Spencer/Black Powder Cartridge Shoot

[Rim fire]

For those of you in New England, I am having a Black Powder cartridge match tentatively on Oct. 25 in Reading, Ma.  We will be shooting at paper targets and a gong at 175 yards.  We also have ranges at 50 and 100, 300, and 500 yards.   This will be a fun shoot with Spencer's, Martini Henry's, Snyders, trap doors, etc.  Reading is located about 15 miles North of Boston.  I will provide more info as we get closer.  It would be great to have a line of Spencer's shooting rapid fire at a gong.  We can swap ideas, loads, the collecting of Spencer's or any other black powder cartridge rifle.  The fun aspect will be stressed.  You can reach me at johnd0@comcast.net.
Thanks

[Two Flints]

Rim fire,

Where in Reading, MA?  Who is the sponsor?  More details please, if you have them!

Two Flints

[Rim fire]

As I stated in the post, Reading is located about 15 miles north of Boston.  It will be held at the Reading, Rifle and Revolver Club located off of Haverhill st. in Reading, Ma.  A match bulletin will follow in a later post.

[milcol]

Is there any more information on the match and how many rounds of ammunition are required

[Rim fire]

Thanks for the inquiry.  This will be a very informal match.  I will post a match bulletin in the next week.  I only have around 45 rounds for my spencer, and that should suffice.  You can always bring more!  We will shoot in the morning at 185 yards at a gong and paper targets.  Have a cook out were we can eat and talk loads shooting etc.  in the afternoon we can if we get good zeros at 185, shoot at 200, 300 yards.  It should be a lot of fun, nothing very formal.  This is not Camp Perry!  This is not limited to Spencer's, any black powder musket, rifle, cartridge or muzzle loader prior to 1885 will do.

[Rim fire]

The Spencer/Black powder shoot was a hit.  We had people from all over New England attending.  The number of competitors was 35+!  We had arms ranging from a rare Calisher and Terry (an English bolt action carbine that utilized a paper cartridge), to Spencer carbines, Spencer rifle, original 1853 Enfield rifle musket that a friend of mine who is a high power shooter without experience with the musket, hit a 14"x14" gong at 300 yards 2 out of 3 times!  This was with a Pritchett bullet cast from an original mould and placed in the original style Pritchett cartridge.  Also had trapdoors, flintlocks, Henry rifles, cap and ball revolvers, Martini-Henry's, Sniders,Burnsides, an 1853 Sharps carbine, 1859 Sharps rifle, and an 1873 rifle.  As you can see it was an eclectic mix of firearms.  Everyone thought it should be an annual event, which it will be.  The cost was $5 and that included a barbecue lunch.  My friend also shot most of my Spencer ammo at the chest size gong at 175 yards and hit it 6 of 7 shots in one mag and 5 of 7 in the next.  He couldn't put it down!  He ended up shooting 40 of my 50 rounds.
Some if the member of this forum showed up and said they couldn't wait to come back.
If you are in the area, stop by for some long range fun.  Next year we will have a shoot at 200, 300, and 500 yards at a gong shooting 2 man teams, a shooter and a spotter/scorer.  Should be fun!

[Two Flints]

Any photos?  Video?  That would be great to see!

[Rim fire]

Good point.  I think some photos were taken and posted to the British Militaria web site.  I will get them over to you.

[rbertalotto]

I was there and had a blast!  Got to fire some antique rifle I've on;y seen in pictures.

I brought a 1874 Sharps with a William Malcolm scope in 45-70, a Spencer in 44-40, A Colt Lightning in 38-40 and a 1873 Winchester in 38-40 and a Double rifle in 45-70......All Black Powder.

Thanks for hosting this event. Can't wait for next year!

[Rim fire]

My pleasure.  I had fun looking at all of the antique rifles as well.  It was great seeing people having fun shooting the old guns, especially at long range with the Martini -Henry's and Sniders.  Those guys hadn't shot past 100 yards before and were ringing the gong at 300!  I think they are still smiling!