NEWS and SHOOT RESULTS
As we digest the results of the inaugural April Fools Shoot, Herr Schutzenmeister JP is ruminating over the method of choosing targets. He is not sure about repeating his method. He may need a year or so to figure it out. That said, we had NINE, count’em, NINE competitors for this first of its kind event. Way to go gents! Let’s see if we can keep it up now that the weather has improved as well as the Wuhan flaming out. We had many of the usual gang, but we also saw several from the “not been here in a while group”.
The day started out in true spring fashion with the temperature hitting quite cool on arrival. However, there was (thank God) no wind. By the end of shooting at 1330, the temperature had risen to a balmy 62 degrees. Shooters were shucking layers
again. Schutzenmeister JP Sherkus allowed the tail end shooter from the March match to pick the targets. Can’t blame him this month, blame Art Twitchell! All of the targets were shot before, but the pistol match was quite interesting.
The first target at 25 yards in the April Fools Shoot was the 5 Rhinos for, wait for it, five shots. Nobody managed to hit all five of them, but Jim Ellis hit three with a score of 27. Art Twitchell managed a score of 22 with Mike Rodzianko coming in with a 19. Al Short hit a 17 with John Marhefka finished with a score of 15. The first three shot target Art chose was the Three Frying Pans. Nobody hit all three, but four of us hit double digits. Mike Rodzianko and John Marhefka both hit a 19 with John coming in first. Al Short hit an 18 with JP coming in with a 17. General consensus was to file that target away.
The final three shot target was Art’s favorite, the Invisible Squirrel. JP Sherkus woke up and whacked it with a 28 followed by Art Twitchell with a 23. Frank Nicoli shot a 22 with John Marhefka hitting a 21. Rich Burkhart and Max Kingsley brought in a tie for fifth with scores of 18.
At 50 yards we were shooting a Groundhog for three shots. John Marhefka came in first with a great score of 27. He was followed by one point by JP Sherkus with a 26. Rich Burkhart had a 22 followed by Frank Nicoli at 21. Fifth place went to Jim Ellis and Al Short who both shot a 17. The 50 yard target Art chose for five shots was the Fleur-de-lis. Hadn’t seen this one in a while, but Schutzenmeister Sherkus turned in a great score of 43 for first place. Art Twitchell shot 35 for second with John Marhefka turning in a 30. Rich Burkhart rounded out the fifth place with a 29.
Overall scores for rifle were JP Sherkus 121, John Marhefka 112, Art Twitchell 100, Rich Burkhart 92, Al Short 88, Frank Nicoli and Jim Ellis 82, and Max Kingsley 40.
We had five pistol shooters this month. Art chose some interesting targets for this competition, an other reason not to let him do so again for at least a year. At 25 yards, he chose a small diamond that hadn’t been seen in years, for rifle! JP Sherkus shot a 38 X for first in this target followed by John Marhefka with a 34 for second. Art Twitchell came in third with a 16 and Max Kingsley hit a 15. Rich Burkhart turned in a 7 for last.
At 50 yards, Art chose the Ham Blob. Only three shooters turned in scores for this one. JP Sherkus came in first with a 30 followed by John Marhefka with a 16 for second. Rich Burkhart came in third with a 9, which was two more than his 25 yard target. Overall for pistol, JP Sherkus 68 1X, John Marhefka 50, Rich Burkhart and Art Twitchell with 16 and Max Kingsley 15.
It’s time to renew your BRML Membership for 2021. Dues are only $20. You get the newsletter and the free turkey shoot (guaranteed to win a turkey). During the year we occasionally have a Member’s Only Target with a special prize. Rejoin and support your club! You can send me a check (payable to Bull Run Muzzle Loaders – please, no cash) to the address above and I’ll mail your membership card to you. Or better yet, you can catch me at a shoot.
The next match will be Sunday, May 16 beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 2:00 PM. It will be an Individual Target Score Competition. You get 3 of each target. There will be a pistol competition for those who wish to participate. You get two targets with five shots at each. Score your own, hand in your best. After you shoot your best score of the three and score your own, turn it in so we can keep the score sheet current. You must have one half ball in the scoring ring to count. All shots are from the freestanding, off-hand position. Relays are approximately 20 minutes each. Any safe muzzle loader (flint, cap, firelock, side slapper, under hammer, inline) may be used. Iron sights (open, peep, aperture) only, no scopes or optics permitted. Spotting scopes may be used. Subject to change without notice—generally there are 5 targets, some requiring 5 shots, some only 3. Expect the unexpected and have a bundle of fun.
Usual distances are 25 and 50 yards.
Keep yer powder dry.
Rich
