2016 Grand Muster...140th Anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn

[Pitspitr]

Hopefully this is early enough that everybody can put in for time off now and get it.

I will be hosting the 2016 Grand Muster, June 24th, 25th & 26th, at my farm.  

This Muster will be open to anyone in the GAF. If not currently a member I can help you register. (Membership in the GAF is free and easy) By using Google Earth and going to  41°40'16.24"N Latitude and  99°19'42.54"W Longitude you can see the Grand Muster site. Registration forms is attached below and is also available on the dispatches page of the Grand Army's Web site. Particpation will be limited to 40 shooters. Registration is $80,  an extra Sat. eve. banquet ticked is $15. Meals will be available on site from Delmonico. Those wishing to attend but not compete may do so without registration fee, but be sure to pay the meal fee if you plan to eat with us.

The planned activities include: a 4 stage GAF steel target main match, a long range match, a Precision Pistol match and a GAF Expansion Era Match. While 4 stages for the main match doesn't sound like much these four stages will be of the skirmish format and will feature about 20 knock down targets per stage. Stage design will recount scenes from the great Sioux War of 1876 including; Reno's valley fight and Water Carriers Ravine and Last Stand Hill. Round counts will be dependent on the number of times the shooter needs to shoot at each target to get it to fall. 100 rounds at least would be a good plan. This is a match that participants say truly needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

Shooters will be able to sight in their rifles on Thursday and Friday afternoon and evening. Sighting in your rifles for the distances used is STRONGLY encouraged.

Long Range Rifle will be 100-300yds. on armor so full power jacketed bullets are fine for it.

This muster will be a primative camping event. We will have a tent city and I have tentage for about 10 individuals if you don't have your own contact me, I can help. We should be easily able to get photos without anything modern in them. We should have plenty of time to sit around the campfire and visit.

The average high temperature in this area on June 27th is 84 degrees

I've attached a FAQ sheet and a suggested equipment list.

Thursday June 23
All Day-Check in
7:00- Breakfast
8:30-12:00 Squad Leader/Range Master Shoot Through
1:00-Completion Rifle Sight in

Friday, June 24
All Day- Check-In
7:00- Breakfast
8:00-8:30- Morning Colors/Mandatory Shooter's Meeting
8:30– 6:00 Side Matches (EEM, EEM Long Range, EEM Sidearm), The Command will be split into 3 Squads to complete the side matches.
12:00– Lunch
Sight in targets will be available after lunch.
6:00-Supper
8:30- Retreat

Saturday, June 25  
7:00- Breakfast
8:00-8:30- Morning Colors/Mandatory Shooter's Meeting
8:30– 6:00 Main Matches (Including Long Range & the Sidearm matches)
12:00– Lunch
7:30- Formal Banquet  Retreat following

Sunday, June 26
7:00- Breakfast
8:00-8:30- Morning Colors/Mandatory Shooter's Meeting
8:30-12:00- Complete Last Stand Hill Stage and any other stages not completed
12:30– 1:30- Lunch
2:00- Awards & Final Muster

We expect to run 4 Squads shooting concurrently. Each squad will cycle through 3 of the main matches, the long range match and the sidearm match on Saturday. The Long Range Match and the Precision Pistol Match will each be treated as a stage. We will run ahead of schedule if possible.

[Quick Fire]

You can count me in General, Sir, and once again I will be there early if you need my help.

Respectfully;

Quick Fire

[Pitspitr]

It worked really well having the RO's shoot through early this year. I really appreciated your help and would appreciate it again next year!

[Delmonico]

I plan on showing up Monday next year rather than my normal Tuesday.   When we get closer I'll start a seperate theard so we can keep a head count on how many are going to be there those days.   

Smaller groups give me more flexibility to make some different dishes than when we have larger crowds so be thinking of some ideas.

[Drydock]

Just to reemphasize, you do not need a uniform to shoot.  You got the guns, you're good to go.  You show up in shorts and a tee shirt, we'll give you a flat cap, call 'em knickers, and make you a very elderly aggressive newsboy!   Check out the 1884 uniform thread for a very easy, affordable uniform.   

[River City John]

As always, anyone who can make it to Omaha by sundown, Wednesday, June 22nd, I'll put you up in my Road Ranch and we can caravan, or double/triple up, on the trek into Sargent the following day. Includes feeding you dinner and breakfast.

If flying into Omaha, I'll pick you up and drop you off at Epply Airport as needed..


RCJ

[Pitspitr]

My Quartermaster and I had a long discussion last evening and we have some really cool ideas for at least 3 of the 4 main stages based on the Little Bighorn Battle (yes Drydock, LOTS of pistol targets  ) 

[Drydock]

Well, it's not that I don't trust you . . .

[Pitspitr]

....We now return to our regularly scheduled programing. 

I just talked with Theresa at the Wildlife Inn at Taylor and spoke for a few rooms. I cannot emphasize this enough, this is a very big weekend for the motels in the area as it the weekend that the schools at Burwell and Sargent hold all their class reunions. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT WANT A MOTEL ROOM CALL AND BOOK IT NOW!
The phone number for the Wildlife Inn at Taylor is 308-942-6234. If they aren't available to take your call leave a message, they will call back.

[OklaTom]

....We now return to our regularly scheduled programing. 

