The 2018 Texas Chunk Gun State Championship NewsletterGreenwood Longrifles, Brazoria Texas is a Charter Member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. BLACK POWDER DIRECTORS REPORT: It was one of the most successful Ed Kana Memorial Texas Chunk Gun Championship in years. We had 20 competitors. Mother Nature smiled on us again this year. You got your choice of shooting conditions in the three-day match. Friday was blue sky but cool enough that there was little or no heat shimmer. White target frames glowed in the afternoon sun. Saturday displayed some clouds that challenged the competitors to varying light conditions all day. The wind blew from every direction. Honestly, I saw wind gauges 100 yards apart spinning in opposite directions. Was the wind blowing down? Many struggled to get 10 reasonable targets posted by Saturday so they could spend Easter with family. Sunday morning the Sun really came back with a vengeance, the glaring Sun chased most of the lawn chairs under the canopy. Match rule change meeting, noon Saturday We gathered the herd around for a presentation by our Range Officer (Marc Springs) concerning the best shot awards. We inherited the program built in the 80's on the old Lotus spreadsheet program, converted to Excel (probably in the 90's) and found that the program excluded multiple best shots being awarded on the same day to one shooter. I’m sure their intent was to "spread the wealth". Marc stated that if you shot a couple of three best shots of the day, you should get the awards, I know that this has happened at least twice in the 25+ years I have been involved in GWLR. A show of hands agreed to the change. It went into effect for this year's match. Our excellent scorers double checked the data before awards Sunday and kept me straight during the awards program. They will debug the calculations for next year. Thanks, Sandra and Morgan. I have an excellent, smooth functioning team. Richard Beaty accepted the job as Range Master and Chief Range Officer this year. He is without a doubt the most qualified and knowledgeable man on the line. He brought his ML boxes and came to my rescue on Friday when my range rod broke. He called relays and collected targets most of all three days. He inspected all targets and sorted them for the scorers. Sandra Springs trained him on how we score this match and he will help with the debugging of the match spreadsheet. My brother, Marc Springs, decided to shoot his 45 cal flinter this year and was pleased with her performance. Marc bar-b-qued the brisket and sausage on his Green Egg. He skipped dinner to take his wife to the Chicago concert. Thank you, Susy Larson for the knit Beanies. Mine wouldn’t fit my melon head so my wife appropriated it. Alex said I looked like a jewish hippie. How about an XL version, I’ll supply the yarn? David Snyder did the plaques. All his plaques were recycles, I like that. We have never recycled a “Best Shot of the Match” plaque. Robert McDougal set the prize table. One of the nicest prize tables we’ve had in years! Sandra and Morgan crunched the numbers. They scored 254 targets. Ryan Thornton came to compete. I remember when his Dad built his southpaw flintlock. He told me during the match that she was acting cranky, probably pissed at him for ignoring her for so long. We invited his family to dinner Saturday night. Grandfather George Easterling led us in the supper prayer. Thank you, Sir! Tambi Dudley returned this year. She represents Schuetzen Powder Energetics, Inc. This was her second Chunk Gun Match and she shot the whole match on Friday/Saturday. She took one break to go to town for some Aleve. Keep up with Schuetzen on the web. https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=schuetzen%20black%20powder http://www.schuetzenpowder.com/ Addressing a few of the snags, suggestions, and inconveniences this year 1) The intercom system would not work. The Greenwood Gun Club Safety Officer was informed of this hazard. Fortunately, Butch Caudle and Mike Courville set up at the far right end and helped with that end of the firing line. The Maintenance Director will investigate and repair. I’m pushing for an upgrade and am researching a replacement amplifier. 2) Red lights – We need more and relocate the ones we have to the canopy poles. I would like them at about 6’ above grade. 3) The Bar-B-Que Pit needs more power plugs. At least two more. The Picnic tables we lost in Hurricane Harvey need to be replaced. I would like to see 4 new ones. 4) Primitive camping for match competitors. I will have to address the Greenwood Gun Club board on this one. Ken Springs Best Shots of the Day Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Best Shot of the Match - Andy Larson with a 0.024” |
|
Place |
Name |
Total |
|
1 |
Mark Parrinello |
2.950 |
|
2 |
P. D. Caudle |
3.096 |
|
3 |
M. Ross |
3.429 |
|
4 |
Steve Efird |
3.630 |
|
5 |
Mike Courville |
3.782 |
|
6 |
Andy Larson |
4.275 |
|
7 |
Steve Otteson |
4.403 |
|
8 |
Ryan Thornton |
4.939 |
|
9 |
Tom Larson |
6.064 |
|
10 |
Marc Springs |
6.676 |
|
11 |
Jacob Landry |
7.345 |
|
12 |
Robert Mcdougal |
7.478 |
|
13 |
David Snyder |
8.163 |
|
14 |
Alex Springs |
8.386 |
|
15 |
Josh Douglas |
9.741 |
|
16 |
Suzy Larson |
9.758 |
|
17 |
Dan Distefano |
10.077 |
|
18 |
Mike Pittman |
10.360 |
|
19 |
Tambi Dudley |
12.976 |
|
20 |
Ken Springs |
none |
GWLR & Chunk Shoot Thoughts
By Mike Pittman
I attended the first Chunk Shoot (Over-the-Log Shoot). I remember being happy to see a “new” style shoot begin and be so close to home. I believe the GWLR members were Richie Pierce, Jeff Blackmar, Ed Kana, Dave Simeroth, Joe Nixon, Dwayne and Denise Yates that attended the Pasadena Muzzleloaders meeting. They came to personally invite the PML members to the Chunk Shoot and explained the rules and process of the shoot! To me, this was a great idea to have a shoot where you only had to count your best 10 shots for score. A brilliant concept! You didn’t have to suffer for every “terrible” mistake and had 30 shots (opportunities) to shoot 10, “X’s”!
