quest.  Memphis was in the middle.  Getting my 39A back from Ernie who kept it safe in Texas took some time.  But once I got the gun, found a vintage all steel 66MC Lyman site, it was still an undertaking to get 10 rams.  With PCLA, I have far fewer animals in the bag and eyes now 20 years older than when I first started the game, time will tell. 

I encourage you to find those old Score Books and pick one block to complete.  Above right is where my 2017 book stands.  Little changed from 2011 book but four boxes did get updated over 6 years.  And then we have those pesky 1/5th scale turkeys!  And maybe Air too given the primer shortage.    

To prepare, you need to have a PCLA gun.  In truth, a 22LR will get all the animals except for Rams if you are in a primer pinch.  10 chickens will fall with a 22LR just as easily as with a center fire cartridge.  Pigs, might be slow but good solid hits, they will fall.  Turkeys spin of like chickens.  Rams can give you the stink eye unless you can aim at their butt or horn.  If all you have is Rams, time to bring out the big gun if you can.  

I have two PCLA guns, 44 Rem Mag and a new to me 32-20.  Love, hate relationship with them.  Moments of brilliance and moments of disbelief.  As one mentor  says, blame the shooter not the gun.  Likely the case.  John B. helped me conquer my fear of crushing 32-20 cases.  Found what looked like a decent load with a Laser Cast bullet.  Quarter size group at 60 yards.  Went to Pemi, fired it over the Chronograph and got the below results.  These results have me a 8" vertical string at 50y.  I guess this is why we enjoy the game???

In final review, I had not torqued the rear tang peep sight.  Would that make for these results?  Not sure.  Only one way to find out.  Another trip to the range.  Or just use the 44 and move on.  The plan had been to take 5 offhand shots with each gun and see which one I shot better.  With the 32-20 pattern, I decided there was no reason to attempt an offhand exercise until I figured out what was going on.  

8 Green 32-20, 8 Red 44 50y

Image on right a bit confusing if you were not there.  The small  green holes are from eight (8) 32-20 shots taken off a bench with iron sights at 50 yards.  I expected a nice tight group and was taking these shots for chronograph readings.  The prior weekend I had a tight group with these handloads.  I was expecting the same so I fired all 8 before inspecting the target.  No such luck.  I then un-bagged my 44 Rem Mag and took 4 shots for chronograph readings.  I inspected the group with my spotting scope and decided to adjust the sights for the second group of 4.  In short, 32-20 paper impacts used a single sight setting but 8" group.  44 paper impacts used two sight settings, but much better groups.  

10 meter rifle miscellanea

 After my first 10 meter match, with just 15 minutes for 20 shots, I went back to see if I can find any good coaching videos.  In truth, natural point of aim, bone on bone.  Don't take shots that are not centered.  I know what I need to do.  Basics.  Practice and make the basics happen every time.  Easy!

First.  As info.  CMP sells some Daisy 10m rifles.  Don't laugh.  They have Walther barrels.  I gave mine away in Wisconsin.  Decisions were made.  Went to a family with boys and started getting use.  Win!   To see how they stack up to an Anschutz, check out this old post.  Exactly!  The main issue is the trigger.  My pellet/rifle comparison test was from a bench and scoped.  I could man handle the trigger/gun to ensure I broke on the dot.  There are CMP instruction on how to modify the Daisy trigger.

Pellets.  As I watched an insomnia video of the the Grand Prix 10m rifle match earlier this year,  I saw Eley on the side of a rifle.  Odd.  Then I saw an Eley box which was the same shape and size of a 22LR box.  Odd again.  Curiosity got the better of me so I Googled it.  Sure as heck, Eley now makes pellets!  And it three different diameters.  Cool stuff.  Good marketing.  Any shooter will have to buy all three for testing! 4.49mm, 4.50mm and 4.51mm.  

For those who read this far.  

My scores from Wednesday match #01 in 2022.  A tad embarrassing given the prior results.  I have NEVER shot such a low score.  I blame the short time frame.  It can't be me!  Never!! 540 seems a long way off .

2022-23 Season score log

#01 419 (72 67 72 68 69 71).  SCHaK pellets.  15 minutes per 20 shots.  I was rushing.

