Thank you to all who Attended The GAF Muster.

[Major Matt Lewis]

I would like to thank each and everyone of you once again for taking the time and making the effort to attend Meister Bullets Inc's 2d Annual GAF Muster.  I am proud of each and every one of you.  The course of fire was extremely challanging and intense.  I did my best to simulate late 19th Century combat. 

Del & Matt did a wonderful job.  The night fire state was fun and JD Cook even managed to hit 10 out of 15 targets at night.  Also, a BIG congratulations to George Newton aka Shoot'n Newton for winning the Iron Trooper.  I feel that most at the Muster feel that the Name for the Over All match winner is very approriate

[Chantilly]

Thanks to Major Lewis and all those attending the GAF Muster for a great shoot and a fun experience!  There were a lot of laughs and US Scout's winning Pee Pee Dance was very special.       Lars graced the Friday night campfire with period music played on an unusual and beautiful instrument - the nickleharpe (sp?).

The course of fire was definitely a challenge and every shooter should feel a sense of accomplishment.  Nicely done everyone!  Congratulations to all shooters and to all costume contest winners!   There were so many period correct cowpokes, scouts and all branches of the military that this was one tough contest as well!   

Ah yes, and no less important, thanks to Del and Matt for the great dutch oven food!  There was nary a scrap left. 

Best regards,

George "Shoot'n Newton" and Janet "Chantilly"

[Chantilly]

Costume contest winners were................. (drum roll please)..........

Civilian Working Woman - Crystal Jane
Civilian Working Man - Books
Civilian Formal Woman - Kayleen Best
Civilian Formal Man - Boiler Plate Jackson
Military Working  - Sgt. Drydock
Military Formal - Rattlesnake Jack Robinson

Camps.....
Military - Dr. Bob
Civilian - Jerry Barnes

CONGRATULATIONS!!

[Major Matt Lewis]

Dang Chantilly,

Here I am trying to take it easy tonight and you guilt me into working

Ladies BBP:

1st: Michelle Torrence
2nd: Tracy Martin/Lou Graham

Ladies Smokeless:

1. Janet Newton/Chantilly
2. Kayleen Best
3. Joyce Lentz


Ladies Senior:

1. Crystal Jane/Lucy Sterpwig(forgive me, I know I just slaughtered her last name.)

Civil War Veteran (Next year this catagory will be The Originals class.)

1. John Torrence/Trap
2. George Warnick/Lone Gunman (who's pistol fell apart yet again on the firing line.)
3. Bill Johnson/US Scout

Black Powder Duelist

1. Burt Pearson/Chain Blue
2. Clint Francisco
3. Lars Olson

Black Powder Shootist

1. Jack Burkovsky
2. John Covert
3. Larry Blackwell

Smokeless Duelist

1. Lee Weideman/Hardtack Henry
2. Rich Gimbert/Major Matt Lewis
3. Ron Sayer

Men's Shootist

1. Dave Birk/Colonel Diamond
2. Captain Jarrett
3. Dennis Lentz

Men's Senior
1. Ted/AT Kettle
2. Dough Duhnam/Noble Paladin
3. Roger Wake/JD Cook

Service Winners
Artillery- Sgt. Drydock
Cavalry - Captain Jarrett
Cowpoke - AT Kettle
Infantry - Hardtack Henry
Marines- Major Matt Lewis
Navy- John Covert
Scouts - George Newton

Iron Trooper - George Newton/Shootn Newton

Wild Bunch Match

1. 44 Caliber Kid
2. Doc Black
3. AT Kettle

Pistol Caliber Lever Action Doug Dunham/Noble Paladin
Big Bore Lever AT Kettle
Big Bore Single Shot- Colonel Diamond
Military Bolt- Colonel Diamond
Percision Pistol - Colonel Diamond
Fastest Rifle and Pistol.

