Skeet shooting

[Baldy]

After a regular round of skeet, I pulled my 15 gauge flintlock smoothbore (24" bbl) out to the amusement of the skeet shooters.  Lots of comments made about throwing rocks, slingshots, and shot dribbling from the barrel.  I loaded it up and asked for a bird.  After the smoke cleared and the realization that the bird had not been just broken but powdered, there was total silence.  I then asked if anyone had any questions or would maybe like to try it.  Of course then I had takers and we found out how important it is to follow through.  Almost to a person they would pull the trigger and stop their swing right afterwards.  No birds hit but everyone was smiling and laughing about their shooting a flinter.  Next week I'll take my 20 gauge fowler out and see how they do with a 42" barrel.

[45 Bravo]

That is just being mean to those poor cartridge shooters..

They do know absolutely nothing about a REALLY LONG follow through..

I have shot skeet with percussion shotguns before, and that is pretty challenging.
but the flint lock takes it to a whole new level..

45 Bravo

[texasranger]

Good to give them a taste of black powder shooting, either flint or cap.

[Baldy]

Today I took out my 62 cal smoothbore flintlock pistol for skeet shooting.  70 gr of powder and an equal volume of #8 shot and I dusted both birds that were pulled for me.  then I opened it up for volunteers to try it.  Majority who were eager to try were women as long as I agreed to load it down to 50 grains.  One guy also wanted to try, but being macho, wanted the full load.  None of them hit anything but the ladies were especially enthusiastic about how much fun that was.  Next week I'll take out one of my fowlers for them to try.  I just might get some of them started in black powder.  One high school girl was very interested in shooting it and seeing exactly how it is loaded and why.  She was doing a history paper in school and part of the topic concerned early firearms in the colonies.  Then another friend brought out his small black powder cannon and we fired it with wadding only, lots of *BOOM* and smoke.  A good time on a beautiful day here in Michigan.

[mongrel]

That is great stuff.

[Baldy]

Yesterday I took my flintlock .41 smooth rifle out and loaded it with 40 grains of FFF and an equal volume of #8 shot.  A couple of the ladies tried it and hit the birds.  High house from station 7.  The lock is amazingly fast and recoil was almost nonexistant so they loved it.  I think I got to shoot it once all afternoon.  As soon as I had it loaded someone else was ready to try it.  Then we brought out the 50 cal brass cannon and started making lots of smoke with that.  funny how those serious skeet shooters got the goofy grins on their faces after shooting a flintlock or a cannon.  One of the guys now has stated that he will be saving up to get a flintlock smoothbore.  Once he has the money I will be pointing him at someone I know down in Indiana.

[Red Badger]

SSSHHHHH..... If the FDA finds out how addicting Black Powder is they will regulate it, and when they realize the smoke is just as addicting they will try and regulate it too so we will be double taxed....   

[mongrel]

Not because I might get a job out of it. I love hearing about new people getting interested. I ESPECIALLY love picturing the goofy grins and imagining the mental shifting of gears as modern shooters realize that these "old-fashioned obsolete unreliable inaccurate" guns work just fine, same as they ever did. Great stuff!