I just talked with Theresa at the Wildlife Inn at Taylor and spoke for a few rooms. I cannot emphasize this enough, this is a very big weekend for the motels in the area as it the weekend that the schools at Burwell and Sargent hold all their class reunions. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT WANT A MOTEL ROOM CALL AND BOOK IT NOW!
The phone number for the Wildlife Inn at Taylor is 308-942-6234. If they aren't available to take your call leave a message, they will call back.

Pitspitr,
We are a whole year out.  If you could bump the Muster a week later, Mark and I would be better equipped to come again.  First, I cannot camp - too much ortho problems.  Also, it is back to back with the NCOWS National Shoot, which is pretty much mandatory for us Senators and Officers.  Driving 15 hours each way back to back was really rough on us.  Just a thought.  I may  not be able to make it if you cannot bump it a week to avoid the problems with the class reunions and such.  I really liked the Comstock!  And we totally had a great time at the muster 2015!

[Pitspitr]

Pitspitr,
We are a whole year out.  If you could bump the Muster a week later, Mark and I would be better equipped to come again.  First, I cannot camp - too much ortho problems.  Also, it is back to back with the NCOWS National Shoot, which is pretty much mandatory for us Senators and Officers.  Driving 15 hours each way back to back was really rough on us.  Just a thought.  I may  not be able to make it if you cannot bump it a week to avoid the problems with the class reunions and such.  I really liked the Comstock!  And we totally had a great time at the muster 2015!

I understand the problem the timing of the Muster creates for our NCOWS members. We lose Dusty Tagalon every other year for this reason. It seems I'm really between a rock and a hard place on the timing of the Muster. When I first started hosting the Dept. of the Missouri Muster 5 years ago it was in the middle of July. Every year we had to deal with 105+ temps. after a couple of years we voted to move the time up to try to catch a little cooler temperatures. At the time we talked to the NCOWS members who were attending and asked for their thoughts. We ended up selecting the last weekend in June to try to stay as far away from NCOWS Nationals as possible while still staying in June. I can't move it up to May as I work in a school and we don't get out until late May. I can't move it back to August because I'm getting computers ready to go for the next year. If I go to the July 4th weekend I'm not sure I could survive the mutiny at home. We always have several family functions that weekend including one of my daughter's birthday and picnics. My wife feels like her patience with my shooting is stretched to the limit as it is. On the other hand the 4th of July weekend would give folks an extra day to travel and I knew that so I asked my staff for their opinion before you ever mentioned it. They were of the position that if we don't leave it set at the same weekend every year we'll end up losing people because they'll never be sure just when it is. Even if we did change it, it would only be for 1 year as I already have the Comstock booked for 2017.

[OklaTom]

I get the timing issue.  Thanks for considering.  If I can get a room booked at Wildlife in Taylor, Mark and I will be there.

[Jake C]

Well, I don't think it's likely that I'll be able to compete, but if there'd be a tent available, I'd happily pay just for the chance to come out for a day or two, watch, meet everyone, and enjoy a bit of a road trip there and back. Might bring the Missus, if thats okay with you all. I'd likely have a uniform by then, though she'll be in modern civvies.

[pony express]

Come on out, visiting is free(except for the food).

[Pitspitr]

Sounds like the Wildlife Inn at Taylor is fully booked for the weekend now by GAF members.

If you're still looking for close motels you might want to check with the Crest motel in Taylor at (308) 942-3430

[Pitspitr]

Well, I don't think it's likely that I'll be able to compete, but if there'd be a tent available,...

I have a couple of Dog Tents. I'm short a few poles or I could put up the Teepee

[cpt dan blodgett]

If she who must be obeyed agrees we may be able to make it next year finally.  We want to go to Montana and Alaska with the 5r.  Having a sister in Stevensville Montana, I even have a safe place to stash my guns safely if I do not want to go thru the hassle of doing the canadian and american forms to get them out of the country across canada back in to the US and repeat on the way back.

This is all predicated on an out of sight place to park the 5r and she who wont sleep in a tent or walk to an outhouse in the middle of the night.

Does such a spot exist on the range?

[Major 2]

Capt.,

I can relate & sympathize  

The "SHE" Commandant ....set such conditional constraints on my pack.....

Port O let's were unapproachable, unacceptable and my undoing .... It had to flush & it had to be HERS ...so yeah !

Tenting tonight.... "SHE tried it the once..NOPE !  ... The final was the Horse transporter, was 28' Living quarters , with Shower , sink  & commode.

I was pretty much OK with it though... after  25 years of out of the saddle & or Tenting ....the last 5-6 years were OK to retire to the
LQ with queen bed....complete with QUEEN !  

[pony express]

Cpt Blodgett, It is possible to get a 5th wheel up there, has been done before. But it has to be dry to do it, and dry for it to go down. I guess if "she" wanted a private campground, you could park at the parking area at the canyons where we shoot the EEM stage.

[Delmonico]

Cpt Blodgett, It is possible to get a 5th wheel up there, has been done before. But it has to be dry to do it, and dry for it to go down. I guess if "she" wanted a private campground, you could park at the parking area at the canyons where we shoot the EEM stage.

I bet Jerry wouldn't mind using his yard also and maybe the lovely Mrs. Pitspiter would invite her in for tea.