for the first Rondy shoot if the season...

Saturday, March 2, The Hells Canyon Muzzeloaders are having their annual Memorial Shoot down on the Snake River. I have attended for the past several years and it is a great 'get out of winter and shoot' opener.

The shoot is along the old Snake river and under a the canyon wall. The drive from the river highway is UP to the shoot area. You park on the side of the hill and the walking range is up hill! even most of the targets are up-hill shots... Not even much level ground to stand on. But it is a ton of the fun and the people that attend are great sports. It is not so strict that that every thing has to of the 'period' but many will show up that way other will not.

Cayugad... has sort of been a mentor for me on this PRB stuff... Everytime I get off track or confused about something - I ask Dave for verification... I am certainly am not the PRB shooter, but I have three rifles that I have set aside for PRB shooting. Two older Renegade 50's and a older Renegade 54 cal. All the barrels are 1-48 twist, although every year I say I am going to get a RB twist barrel, but fail to do so...

Well since the first shoot is Saturday - thought maybe I should take my most trusted old Renegade out to the farm and see if it were still sighted in. It has a Lyman peep on it and the stop setting is sighted in for 50 dead on. From there I forgot what I do next... I thought I wrote it down once - but no findy... If I remember right if I release the elevation set and move up one line I am good to go at 100 to 125 yards. Then up 2 will get me in the ball park to 175 yards... All of this stuff I forgot cuz I just do not shoot it enough.

So the trip to the farm was necessary... but, I was snowing this morning and raining cats and dogs this afternoon. Decided to go out in the rain and try to set up in the storage shed and shoot from there out into the winter wheat field.

Got to the farm, got set up then walked a bunch of birds out into the field. That was a really muddy walk.

The hole adventure turned out very well for me... the 13 yard bird, the 25 yard bird and the 50 yard birds were dead toast. 1 shot 1 broken bird.

The 80 yard birds were a little more challenging. My sniper skills deserted me there. It took me a couple shots of hitting nothing to think about raising the Lyman on line. That seemed to solve the problem. After adjusting the sight - the first bird went away on the next shot... I was really happy about that. From there evrything work great all the out to the 100 yard bird, unless you count the one time that I forgot to put the powder down the barrel. I got the wad, the patch and the round ball down just fine but it would not go boom!!! - that is really a terrible feeling.
But, got it squared away and finished up...

Here is a picture of the afternoon run

Well sinking a dry hole is a terrible feeling. I have done it, and have the T shirt to prove it. BUT it is a problem that can be remedied. I have the same problems with open sights when I get longer distances. Not that the rifle can not do the job, its just my vision not wanting to cooperate with the rifle. Good luck at the shoot.

Getting out to shoot with other people is a great way to break out of winter doldrums. The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association (NMLRA) is currently having their winter shoot here in Phoenix. I like to take my 6 year old daughter to this event. It is good for her to see firearms out in the open and casually regarded rather than as some scary thing that must be locked-up in a safe - as they are at home.

good luck at the shoot.....great times......i feel the pressure of people waiting for me when i get a missfire lol, but it helps me anyway of getting everything right, i love my renagade 56sb, i think its a great way to find out how good a shooter you are and how too get better theres a guy who's (looks)late 70's and he's got a big custom flintlock .62 and he hits allmost everything....its great watching him shoot