"Cherokee Lighhorse Company C" Reporting for duty

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

When this process began I was a Company of one.  After a couple of months of reading and dreaming, this grew to a Company of two.  It had become very clear that participation in GAF or in NCOWS would be a little difficult, even impractical.  The closest and only NCOWS organization to my location is over 230 miles south.  The GAF activity in California seemed to be almost if not completely non existent.  Not wanting to admit defeat, I sat back, asked some questions and began the thinking process.

Financially, the two of us in our little Company are in the same boat of barely getting by in this high cost world.  Travel expenses are not something we wanted to face.  The cost of metal targets is beyond our current reach but we knew there had to be a solution.  As far as guns to use, we were also very limited, in reality we each own a black powder cap and ball revolver and perhaps in a year or so, we might be able to add a rifle.

Enter the GAF Postal Match:  We both got pretty excited because the postal match would at least allow us twice a year to be active in GAF.  We decided that when we could get together to go shoot, we would shoot the postal match targets from the four positions.  This has added a great deal of enjoyment to our own experience.

This past Saturday, we added a third person to our small Company and he had a great time shooting the postal match course.  After sitting and talking for awhile a few things began to take form. 

It appears the normal route for GAF is to find a SASS or NCOWS group and join them.  This gives a local group the ability to shoot GAF and at the same time provides the range and targets that are needed.  This route is not really an option for our small Company.  What to do?

Think out of the box and approach this in a reverse order.

We formed the "Cherokee Lighhorse Company C"  and will continue to shoot the postal match course with variations to keep it interesting.  Following the principals of NCOWS we strive for authenticity during the era right after the Civil war.  As a result we currently view ourselves as

Grand Army of the Frontier
Department of the Pacific
Division of California
Cherokee Lighthorse Company C

Yesterday we added a fourth member to our Company.

We might be a small group but we have attitude.  We refuse to take prisoners and surrender is not an option.  As our company gets larger. We can look into adding some metal targets for variation, and at some point apply to become an NCOWS posse.  We are just working this from the bottom up.

[Drydock]

Excellent!  The camraderie is more important than the shooting.  Endevour to persevere!   

[Bow View Haymaker]

Improvise, adapt, overcome.  I heard that somewhere.

Good job on finding your nitch.  I do believe that GAF has the groundwork to stand on it's own on the local level. 
It allows the versitility of local groups doing what they can to enjoy the game and honor the history. 
I applaud you in your endoevor. 

[Delmonico]

Excellent!  The camraderie is more important than the shooting.  Endevour to persevere!   

Yep, I learned all kinds of things about ducks last year at the DOM muster, lookin' forward to learning other interesting things this year.

[pony express]

Sounds like you're getting there, Two Walks! For steel targets, you don't have to spend a fortune. Try checking out a local steel supply or fabrication company's scrap pile Find some scraps leftover from cutting out projects, have them torch a hole to hang it by, and VIOLA! you have steel! That's what my local club used for years, hung from "sawhorses" made of 1/2 in rebar. Still using the sawhorses yars later, but with some better targets hanging on them now.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Col Drydock, thanks.  I looked at the reality that GAF began with Cas and evolved to where it is.  I figure we are just building from the opposite end.

Haymaker, I concure.  For our group at least and not trying to view the corn ready for harvest but the seeds, it works great.

Pony Express.  Thanks for the suggestion on metal targets, will do.  Currently metal would be some what of a pain because we hike in about 1/4 mile to the area we shoot.  We are planning in the next couple months to look for another area and the metal target transport will be a key factor.

[Drydock]

For a small group, cheap paper plates work just as good as steel. (Always with a good backstop, of course)  Its only as the group grows that steel becomes necessary.  Have fun with it.  Ever shot cockroachs?  (Kechup packs stapled to a big piece of cardboard)

[Delmonico]

Ever shot cockroachs? 

Nope but I was mighty good with my 177 on long range grasshoppers.   Now you brought up fond memories of old time dumps and the multitude of targets from glass bottles to rats.  Not enviromentally friendly but kid friendly for young fellas with Wrist Rockets, BB Guns, pellet guns and later 22's.  Shot my Dad's 16 Gauge 311 for the first time at the old dump at Sterling Nebraska.

For longer range, blue rock hung up leave no doubt you hit them. 

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

For a small group, cheap paper plates work just as good as steel. (Always with a good backstop, of course)  Its only as the group grows that steel becomes necessary.  Have fun with it.  Ever shot cockroachs?  (Kechup packs stapled to a big piece of cardboard)

Colonel, can't say I have shot cockroaches but it would add a great deal of visual impact to the shooting.  I plan to add this to my target idea sheet for future use.

I agree with the paper plates idea.  That is what we have been using.  This past shoot I cut out the reduced size m1885 postal match targets and glued them onto the plates and it worked great.  For target frames we have metal stakes with spring clamps taped on.  This worked really well, except for yours truly shooting on of the clamps. 

[pony express]

If it's not too windy, strech some string between a couple of the stakes, hang the paper plates on with clothes pins.

