The Great Buffalo Hunt, Candia New Hanpshire

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Had a great time at the Kinnicum Fish & Game club in Candia New Hampshire yesterday.

The revival of the long lost Black Powder Great Buffalo Hunt.

We have not held this match for quite a few years, but yesterday it was held again for the first time in, well, quite a few years.

Unlike the usual Cowboy Action Shooting match, in addition to 2 single action revolvers, a lever rifle, and a shotgun, we also used our single shot 'Buffalo Rifles' at this match. All shot with Black Powder, of course. We did let a few Smokeless shooters in, but it was probably 95% Black Powder.

All kinds of great single shots were pulled out from under the beds for the day. There were Sharps, Rolling Blocks, High Walls, and Trap Doors.

I had not shot my Trap Door, nor loaded any 45-70 in over ten years, so I had to go to my loading notebook to see what my load was. 73 grains of Schuetzen FFg with a .030 fibre wad under a Montana Precision 405 grain flat nosed bullet stuffed into Winchester cases and primed with Winchester Large Rifle Primers. I loaded up 50 rounds so I could have some extras to sight in with.

I took my Trapdoor to the range on Saturday and fired about 15 rounds, just to see where she was hitting. Man, that load really kicks! There would be less recoil with my Sharps with its heavy barrel, but I really wanted to shoot the Trapdoor.

Model 1873, made in 1883.





The weather was beautiful yesterday for the match, a beautiful fall day. Breezy enough to blow away the smoke.

There were a lot of old friends there, so it was just a great day.

We had the Prairie Chickens stage where we had to knock down 8 knock down targets with out shotguns, plus hit two fliers. And lots of other stuff. The 'Long Range' targets were only out about 50 yards, because the match director had seen some of us shoot. Even so, with the stiff trigger on the Trapdoor and my miserable eyesight I was really happy to hit six out of ten.

Here is a link to the match, with all the stages written out.

http://www.shootingbums.org/wmr/18GreatBuffaloHunt.htmlhttp://www.shootingbums.org/wmr/18GreatBuffaloHunt.html

Sorry, I don't have any other photos, most of us were having too much fun to think about taking any pictures.

It was a great day for all.

Hopefully we will do it again next year.

 

[paul harm]

I use to shoot SASS, but thankfully got out of it when the wife got mad at our local group. I like to shoot when I feel like, and what I want, so went back to more shotgun shooting with my side by sides. But, your menu sounds like fun me at least with the BP SS rifles and maybe some BP revolvers and shotguns. I never liked the timing part of SASS. For me, or a match more suited to what I have, I think of one like you put on without the timer. Make everything BP and instead limit the shooter to the number of shells as there are targets. Then someone could just count hits. Make everyone shoot everything off hand. Standing, or sitting would be ok for those who have to, on a stool so your arms wouldn't touch anything. Just have a bench in front of the shooter to put all the guns, and the whole match could be shot from the one position. Just a idea,but as I said, I like what you did. Sounds like lots of fun [ if there wasn't a timer - ha ].

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

Sounds like a hoot, I miss the club I used to shoot with. We were really informal. When I was in charge of setting up the range I would do at least a couple of targets out to 100 yards all offhand, no timers.

 

[maint1517]

I have been interested in cowboy action shooting for a while now. But all the clubs near me are an hour and a half or two hours away. Plus my revolvers are all I have that would be allowed. Only lever gun I have is my marlin 30-30. And only double barrel I have is a over/under. Both would be a no go.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I use to shoot SASS, but thankfully got out of it when the wife got mad at our local group. I like to shoot when I feel like, and what I want, so went back to more shotgun shooting with my side by sides. But, your menu sounds like fun me at least with the BP SS rifles and maybe some BP revolvers and shotguns. I never liked the timing part of SASS. For me, or a match more suited to what I have, I think of one like you put on without the timer. Make everything BP and instead limit the shooter to the number of shells as there are targets. Then someone could just count hits. Make everyone shoot everything off hand. Standing, or sitting would be ok for those who have to, on a stool so your arms wouldn't touch anything. Just have a bench in front of the shooter to put all the guns, and the whole match could be shot from the one position. Just a idea,but as I said, I like what you did. Sounds like lots of fun [ if there wasn't a timer - ha ].

