Letters from Readers
column By: Staff | December, 21
Has the Time Come?
Dear Editor,
As an avid BPCR shooter, competitor and match director, I am wondering if the time is right for the formation of some type of BPCR organization. In the past, we have relied on the NRA to provide rules, keep track of records, run national matches and support local, state, and regional matches. I do not believe the NRA can be counted on to provide these services in the future.
I propose we form a board of five members from various places across the U.S. to work in stride with the 22 BPCRA and the BPTRA to provide services to BPCR sports, specifically BPCR silhouette. We would provide a uniform set of rules, keep track of records, provide score books, and put on a National Championship. I really don’t think it would have to be all that big of a deal, it just needs to be something to hold us all together. I fear without some type of structure, our sport will dwindle.
I welcome all thoughts and comments. Please direct them to SmithmoorRange@gmail.com or give me a call at 307-630-6816. I would especially like to hear from anyone that would be interested in helping or serving on this board.
Thank you for your consideration,
Cody L. Smith
Carpenter, Wyoming
Comment on Moritz Article
Dear Editor,
Competitive shooters, if you skimmed over it, I think you should take a second look at Rick Moritz’s article on “An Incremental Load Development Method.” What Rick has done is used a statistical method to look at what’s called “residuals,” which is a way to look at patterns in data using the standard deviations. I’m not talking about the science or stats that the politicians have been pulling out of their backside for the past year. Rick shows us the actual data displayed graphically so you can see the pattern.
So you say, “Big deal.” He’s showing you how to find the sweet spot in your rifle/load without the labor of doing a full ladder test, hence the power of statistics done correctly. This means in 13 shots, per his Test 1, he found the sweet spot versus expending an additional 117 shots downrange in a full ladder test at 10 shots per load. I happen to think it is a big deal.
Granted, you should still run 10 shots on the target sweet spot, or even 10 additional shots on each side of the suspected sweet spot to validate your test, but you’re still way ahead in time and resource analysis. If you’re still saying, “So what,” here’s one last question. Is it easier for you to maintain your laser match focus when shooting the 13 test rounds of the ILDM method, or can you maintain that level of focus during your full ladder test of 130 rounds? Before you answer, remember you should shoot your string on the same day under the same conditions.
Thanks, Rick, for this gift to shooters.
Larry Baker Jr.
SPG Sales
Kirksville, Missouri
Hodgdon Ceases Black Powder Manufacture
Dear Editor,
Effective immediately, Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc. has made the decision to cease manufacturing operations at the company’s Camp Minden, Louisiana, site while evaluating strategic options for the black-powder business.
The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process on the future of the black-powder business takes place. Strategic options for the GOEX and Olde Eynsford brands of black powder, along with the manufacturing capabilities, will include a potential sale of the business. All affected employees will be retained through December 31, 2021, to assist in an orderly closing of the site and receive severance commensurate with their years of service to the company.
The Hodgdon Powder Co., Inc has been honored to have been a part of the GOEX Powder legacy and sustains a fond appreciation for sporting customers who have enjoyed shooting GOEX powders.
About Hodgdon Powder Company, Inc.
Established in 1947 by Bruce and Amy Hodgdon, today, sons J.B. and Bob have grown Hodgdon Powder Company into the largest US supplier of smokeless, black powder and black powder substitute propellants. The company distributes gunpowder under the Hodgdon®, IMR®, Ramshot®, Accurate®, Winchester®, Pyrodex®, Triple Seven®, Blackhorn 209® and GOEX® brands.
Learn more about the brands at these websites – www.Hodgdon.com, www.IMRPowder.com, www.WinchesterPowder.com, www.Ramshot.com, www.AccuratePowder.com, or www.GoexPowder.com and connect with the Hodgdon brand on Facebook or YouTube.
What are the Odds?
While attending the 18th Annual Shiloh Invitational rifle match (typically, I would say “shooting” but considering the way I shot, “attending” is more appropriate), I was walking down the line, when Tor Pederson from Livingston, Montana, hollered at me saying, “Hey, Lon, you’re shooting a High Wall musket exactly like mine!” I walked over to Tor and said, “No kidding?” He grabbed his rifle out of the gun vise, and showed it to me, and except for his MVA scope, the two rifles, his and mine, were dead ringers. Mine has an MVA Soule Schuetzen rear sight. I asked Tor “Does yours have the “A” suffix on the rear of the lower tang?” Tor rolled it over and sure enough it has the “A” suffix. I got to looking and noticed his serial number was 118,456, which kind of looked familiar. I walked down to the “War Wagon” (my pickup), picked up my musket, and wandered back up to Tor’s. I rolled mine over to look at my serial number and was stunned! Tor came around, looked at my rifle’s serial number, and said, “I don’t believe it!” My rifle was 118458… just one rifle apart! So, what are the odds, that two rifles, more than likely manufactured on the same day, more than a 100 years ago, would show up at a shoot in Montana, competing against each other, also on the same day, and reside less than 100 miles apart?
The Shiloh Rifle Companies Annual Invitational Match is a four-day shooting extravaganza, held in mid-September annually. It is limited to 64 shooters, with appropriate spotters, consisting of a .22 BPCR Silhouette Match on Day One. Day Two consists of challenging (which is an understatement) Long Range Match of various gongs from roughly 350-yards to a life-sized buffalo at something over 1,100 yards and hidden in a small opening in the brush on a hill with a seven-degree incline. Most targets are strategically positioned to be very difficult to see and mostly impossible to see bullet strikes. Days Three and Four are the hallmark matches of the shoot consisting of 40-round BPCR Silhouette matches on each day. The state-of-the-art range is owned by the Bryan family, the same owners of the Shiloh Rifle Company and located on their ranch near Reed Point, Montana. The match is invitational, with the previous year’s shooters given priority. There are openings, and if you are interested call the Shiloh Rifle Company Office and ask for details.
Lon Morris
Roberts, Montana