If you want a backstop to staple targets to, try to find some of the corrugated plastic cardboard like material they use to make signs with.I was at an Appleseed shoot a few weeks ago, and they were using that for the target backer. Theirs were last election's campaign signs. Will take a lot more abuse than cardboard, and ligher than wood.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

If it's not too windy, strech some string between a couple of the stakes, hang the paper plates on with clothes pins.

If you want a backstop to staple targets to, try to find some of the corrugated plastic cardboard like material they use to make signs with.I was at an Appleseed shoot a few weeks ago, and they were using that for the target backer. Theirs were last election's campaign signs. Will take a lot more abuse than cardboard, and ligher than wood.

Pony Express thanks, those are some great ideas.  I need to file away in my brain the idea of those election signs for the next time the people vote so the courts can say no. 

[Niederlander]

The election signs work great!  The only probelm is that a lot of them aren't that big.  You might ask your local convenience stores for their temporary soft drink signs, which tend to be bigger.  The nice thing about the election signs is that they usually have built-in wire stands.

[Tascosa Joe]

I found a couple of front end weights, used on a farm tractor.  Welded up the holes and added a angle iron hanger to the back.  They worked well and cost almost nothing.  I think scrap iron has increased in price, but if you can find them they should not be terribly expensive.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

The election signs work great!  The only probelm is that a lot of them aren't that big.  You might ask your local convenience stores for their temporary soft drink signs, which tend to be bigger.  The nice thing about the election signs is that they usually have built-in wire stands.

Checking with grocery stores is a great idea.  As far as them elect me into retirement signs, bet they are bigger than the 8" plates we currently use. 

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

I found a couple of front end weights, used on a farm tractor.  Welded up the holes and added a angle iron hanger to the back.  They worked well and cost almost nothing.  I think scrap iron has increased in price, but if you can find them they should not be terribly expensive.

Tascosa tanks for the idea.  I live in the land of the 49ers.  There is no shortage of scrap around here, but most folks call it collectable, I call it junk.  Will see what we can stumble across.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

In two weeks, the four members of the "Cherokee Light Horse" will be attending a small gathering made up of a couple dozen folks that shoot primitive bows and primitive camp.  We are expecting to perhaps get a couple more members from this group.  Time will tell.

[Capt. Montgomery Little]

TwoWalks,  I much prefer the old election signs as they usually have pictures of some pretty neferious characters left on them who usually need shooting anyway.  Sure wish some of those in the news right now were presently running for some office as my target supply is running low. Besides, any politician that even thinks about messing with military pay or pensions should keep a sharp eye out over his/her shoulder. That goes with entitlements for Senior Citizens also. If not for these two groups, those idiots wouldn't even exist.
Maybe in another more appropriate posting I shall let you all know how I really feel about politics, politicians and other lower forms of life (without insulting the slug or earthworm).

In the interest of security, I shall leave this post unsigned ;>)

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

TwoWalks,  I much prefer the old election signs as they usually have pictures of some pretty neferious characters left on them who usually need shooting anyway.  Sure wish some of those in the news right now were presently running for some office as my target supply is running low. Besides, any politician that even thinks about messing with military pay or pensions should keep a sharp eye out over his/her shoulder. That goes with entitlements for Senior Citizens also. If not for these two groups, those idiots wouldn't even exist.
Maybe in another more appropriate posting I shall let you all know how I really feel about politics, politicians and other lower forms of life (without insulting the slug or earthworm).

In the interest of security, I shall leave this post unsigned ;>)

Well Sir, myself as well as thousands of others share your view of politicians.  I would respectfully like to also include on the lower forms the current crop of News outlets.  I am so old I can remember when news organizations stated the news, not created the news.  The news creates hysteria by expounding the threats of the politicians as some sort of inevitable reality, when it is designed only to pray on that which we love. 

Yes politicians, you might cut Social Security, but sure as h377 you wont cut the study of ants in Africa.

Yes you authorized the ATF to sell guns to the drug cartels and then punished U.S. Citizens because guns were sold to the Cartels.  Now there is political savvy.

Take a dumb man, knock his brains out, then send him to Washington ... the perfect politician.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

This might seem a bit strange too some but there is method to our madness.

This past weekend we expanded and created Company B.  This Company is made up of Primitive Archers and Hawk throwers.  They have a interest in learning to shoot percussion revolvers and from this pool, we will get some converts to Company C.

This added 7 people, swelling the ranks of the Cherokee Light Horse to 11.  2 of the new crop are already looking to get a couple of revolvers and joining company C.

The Cherokee Light Horse is a grass roots organization that has the potential to bloom in the spring.  mean time we are having fun with friends and family at a price each can afford.  Who knows, the day might come when we can be a full fledged shooting group.

[Guns Garrett]

Halito!
Tho not as a GAF personna, I have sometime portrayed a Choctaw Lighthorse/Indian Police (also I.T. US Marshal) in several NCOWS shoots.  Fascinating history.