2012-13 Season score log

#01 501 (81 81 84 85 82 88)
#02 515 (87 88 89 83 85 83) 11 7s or lower, 15 10x. previous practice 1x (3.6)
#03 485 (82 82 80 77 86 78) 19 7s or lower, 7 10x. Daisy pellets, reduced barrel weight.(3.6)
#04 494 (88 74 87 88 76 81) 14 7s or lower, 11 10x. JSB SCHaK pellets. First Tuesday night.(3.6)
#05 522 (89 88 90 88 82 88) 7 7s nothing lower, 11 10x. Many high value 9s! H&N + SCHaK (3.2)
#06 492 (75 85 76 84 86 86) 14 7s or lower, 6 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#07 520 (88 84 90 86 87 85) 8 7s, 12 10x. SCHaK (3.8)
#08 490 (75 85 76 84 86 84) not worth noting. SCHaK (3.8)  Guest shooter.
#09 516 (91 87 86 82 86 84) 11 7s, 13 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Must stamp out 7s!
#10 513 (88 85 89 85 86 80) 9 7s or worse, 9 10x. SCHaK (3.8)  Stock shorter
#11 518 (83 92 83 87 85 87) 8 7s, 1 6, 12 10x. H&N (3.8)

2011-12 Season score log

#1 515 (87 83 87 88 90 80)
#2 510 (85 89 85 86 82 83)
#3 532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) (season high, 94/100 tied best ever 10 shots)
#4 530 (87 90 90 93 89 81)
#5 524 (86 84 88 91 85 90)
#6 517 (88 85 88 87 90 79)
#7 524 (82 91 88 91 84 88)


Personal Top three 600 scores. Goal, 540.

539 (93 90 90 85 87 94). 11x 7 or lower, 22 10x. 11/??/08
532 (94 87 83 91 89 88) 3/??/12
530 (87 90 90 93 89 81) 3/??/12

Practice Time with 10 meter Air indoor!

To my surprise I located my backstop which I hang on a picture hook in the kitchen.  I found my 10m rifle but the custom scope mount is AWOL.  Special item made by Fenton Sandlin years ago with some "droop" in it to help a scoped target gun make the 45 yard shot.  Did I tell you I have my 10 in a row for Rams in Target Rifle?  I can remember it like yesterday even though my NRA Scorebook tells me it was May 7th, 2005!  Good times!  

Any who, the Anschutz 2002SSP is still functioning in 2022.  No primers.  No scuba tanks, no CO2 tanks.  Just one manual pump and shoot!  Even better, I am using up some pellets I bought for $1.50 tin at a Texas gun show.  And they shoot great!

The above two targets (10 shots each) was the first time I have shot that gun for 9 years.  Some cobwebs for sure.  Nothing should be in the white! Right target was a redo.  Maybe the third target I can keep them all in the black.  

Below is what it should look like EVERY time.  

I logged into SteelChickens for the first time in years.  Just to see what was going on.  Well, it seems like Silhouette is alive and well.  Here is a video for your viewing pleasure.  A number of you have been to Ridgeway.  I think just Mark went to Pe Ell with me.  

I went to Pe Ell for the first time in 2003 and my scorebook reports I shot a 23 and 21 in hunter and 19 and 24 in Standard.  Back then I was shooting an NS522 with a Weaver KT15 scope.  I great event.  Sadly I think my shooting has atrophied some and I might shoot those scores again with my Anschutz and Weaver 24.  Time to work on core strength!  Air will help!

Conard Cup in Pe Ell Washington

Silhouette in NH and Winter Air Postal

 A few days have passed since my last post June 18, 2018.  Mostly some career demands took me away from the sport I love.  Now it is time to rebuild the New Hampshire Silhouette program.  

Media channels.  So many options.  I started to blog to share with others my travels to other clubs and major competitions.  I enjoyed them so much I wanted other to see what was going on in Silhouette outside the state of new Hampshire.  It morphed a bit into general lessons learned which I thought others might enjoy.  

Today, in 2022, with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, I am thinking the Blogger format might not be the optimal tool.  Any and all input welcome.  

I used to use MailChimp to distribute email.  Yahoo no longer lets me attach documents.  They always limited their CC to 99 or fewer.  So MailChimp was the solution to all of that.  Now I have lost most of the emails.  And, for anyone that came on the scene post 2018 to current, I don't have their email either.  Input welcome.  

As winter approaches I am thinking about indoor Air Rifle.  Or outdoor on those days we are blessed with some warmer weather which this season has been a delight.  

I have a link to the official 10m air rifle silhouette target which we have used to have some friendly postal competitions.  This post is a start to bring this back should there be any interest.  

Postal 10m Air Rifle target.  

An old post with the 10m Postal program.

Sample results last time we ran the program.

2018 GSSCC pictures

Match Results

A big thanks to Jim Doolittle, Ron Carter,
Phil Thalheimer and
everyone else involved for their hard work in making this a great event.

Hope to see you all again next year!