Took the boy shooting today

Adirondack Jack · May 13, 2007, 03:05:50 PM

My 13 year old has been after me all week to go out and burn some charcoal. It seems he watched "The Alamo" in school, and though he knows it's not quite the same as the muskets they used, decided it was time to shoot the .50-70 Rolling Block.

So, after warming up with some Cowboy .45 Specials with the EPP UG bullets through the "Hillbilly assault rifle" (Marlin), and trying his hand with the .45 (big) Vaquero duelist (either hand) and hitting well with the 200 grain JP big lube bullets in the C45S cases, he settled in behind the cross sticks to give the Remmie a try.

Now he weighs all of 102 lbs and is 5'1", so he couldn't quite handle the long rifle offhand, but behind the sticks, acquited himself quite well. The load was a 450 grainer and 65 grains of GOEX FFG.

Here's a clip of his first shot.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v54/adirondack_jack/?action=view&current=Ben_and_the_rolling_block.flv

Undeterred, he fired three more at the 50 yard paper plate, all hits, then I set up a piece of 4 inch thick granite for him to bust up. He got that too

I'm guessing anybody can shoot a .50-70 if they want to, especially since most of em are a whole bunch heavier than this old thin-barrelled NYS militia gun.

Steel Horse Bailey · May 13, 2007, 08:52:39 PM

Congratulations!

More young'uns is what we need for this sport!

Silver Creek Slim · May 13, 2007, 08:57:37 PM

That's great pard.

Slim

Four-Eyed Buck · May 13, 2007, 09:00:11 PM

Looks like he did fine, AJ...............Buck

Dick Dastardly · May 13, 2007, 09:06:36 PM

Cool.

Now, I want to see more film when he starts to whup yer butt. . . .

Congratulations!

DD-DLoS

Adirondack Jack · May 13, 2007, 11:03:39 PM

Ho the fire.

DD, I don't think it'll take him long at all if he puts his mind to it to whip the old man's butt.

He's already decided that duelist is the way to go to LEARN, then gunfighter! I have this thing called benign essential tremors that makes me shooting duelist look like Barney Fife, so the very first time he tried the big horse pistol one-handed he did better'n I did (today). He was chasing a coke can around on the ground, shooting the JP 200s out of the Cowboy .45 Specials and hitting the can almost every time, regardless of which hand he shot with. After about 10 rounds his hand gets tired holding the big pistol so he reverts to two hands, but that won't be a problem in a match, where ya got an hour to recover

His handling of the fifty today tells me he's ready for the coach gun as well (no small bore guns for juniors here. He's gonna use my 12 GA and .45s with my loads).

NYS lets kids start with pistols in competition at 14 now (used to be 18), so he's psyched to shoot matches next year AFTER he learns all his safety rules and passes the home version of RO-one. He's dedicated in anything he decides to do, so my job is simple. get him to the practice range and load ammo.

I'll be real proud when he whups my butt

Steel Horse Bailey · May 14, 2007, 01:38:17 AM

Howdy!

AJ said:
"I'll be real proud when he whups my butt"

Just don't tell HIM!

Dick Dastardly · May 14, 2007, 07:17:31 AM

Many times in novels about the Old West we hear the "kid" referred to with respect and sometimes downright fear. As in Sundance, Billy the and others. Yup, the "kids" have a way with learnin' that makes 'em great competitors pronto. As in Holy Terror and Lead Dispenser. . . .

Good on ya AJ.

DD-DLoS

Marshal harpoluke · May 14, 2007, 12:45:01 PM

Quote from: Dick Dastardly on May 14, 2007, 07:17:31 AM
Many times in novels about the Old West we hear the "kid" referred to with respect and sometimes downright fear. As in Sundance, Billy the and others. Yup, the "kids" have a way with learnin' that makes 'em great competitors pronto. As in Holy Terror and Lead Dispenser. . . .

Good on ya AJ.

DD-DLoS

Out here, Pala Verde's Son Chuckawala Kid is downright Dangerous.

litl rooster · May 14, 2007, 04:08:58 PM

Quote from: Adirondack Jack on May 13, 2007, 11:03:39 PM
Ho the fire.

His handling of the fifty today tells me he's ready for the coach gun as well (no small bore guns for juniors here. He's gonna use my 12 GA and .45s with my loads).

I'll be real proud when he whups my butt

Jr. Wharthawg Yeeee haaaaaw.

In the horse world most folks want to buy a pony to start their child out. They find out they should have started them with a horse to start with. The little one doesn't stay that way but the ponies do.

Montana Slim · May 17, 2007, 12:59:00 PM

Cograts and Good post! I love to see young-uns learning to enjoy our sports...and it gives us a chance to share fun times, experiences, etc with them.

My boy turned 9 this Jan and made me proud when he shot a .357 '92 carbine after our matches last fall. When he ran outta bullets, he put the lil gun in the cart and grabbed my '66 rifle (44-40 BP)....I said no, but he insisted & I decided to let him try (assuming it wouldn't go well)....he surprised me by hitting the target and beggin' for more ammo...I was proud indeed, but not ready to let him burn all my precious BP ammo. My sister joined in by firing my .44 Opentop, too....first time ever firing a gun, I think.

Slim