[44caliberkid]

I had a blast.  Got to meet many of you posters face to face.  The course of fire was great.  Smaller targets and longer distances took out the speed demons and gave us slow fire pracitioners a chance at the gold.  Delmonico and Gopher Grease put on a dutch oven, chuck wagon cooking demo for three days that was second to none.  The diet starts today!  Big, BIG, thanks to everyone who worked at this event, good job Major Matt!

[Guns Garrett]

Major Matt, and All,

   Though the weather was a challenge for all, it was nothing but sunshine in and around the camp the three days we were there.  My wife Penny and I would like to thank Major Matt for organizing (more or less ... just kidding!) and officiating this event. Thanks to the KVC and NCOWS for hosting us with the fine range and facilities.  What really made the Muster a success was all the military members, Scouts, cowpokes, ladies and of course our three (yes, Slim was there helping) cooks who had a few days of "family quality time" together.  Everyone made this an event we will long remember and cherish, and we are glad we could form and develop new and lasting friendships with all our pards at GAF, NCOWS, and SASS.  We look forward to seeing you all, and others, at Ackley next fall.

Dave Vanderpool - 1stSgt Guns Garrett, USMC
Penny Vanderpool - Megan O'Ruckus

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

To say that we had a blast is such an understatement that I hate to even use the term.
It was THE BEST!


The food that Del and Gopher put out was unbelievable..and they worked their tails off from morning til evening chopping and mixing and stirring.. and right before your very eyes..the coals would be brushed off the lids..  the tops of the cast irons would come off and... WALLAH!
Smells and tastes that was the next best thing to heaven. Yummy.Yummy Yummy.

I had a ball going around doing what I do best.. socializing and laughing and taking pictures. ( of which I think we have about 180 or so) I will try to get a photo album made so everyone can have a slide show and be able to personally download their favorites if they want..
Will work on that tonight after all the Halloween goblins are done getting treats.

I really loved putting faces to names and getting to know some of the people personally.

I plopped down on several occasions and just sat and jawed and exchanged some windy tales during the weekend..
Speaking of windy's.. Del and Matt's corn beef and cabbage provided quite a bit of that during the first night..
During the night shoot,  I didn't know if it  was black powder loads or  the cabbage loads coming from the darkened bushes.


Golly we had fun!
This was the most easy going ..laid back  with top notch  camaraderie that I have ever been to yet.
Everyone was getting along.. no one was grumpy or had a 'win at any cost attitude'.
And the tents and personal camp set ups was literally like you stepped back into another era.. I didn't want to leave... because when you left the camp, it seemed as if you were rudely thrown back into the 21st century ..and the fantasy of the days gone by were just a memory.. but what a memory it was.

I can't wait until next year...the only thing different will be , I will be shooting. Yesssssssss Sirreee I will!

to Major Matt and  all who made this a great event and one that I think everyone should try to be a part of next year.

[US Scout]

Just arrived home (in Virginia) from the Muster and can only echo the sentiments expressed above.

While there were many participants who came and shot, and several more that devoted time and energy in helping out, the majority of the credit has to go to Major Matt Lewis for once again organizing and putting on one really great shoot!

The stages were challenging to say the least - sometimes even frustrating what with the many reloads required, the distance, size and spacing of the targets, and the occasional malfunction that caused many a shooter to lose even more time just trying to finish in less than two minutes in most cases.

The Muster is not an easy shoot, but if you're looking for something a bit different, really challenging, and a lot of fun (it helps to leave your ego at home), then I heartily recommend you try out the GAF Muster sometime.

I just unpacked (literally) and already I'm looking forward to next year's Muster.

Well done, Major Lewis.

US Scout

PS - someone asked me off-line what I meant about the ego needing to be left home.  What I meant was that these stages can make any shooter, no matter how good they are, feel pretty humble at times.  Long times and multiple misses are the norm, not the exception.  To put it mildly, the Muster is not your typical CAS shoot, which is one reason why I enjoy it. 