In the beginning, the rules were simple. Bring “any gun” with open sights and shoot it over a chunk! I remember suggesting that NMLRA Chunk Rules should be adopted. This would have eliminated the bench guns. Most people shot their light weight off hand rifles. The bench guns dominated. The bench guns were more stable and easier to shoot in the prone position verses the traditional style rifle.
The 2nd year, there were rule changes! No false muzzles, no Olympic style sights, the gun had to have a functional ramrod and no sealed ignitions! Great progress to getting more aligned to NMLRA rules. I remember there were a few more of what I would call chunk guns built and ready for the shoot. Bench guns had been pretty well phased out. More traditional style rifles were now competing against traditional style rifles.
To me, the biggest evolution was the growth of the shooting skills of the shooters. Everyone began to learn and understand how shoot the prone position, develop a sighter system they understood and was easier for acquiring a repeatable sight picture. Scores with the lighter traditional style rifles really began to get competitive. I suspect everybody felt they had a chance to compete and win!
From the 3rd or 4th year to the present date, not much has changed. I see a few nice custom “Bevel Brother Style” chunks! The appearance of the globe type front sights are again present on the firing line which indicates more flexibility in the rifles. I think that is good progress! I read in the match rules (ed.: all shooters get a copy in the target packet) that we now follow the NMLRA Chunk rules. A very good decision!
The Chunk Shoots have always been run well. Everything is always prepared and ready with little down time for the shooter to fire his first shot. The awards for the shoot are second to none! The club actively seeks donations from sponsors and club members are generous! The meal Saturday evening is a good time for fellowship and socializing.
The next Monthly Black Powder match is May 5th, entrance fee $10 for all three matches.
Bull Aggregate (25yd / 6bull, 50yd 6bull and 1bull, 100yd 1bull, sighter targets available (ask)
Hunters Agg, 25yd, Hafner ground hog, 50yd standing bear, 100yd buffalo.
Slow fire pistol match (ML and BP revolvers) 25yd and 50yd bulls
Remaining 2018 Match Schedule
|
May 5th |
NMLRA Bull Match, Hunter’s Aggregate, and Slow Fire Pistol Matches, 8am until 2pm. (100yd range) |
|
June 2nd |
NMLRA Bull Match, Hunter’s Aggregate, and Slow Fire Pistol Matches, 8am until 2pm. (100yd range) |
|
Aug 4th |
NMLRA Bull Match, Hunter’s Aggregate, and Slow Fire Pistol Matches, 8am until 2pm. (100yd range) |
|
Sept 8th |
Greenwood Longrifle's 2018 Club Championship NMLRA Bull Match, Hunter’s Aggregate, and Slow Fire Pistol Matches. 8am until 2pm. (100yd range) |
|
Nov 4th |
NMLRA Bull Bench Match, 8am until Noon (100yd range) |
|
Dec 2nd |
Rifle and Pistol Silhouette matches, 8am until Noon (100yd range) |
For Sale: The club has Schuetzen powder and CCI #11 Magnum primers for sale at our cost. Check with me or Marc.
|
Next year's Chunk Gun Match Dates: April 5, 6, & 7th 2019. Mark your calendar BTW, it’s not Easter Weekend |
See you on the line:
Ken Springs
Greenwood Longrifles Blackpowder Director
341 N. Shanks
Clute, TX 77531
cell# 979 239-8372
e-mail: kennethesprings@sbcglobal.net
Keep up with Greenwood Longrifles on the web.
https://www.facebook.com/GreenwoodLongrifles