Well, sorry to rain on your parade, but we were shooting against the timer, just like any other CAS match.

However I learned a long time ago there is more than one way to shoot a CAS match. I definitely march to a different drummer. My objective at any CAS match is to shoot clean, without any misses. I really don't care how slow I shoot, and everybody I shoot with knows that. So while others shoot their mousefart loads two handed, as quick as they can, I am shooting my Black Powder barn busters at every match, and shooting slow enough that I don't have any misses. I ain't saying I never miss, in fact I missed two of the 50 yard shots with the Trap door yesterday, but other than that I was clean. I was pretty darn pleased that with my miserable eyesight, and targets not much bigger than a dinner plate, and the heavy trigger of the Trap door, I only missed two.

And no, thanks very much, I was not shooting the Trap Door off hand. I was sitting on the ground using a pair of shooting sticks. We had the choice of shooting how ever we wanted. Standing, kneeling, sitting, prone, with or without sticks. I took every advantage I could take.

However some of the shooters, who are better marksmen than me, were shooting offhand, and hit every target.

Other stages, the targets were closer and every thing was off hand. That is part of the beauty of a good CAS match. Six different stages with a different scenario and shooting order for every one.

What made it great fun for me, because I always shoot Black Powder anyway, was getting to unlimber the old Trap Door and do some shooting with pals.

P.S. I just noticed I spelled New Hampshire wrong. Oh well.

 

[maint1517]

I've watched a lot of videos of CAS matches. But something I have heard but never seen, C&B revolvers are allowed in CAS, right? Because all the videos I have watched all I have seen are single action "peacemaker " style revolvers.

 

[maint1517]

Driftwood, one thing on the schedule that confused me. What was the " sign up for posses"?

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Good Question

In CAS, we shoot in groups. Usually around ten or twelve shooters, maybe more depending on how many shooters show up. We need enough shooters that somebody can man the loading table, three spotters, one timer operator, somebody to pick up brass, and somebody to man the unloading table. And two or three shooters loading and waiting their turn to shoot. Since we are emulating the Old West, we call the shooting group a Posse. A body of men, typically armed, summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law. The posse progresses through the match together, everybody on the posse takes his turn at the firing line and shoots the stage, then when everybody is done, we move on to the next stage.

Yesterday was a pretty small match, we only had two posses.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

I've watched a lot of videos of CAS matches. But something I have heard but never seen, C&B revolvers are allowed in CAS, right? Because all the videos I have watched all I have seen are single action "peacemaker " style revolvers.

The videos you usually see on the internet are not always indicative of the sport. Usually only the videos of the fastest smokeless shooters make it onto the internet. You almost never see the middle of the road guys who are just out shooting away and having a great time. So yes, Cap & Ball revolvers are absolutely allowed. However some new guys buy a pair of C&B revolvers because they are cheaper than cartridge guns. If one is not already familiar with shooting a C&B revolver, this is not such a hot idea. You have to be really competent with your muzzle stuffers to shoot them in a match.

I bought my first C&B revolver in 1968. I bought a pair of Pietta 1860 Army colts a few years ago. I only took them to one match. Quite frankly, it is much easier to use cartridge guns then to mess around with charging your cylinders with loose powder and seating a ball and then capping the nipples. Don't get me wrong, I only shoot Black Powder in my cartridges in CAS, so I am completely familiar with all the mess that BP involves, but I don't choose to shoot C&B in CAS because dropping a cartridge in and popping an empty out during the match is so much easier than messing with a C&B. But I have a friend who was on my posse on Sunday who always shoots a pair of Uberti 1860 Army revolvers. He is quite good with them.

 

[desidog]

Hmmm, I think it's been about ten years since I've shot my trapdoor. Same model, same year, with "SC" on the butt plate... presumably it spent some time in South Carolina.

 

[Navy Six 2]

I'll have to agree with Driftwood about the SASS matches. Usually what you see promoted are the "gamers", but our posse normally consists of a core of blackpowder people shooting pretty stout loads. That includes my wife. I have also pretty much learned to ignore the timer and get more satisfaction out of a clean match. Although I shoot cartridge guns most of the time, I will break out the percussion pistols from time to time, especially as I have finally worked out the combustible paper cartridge issue to my satisfaction.