[Kayleen]

  This had to be an event that rates at the top of my list, not to mention all of the fun with old friends and new.
  Perhaps this was a  challenging shoot, but it was fun. With a squad like I was on, one knew we would have a barrel of laughs and fun fun,fun.
Great seeing all of you fine folks and look forward to seeing you next year.
Kayleen

[Major Matt Lewis]

Kayleen,

Tina just reminded me to tell you I have your cake pans/baking sheets that need to be sent to you.  I will do so this week. 

Also, I have a little black leather sack with eating stuff in it and a cup attached.  If anybody has lost something like that, please contact me. 

[Lars]

I am now back home, safe, tired and  bored from way too many freeway hours -- but with a really nice glow of satisfaction still quite intact and intense. Hope everyone else has made it home safely too.

This was the most satisfying shoot I have been too, bar none!! Having decently small targets at respectable distances made this a really fun shoot!! Of course, Major Lewis' offer of 100 dollars to anyone that shot it clean was a really nice touch -- it really brought out my lifelong "one shot-one kill" mentality (really hate to waste ammo on misses!!).

The one impression that kept coming back to me many times per day was "This does not feel like a shooting range or a shooting match." Think I said that to Major Lewis so many times he thought it was all I could say. Having the targets out in a "sea" of broom sage grass with no visible berms was really nice. The encampment, minus a bunch of guncarts, but with original style tents, all folks in period military and civilian clothes, the campfire cooking, the nice little log cabins, etc. contributed to the wonderful, time-travel impression. It was only missing a bunch of horses and horse apples.

My abundant thanks to all that made this years GAF Muster such a wonderful event!!

Lars

[Lars]

RCJ.

Thank you!!

Actually, you and she were dancing to a very old waltz called "Bonden i paradis" (The Farmer In Paradise -- yes, a rather tongue-in-cheek name for a very nice and simple waltz). Only US Scout "danced" to Idioten-- he did keep the "beat" quite well, especially considering the imperativeness of his condition.

Hopefully, I will make it to next year's GAF Muster and be able to play at least 6 more tunes than I could this year. Maybe even Stina can make it -- she knows maybe 50 tunes. IF she makes it, we could have some tunes in "sterio".

Lars

[Lou Graham]

It was good to see some pards I hadn't shot with for awhile.
It was good to put faces to internet friends as well.

Dr. Bob you certainly deserved your medal for the the wonderful display you had in your "tent city" and you are a sweetie.  Thanks so much for giving a place to store our gear.

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

Ok... update on the picture situation. What I/me/we/us/  is going to do... is this.

We will make collages of groups of pictures...
If you see your picture or ones that you want..that are in one of the collages and want the full original.. e-mail me or send me a pm and give me your regular e-mail address and I will be glad to  send it to you.

We took 180 pictures and there is no way that some of the computers on dial up will be able to handle an album with all of the pictures. You will be waiting for them to download when the next GAF muster is ready to happen.. 
So ..if that will work..that is what we will do.

I ask that you be patient with me please. I will work on the collages as fast as I can and try to post them here or in the Barracks ..whichever Boss Major Matt wants them to be in.
( **gulp** that "Boss" word kind of hung up in my craw a bit..)
real hard for me to use that word..cause I'm afraid that the Marshal will get ideas.. and think I will call him that!
(((And we all know that you can compare the chance of that, to how long ice lasts in hell. )))

We got so many nice pictures that it is hard to pick out the ones to use. But we'll do as many as we can.

[Delmonico]

I looked up several times and saw you, so many of them might be a bit scary.

[Major Matt Lewis]

BOSS!  Where, where is my wife Tina, I better look busy

Marshal'ette,

Thank you so much for all that you are doing.  I have been asked by the Moderators to keep GAF Postings here on the NCOWS board scarce.  So in the spirit of "Can't we all just get a long" I would ask to put them in The Barracks.  It may also cause some folks to take a greater interest in GAF if they see some of the other rich Victorian Military history that members frequently discuss there.

[Marshal'ette Halloway]

You got it!

Barracks it is!