Muzzleloading Pistol Program Proposal

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NRA Muzzleloading Pistol Qualification Program

Muzzleloading Pistol Program Proposal

One activity OSC currently does not offer is an opportunity to learn about and participate in organized muzzleloading pistol shooting.  While there is a limited opportunity to use black powder cap & ball revolvers during cowboy action events, the club does not have a formal program to instruct or promote this activity. 

I propose first to determine the level of interest in a muzzleloading pistol program, and second, if there is sufficient interest, to explore and establish a limited formal program.

The muzzleloading revival is probably the most unexpected development in the shooting sports during the last few decades.  Thousands of Americans are returning to those times, centuries ago, when black powder was first developed and muzzleloading firearms were the height of progress and technology.  They experience tradition, history, and a link to our American past by participating in Civil War "skirmishes," formal target matches, frontier "rendezvous," novelty matches, informal turkey shoots, and big game hunts with muzzleloading firearms.

-- NRA Marksmanship Qualification (Muzzleloading Firearms) web page

Schedule

For the initial program I propose a monthly schedule beginning in late spring and concluding in early fall, shooting on a preferred weekday evening or on a preferred weekend afternoon.  Both times face potential conflict with other scheduled club activities.  (It's nice to have an active membership in an active club!)  Event activities would require about an hour of range time.

Programs

Since we have no formal program and most likely a club full of beginners, I propose we start with the NRA Marksmanship Qualification program for muzzleloading pistol.  This informal program involves bullseye-style shooting at 25 and 50 yards, 10 shots at each range.  This program can accommodate both single-shot (flintlock or percussion cap ignition) pistols and cap-and-ball revolvers.  Required time to shoot the course is about an hour.  Aside from acquiring black powder pistol loading stands and the proper targets and establishing the proper range safety procedures, the club is already set up for this program on the bullseye range.

An action program can involve a variety of shooting events.  Scaled-down versions of  a cowboy action stage, or a PPC-style action string, or a rack of steel plates are all available for adaptation to muzzleloading pistol events.  These programs are limited to the cap-and-ball revolver shooters.  Although it's hardly an "action" event, one program open to both single-shot pistol and cap-and-ball revolver shooters is a "long-range" silhouette-style shoot, involving a limited number of targets, of course.  An action stage could be conducted alternately with qualification shooting or, with sufficient range supervision, offered as a supplement to qualification shooting.  The club has the facilities for all these programs; the primary limitations to adapting these events to the muzzleloader are the extreme times required to load the firearm and range safety procedures.

Depending on the response and experience of potential participants, a program we might consider is an instructional workshop to introduce muzzleloading pistol shooting to potential upstarts.  I consider myself a beginner, but the club has several members who are quite experienced.  I'm not aware of any members who are certified muzzleloading pistol instructors.

Costs

Club:  Costs to the club are minimal and limited to regular range usage expenses.  Our ranges are already set up for these programs, and we would require no additional equipment purchases which could not be covered by event fees.  We will definitely not be using the indoor range!

Program:  Costs for program administration include qualification targets, supplies, score sheets/cards, recordkeeping, optional awards, and limited advertising.  All of these expenses should be financed by event fees.  One unique equipment item which I consider essential is a pistol loading stand for each shooter.  We can build these stands ourselves and reimburse the construction costs over time through event fees, charge a rental fee for each usage, or encourage each participant to finance the cost in advance (i.e., purchase the stand).

Participants:  Costs to participants per event can be kept small, consistent with current range usage fees.  Considering that we'll likely shoot only 20-30 rounds, I'd guess a base event fee of  $2.  Optional awards can be financed by the individual participants.

Event Fee Distribution

Program Administration	50%
Club Range Usage	50%

Program Equipment Needs

Interest Survey

If you are interested in establishing and participating in a muzzleloading pistol program, please visit the survey page.  Poll results will be compiled at the end of December in time for any decisions to be announced at the January meeting.

Send additional comments and your program ideas to Eric.

OSC Special Events Committee

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