 

[sheriff dudley]

Howdy

Had a great time at the Kinnicum Fish & Game club in Candia New Hampshire yesterday.

The revival of the long lost Black Powder Great Buffalo Hunt.

We have not held this match for quite a few years, but yesterday it was held again for the first time in, well, quite a few years.

Unlike the usual Cowboy Action Shooting match, in addition to 2 single action revolvers, a lever rifle, and a shotgun, we also used our single shot 'Buffalo Rifles' at this match. All shot with Black Powder, of course. We did let a few Smokeless shooters in, but it was probably 95% Black Powder.

All kinds of great single shots were pulled out from under the beds for the day. There were Sharps, Rolling Blocks, High Walls, and Trap Doors.

I had not shot my Trap Door, nor loaded any 45-70 in over ten years, so I had to go to my loading notebook to see what my load was. 73 grains of Schuetzen FFg with a .030 fibre wad under a Montana Precision 405 grain flat nosed bullet stuffed into Winchester cases and primed with Winchester Large Rifle Primers. I loaded up 50 rounds so I could have some extras to sight in with.

I took my Trapdoor to the range on Saturday and fired about 15 rounds, just to see where she was hitting. Man, that load really kicks! There would be less recoil with my Sharps with its heavy barrel, but I really wanted to shoot the Trapdoor.

Model 1873, made in 1883.

View attachment 805759



The weather was beautiful yesterday for the match, a beautiful fall day. Breezy enough to blow away the smoke.

There were a lot of old friends there, so it was just a great day.

We had the Prairie Chickens stage where we had to knock down 8 knock down targets with out shotguns, plus hit two fliers. And lots of other stuff. The 'Long Range' targets were only out about 50 yards, because the match director had seen some of us shoot. Even so, with the stiff trigger on the Trapdoor and my miserable eyesight I was really happy to hit six out of ten.

Here is a link to the match, with all the stages written out.

http://www.shootingbums.org/wmr/18GreatBuffaloHunt.htmlhttp://www.shootingbums.org/wmr/18GreatBuffaloHunt.html

Sorry, I don't have any other photos, most of us were having too much fun to think about taking any pictures.

It was a great day for all.

Hopefully we will do it again next year.

Hi, Just read your post on shooting your Trap Door and was just wondering if you have tried Trail Boss Powder in you TD rifle ?? I Shoot a 405 Gr Bullet over 13.5 Grains of Trail Boss in my Trap door Rifle and My Trap door Carbine and the Recoil is Just a Little Bit More than a .22Magnum i also use that in My Sharps 4570 The first time i tried that load the recoil was next to nothing and i thought the bullet had not left the barrel but much to my surprise it did and at 100 yds it grouped about three inches after six shots and my eyesight is very poor, I try not to shoot anything that kills on Both ends anymore as i am in my late seventy's, but i still like the Big Bore's, If you are a died in the wool Black Powder cartridge guy then this will not interest you but if you want to try it ? you may enjoy almost zero recoil ? Hey you will get Old someday so put this in your note;s for the future Take Care Sheriff Dudley

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Hi, Just read your post on shooting your Trap Door and was just wondering if you have tried Trail Boss Powder in you TD rifle ?? I Shoot a 405 Gr Bullet over 13.5 Grains of Trail Boss in my Trap door Rifle and My Trap door Carbine and the Recoil is Just a Little Bit More than a .22Magnum i also use that in My Sharps 4570 The first time i tried that load the recoil was next to nothing and i thought the bullet had not left the barrel but much to my surprise it did and at 100 yds it grouped about three inches after six shots and my eyesight is very poor, I try not to shoot anything that kills on Both ends anymore as i am in my late seventy's, but i still like the Big Bore's, If you are a died in the wool Black Powder cartridge guy then this will not interest you but if you want to try it ? you may enjoy almost zero recoil ? Hey you will get Old someday so put this in your note;s for the future Take Care Sheriff Dudley

Howdy

Nope, I only anticipate shooting FFg through my Trap Door.