Teaching My Girlfriend to Shoot Muzzleloaders

[ChrisHarris]

I met a woman (Jennifer) last year who already owned 3 guns.   We liked each other right away.   After a miserable 14yr marriage and a very emotional decision to leave and get divorced,  I didn't have a lot of hope that I'd ever meet a woman like Jennifer.

We've been shooting a lot, over the last year.   Last Saturday I took her out to shoot muzzleloaders.   She was with me a few weeks ago when I fired the left-hand flintlock CVA Hawken, but she only fired it twice, and I did the loading.
Last Saturday,  we went to the range with the sole intention of getting her used to the loading and firing process. She's HOOKED! After about 6hrs at the range she looked at me and said she was ready to put in for our deer and elk tags here in Colorado.  We both entered the draw with muzzleloader hunt codes.

We were shooting my Thompson Center Hawken with the 54 caliber Green Mountain barrel.   I walked her through the loading process a few times and then she said that she was fine.  She was DRILLING the target at 100yds.   The gun is extremely accurate,  so all she had to do was stay focused.   She tore a giant hole in the center of one target after another.   I lost track, but I think she fired between 28-35 rounds.... all together, tearing up 4 targets.  She only had 1 or 2 "fliers" that weren't in the bullseye.

I have 4 muzzleloader rifles,  so she doesn't have to buy one right away.  But I don't think she'll be able to go through 2017 without buying one of her own!   

[William]

Great to hear for both of you.  Is she left handed too or is she just adapting to shoot a LH rifle?

Glad you found a gal who appreciates muzzle loading and you got her interested in it as well.

[hotfxr]

The only thing better than spending a day shooting round balls at distant targets is having someone prettier than you alongside firing downrange too. Best wishes to the both of you.

[ChrisHarris]

She isn't left handed, but she loves guns.  The rifle she was shooting is a righty.

She went deer hunting with me in January.   We went to Nebraska and I shot a whitetail doe.   She was right there with me, every step of the way.  She was glassing with me, spotting, using the range finder.  Spotted the shot for me.  I shot high with the first round and she was right over my shoulder looking through a huge spotting scope..... saw the bullet trail and called, "high, but dead center over the lungs"  I racked the bolt.  The 2nd was a perfect boiler shot.   Got both lungs and didn't ruin any meat. She ran 20yds and dropped.  Jennifer helped me field dress and quarter the deer.  Wasn't squeemish about anything.   She helped me pack it out..... and it was MILES of hiking because of where I was when I took the shot, and where the deer was, and where the truck was parked.   She kept up with me step by step through 2 miles of heavy thickets and brush just to get to the deer.  Then we had to backtrack and get back to the truck.   It was a lot of work and she was smilin' the whole time.     I'm truly a lucky guy to get out of the awful marriage I was in, and meet Jennifer.

I just have the one CVA lefty flintlock.   All the rest of my rifles are right handed.   I'm right eye dominant and it's easier to get right handed guns, so I buy righty rifles.

Pistols.... can't hit nuthin' right handed.

[ChrisHarris]

We spent the day at the range today.  We shot 4 different rifles.  Jennifer LOVES the little Rugrat rifle that Mongrel made for me.  The CVA left-hand flintlock became troublesome after about 25 shots.  I had to remove the lock plate and the vent liner.  Then clean the vent liner and put a small bit of 4F into the chamber.  Reassembled, primed the pan and BOOM.

Between the two of us, I counted somewhere between 85-90 shots today.     It was a great day!

[Watauga]

ChrisHarris , Having a girlfriend that likes to shoot Muzzle-loaders will be awesome! 
Unless she is a Bad Tempered Redhead  (There might not be any other type??) 
then watch out! 

[hotfxr]

I cannot get my bride to go out shooting with me. I have tried and tried but after a fellow teacher was fired after someone posted pictures of her shooting on Facebook, my lovely spousal support unit won't go to the range. She does, however, like shooting the cannon in the front yard, go figure. (Maybe she just doesn't like badgers?)   

[Red Badger]

My only comment is:  Why have you not told Jennifer about us and helped her get her own account here?   

[ChrisHarris]

I told her, but she's not into forums.