2012 Department of the Missouri Muster

[Delmonico]

I'm planning on being there Wendsday sometime in the afternoon.  I'm planning on a supper for Thrusday night.  So far I have money for meals from Skip and Paul.  If you can send it to me and let me know what meals you are going to be there for it will help with the getting groceries before I leave.  Thanks.

[Delmonico]

so if I arrive on Thursday evening can I set up my tent and sleep there?

I'm not Jerry but the answer is yes, we'll have a supper about dark.

[G.W. Strong]

If I leave Chicago by 7am I should be there by dark.

[Pitspitr]

I'm planning on being there Wendsday sometime in the afternoon.  I'm planning on a supper for Thrusday night.  So far I have money for meals from Skip and Paul.  If you can send it to me and let me know what meals you are going to be there for it will help with the getting groceries before I leave.  Thanks.

Glen
I'll get you the money for mine and the moneys I have received with registrations toward the end of the week.

[Delmonico]

Glen
I'll get you the money for mine and the moneys I have received with registrations toward the end of the week.

That's fine, I'll grocery shop about Monday.  BTW I better not say it to loud but I'm liking the price of gas about now.

[River City John]

If it's open, do not miss Ft. Hartsuff. We held the Grand Muster there 2008 and 2009. We stayed in the barracks, but the shooting was offsite.

RCJ

[RattlesnakeJack]

I'll second John's recommendation ......

Here are a few shots from those Musters:

A view across the parade square at Fort Hartsuff, the barracks mentioned by John on the right (mess hall projecting from its rear) and an officers' quarters on the far side -


Interior of the barracks -


Interior of the barracks mess, during the banquet -


The incomparable River City John, himself, washing up his mess implements following aforesaid banquet -



And last but certainly not least, the same Naval Gentleman striking a swashbuckling "Captain Morgan" pose during the shooting in 2008 -

[Delmonico]

I have an interesting picture of River City John from last year, I need to get it printed up for him.  It wouldn't be a proper muster with out getting a picture of someone that they regret.

Here are a couple at Ft. Hartsuff in 2008 he can be proud of:





The 2009 one was one those attending will never forget:



John snuck in again.

But we were warm and cozy in the barracks with the wood stoves a going:



(Everytime I post this picture I get another year of KP.)

[RattlesnakeJack]

That isn't a cell phone!  The Colonel is just listening to the relaxing "ocean roar" of a black seashell .....   

[Delmonico]

That isn't a cell phone!  The Colonel is just listening to the relaxing "ocean roar" of a black seashell .....   

I thought he'd joined the Signal Corp.

[Pitspitr]

(Everytime I post this picture I get another year of KP.)

As near as I can figure you now have KP until about 10 years after you're dead!

Guys forgive me if I don't post much in the next week. I'll be checking in from time to time but if there isn't an important question, I probably won't post much more until after the muster.

[Niederlander]

Gentlemen,
        A friend and I just modified all the prone targets to have a steel plate base, so we shouldn't have any malfunctions with them like we did last year.   Things are coming together!

[Drydock]

Yeah, well we'll see after Jack gets done shootin' . . . 

[Stu Kettle]

I don't remember any malfunctions last year - seems they all fell down when shot.

[RattlesnakeJack]

Yeah, well we'll see after Jack gets done shootin' . . . 

If Command wishes to 'test' these targets, I could (.... purely as a 'public service', of course ....) load some .577/.450 Martin-Henry cartridges to the full War Department specifications set out in the List of Changes in War Materiel and of Patterns of Military Stores, as opposed to the relatively wimpy 'GAF-spec' cartridges I normally shoot:

[Niederlander]

Works for me, Jack!  I shoot at them fairly regularly with various .50-70's and so far they've held up well.  They do bend after a while, though!

[pony express]

That load should only be a little faster than a 45-70-500 rifle load. Bullets were cast pretty hard for them too, 12 to 1!!!

[G.W. Strong]

If Command wishes to 'test' these targets, I could (.... purely as a 'public service', of course ....) load some .577/.450 Martin-Henry cartridges to the full War Department specifications set out in the List of Changes in War Materiel and of Patterns of Military Stores, as opposed to the relatively wimpy 'GAF-spec' cartridges I normally shoot:

That pic was extremely helpful. Look at the size of that lube wad! No wonder my Martini's foul so badly I can't get more than a few shots in a group. My first 3 are often touching at 100 yards but after that the barrel is fouled I sometimes have trouble hitting the backstop!

[RattlesnakeJack]

That pic was extremely helpful. Look at the size of that lube wad! No wonder my Martini's foul so badly I can't get more than a few shots in a group. My first 3 are often touching at 100 yards but after that the barrel is fouled I sometimes have trouble hitting the backstop!

Yes, plentiful BP-compatable lube is very important with the Martini-Henry .....  especially with these original loads, which had unlubricated paper-patched bullets.

Note the configuration of the lube wad, as well - deep cavity in front and sandwiched between card wads - to pretty much ensure that it would flare out and be deposited along the bore ....  Of course, that particular cartridge was adopted specifically for service in the very arid climate of Egypt.

The lube wad wasn't quite so big in the earlier Marks of Martini-Henry cartridges (with their distinctive coiled sheet brass composite cases) but still quite substantial -

[G.W. Strong]

Even that lighter lube wad would be much more tham my bullet carries.