Shooting events fun for all

Last week, I mentioned I was planning to attend the 1000-point blackpowder pistol match held at the Palmer shooting range. I made it, but didn’t shoot, for a couple of reasons.

First, I was late getting there on Saturday and couldn’t attend on Sunday. So getting all the matches fired was not a possibility. Second, I haven’t shot my muzzleloading handguns since the same match last year. So my chances of shooting any match well were slim and none.

What I did do was serve as the range safety officer (RSO) for the afternoon, so the guys who really wanted to shoot could – it’s very difficult to run a relay at the same time you’re shooting a match during that same relay.

As the RSO, while I was responsible for keeping the times and for the safety of the line, I still got to watch everybody shoot. I could study various shooting techniques folks used, how they loaded their firearms using different techniques for the different styles of guns used, and the various types of loading equipment on the loading line.

As a result, I was able to get one of the shooters to commit to building me a pistol-loading stand patterned after a style developed by one of the pioneer Alaskan blackpowder shooters who only recently passed away. In fact, I just picked up the solid oak board needed to do the work this morning, as I write this.

Now I just need to call Rob and make arrangements to get the material to him. I have seen some of Rob’s handiwork, and he does a very nice job.

Something else I was able to do was finally pick up the medals I won at last year’s Alaska Territorial Match, another National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association-sanctioned (NMLRA) event held annually in Alaska. I had other commitments and couldn’t attend the day the medals were handed out and, to be honest, I didn’t think I shot well enough to earn any medals anyway.

As it turned out, I took third place in all three rifled musket matches and an overall third place for the aggregate itself. That’s four medals!

I also took a first and three thirds in the blackpowder cartridge aggregate, along with a third-place overall for that aggregate, too. That’s another five medals!

Several of the other shooters at that territorial did better than I did, but I was tickled to learn I won nine medals when I had figured I didn’t win any at all. I trust you’ll understand and overlook this old shooter’s slightly inflated ego as I write this?

Several of the guys have large boxes full of medals they’ve won over the years in various shooting matches both here in Alaska and in other states as well. One of the guys had won so many medals, he started giving the older ones back so they could be recycled for future matches. Of course he continues to win handfuls of medals at every shoot anyway.

I’m not that good, haven’t been shooting that long here in Alaska, and don’t normally shoot as many matches as this gentleman. I don’t have a large box full of medals. My medal box is more like a shoebox for someone with very small feet. I’ve got other plans for my medals besides giving them back.

The thought occurred to me that I could either buy or make some nice wooden plaques sized to hold the number of medals I’ve won at each year’s territorial that I’ve attended. I could then arrange the medals for display, identified by match, aggregate, and year. With a nice brass plate containing the pertinent information on each year’s display plaque, I’d have a nice set to hang on the walls down in my “man cave” in the basement.

I hate to admit it, but I can see the time eventually coming when the memories will become the big thing and shooting and winning medals will happen much less frequently. The display plaques will help trigger those memories and, who knows, somebody visiting my cave might even get the mistaken impression I actually know how to shoot!

This year’s Alaska Territorial Match is scheduled for July 10-13 at the Upper Susitna Shooters Association range at Mile 94 Parks Highway, about five miles before the Talkeetna turnoff. Stop by if you’re in the neighborhood and watch the fun!