Froze to Death Match

[BPCR Bill]

As promised on an earlier thread last month. here are some photos of the Froze To Death Match, held annually, January 1st, at Yellowstone Rifle Club, Billings, Montana. Match Director George Grossi. We were fortunate enough for the brutal temps experienced earlier in December to have abated somewhat, and it was a balmy, if somewhat snowy, 20 degrees. This is a fun "Half-Cocked" sillouhete match, with a $2.00 entry fee. This year we had the 300 meter "Pig Blast" as well as Chicken bowling at 300 meters. The Pig Blast consists of a 2 shooter team shooting offhand at one bank of 5 pigs. Each shooter is allowed 5 rounds. Another 2 shooter team shoots at the other 5 pigs at the same time. The team that has the most pigs down after 10 rounds wins. This is a side match with another $2.00 per shooter going into a winners pot. The Chicken Bowling is just that. 10 chickens set up like bowling pins, $2 entry fee. Each shooter gets 2 shots to see how many chickens will go down. Let's just say there were no strikes, and no spares were picked up. We had a pot-luck lunch with Chili, beans, wild game sausage, smoked salmon, coffee, hot apple cider, crackers and assorted cheeses.

[jhrosier]

Bill,
That sounds like a good time. I wish I was closer to Montana ( a lot closer.)
I like the idea of 'pig bowling' and other unusual fun matches.
Back in the day, before black powder shooting got way too organised, a bunch of us used to have impromptu shoots like that. Balloons hung from strings, playing cards set edgewise, and splitting a boolit on an axehead provided hours of fun and much good natured ribbing.
Thanks for reminding me of thoses times.

Jack

[BPCR Bill]

Bill,
That sounds like a good time. I wish I was closer to Montana ( a lot closer.)
I like the idea of 'pig bowling' and other unusual fun matches.
Back in the day, before black powder shooting got way too organised, a bunch of us used to have impromptu shoots like that. Balloons hung from strings, playing cards set edgewise, and splitting a boolit on an axehead provided hours of fun and much good natured ribbing.
Thanks for reminding me of thoses times.

Jack

Jack, we all pontificate and get a little too serious about our shooting sometimes. Believe me, some of the guys that shoot that little match are some serious competitors, but we all know at the end of the day, it's all in fun, and we have our share of good natured ribbing. I moved out here to Oregon a few years back and I really miss shooting with the fellas on a regular basis, so I try to get back there when I can. I have new shooting friends here now, but those guys just can't seem to equate cold and miserable with fun!

Regards,
Bill

[Boz330]

Me either on the, "cold, miserable = fun", but 20 ain't all that bad. -20 = I'll guard the Chili for you he-men.
The chicken bowling sounds like fun.

Bob

[cajun shooter]

Some people have all the fun! Here in Louisiana we are in the 80's and running AC. Will be 48 on Saturday morning when we have a SASS match. We will have to bundle up from that serious cold front, don't know what to wear. Ha! Ha!

[Southern Son]

Bill,
I am sure that if we showed those photos to a head shrink he would be able to prove that laying around in that kind of weather is for the craziest of people. Having said that, 2 days ago here it was 40 degrees (Celcius) and about 90% humidity. I think that I would gladly go out in the snow like that that bake in the sun. Like a mate of mine once said "if you are cold, put on a warm jacket, if you get hot, what do you put on then?"

[Boerrancher]

For years here on the Farm that I now live on, we had our own rifle range and every Sunday afternoon from the first of April until the first weekend in Nov there would be anywhere from 8 to 20 people sitting around waiting to shoot. Most of the time it wasn't black powder nor cast boolits but it was still shooting none the less, and there were some who showed up that took their shooting serious. If someone came that was a bit too serious Dad or one of the Regulars would just hand my mother a rifle and have her sit down at the bench. When they would pull her target those who were too serious would most often times leave. It bothered them to be out shot by a woman. The regulars there knew she could shoot and would use her to test fire target rifles to check their accuracy. If she couldn't shoot a tight group with it it was the rifle or sights and not the shooter. I use to as a kid get tickled as grown men would throw a fit like a little kid and leave because a woman would out shoot them. Those that did were never invited back, as it was my mother who mostly took care of the range and kept it in shape while dad worked, so the regulars viewed it as "Her Range" I am working on rebuilding it this winter, as someone stole the shooting bench and target frames while I was away in Afghanistan. It must have taken some work as they were set in concrete.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[BPCR Bill]

Souther Son, take heart. Al Lee hosts a 1000 Yard State Championship match in Montana after the Quigley every year, in July. About 6 years ago it reached 127 degrees (F) during the match. After firing an 8 shot string, I checked my barrel temperature with a laser temp reader. It was 158 degrees. There are some pretty impressive temperature swings in that state. I'd rather shoot in the winter, as long as I can see the target. The wife and I have been talking about a trip to Australia in the next few years, and I'd love to shoot with some of you mates sometime!

Regards,
Bill

[Gellot Wilde]

That looks cold, fun......but cold.

[wisconsin]

that is a GREAT idea

[Andy_P]

Great pics.

Our "Winter Milshoot" is coming up on 24 Jan. We sometimes get more competitors to it than our Spring or Fall Milshoots. We reduce the shots from 50 to 20 as it can typically be below zero, and it's always windy. I think it's so popular because by Jan, it has been a few weeks since some guys shot, and Cabin Fever has set in.

[Southern Son]

Bill, if you let me know where you are thinking of going, I may be able to help with finding you a range in the area (one of the "benifits" of my job is moving around, alot). There ain't much in the way of touristy things to do around where I am now (unless you like looking at a BIG hole in the ground), but we do have a reasonable range.

[NickSS]

I have competed in every weather condition including blinding snow storms (that match was called after the 300 yard event at we could not see the targets at 600 yards) but they are always fun. Where I live now we do not have the cold weather of Montana but I have shot in sunny Alaska in Febrary at 25 below zero so I know what fun that is.

[Frank46]

Just got finished looking at the nice pics of your chicken shoot. Lived in new york for most of my life so was no stranger to cold and snow. However, now living in louisiana and my first comment was "Oh my aching knees" But looks like a good time was had by all and that's what counts. Frank

[Wayne Smith]

Bill,
I am sure that if we showed those photos to a head shrink he would be able to prove that laying around in that kind of weather is for the craziest of people. Having said that, 2 days ago here it was 40 degrees (Celcius) and about 90% humidity. I think that I would gladly go out in the snow like that that bake in the sun. Like a mate of mine once said "if you are cold, put on a warm jacket, if you get hot, what do you put on then?"

THIS shrink was out at the range shooting on the coldest day of the year here. Of course it was just below freezing, not all that cold. My best friend is from Chicago and hunts in Wisconsin, I invited him to meet me there, predicted we'd be the only ones. We were!. Oh, yeah, we were shooting the Cape gun, BP 10.5x47R.

[BPCR Bill]

I'm glad you fellows liked the pics and the idea behind it. Like I said, I'd much rather shoot in the cold and snow, than the rain that I had left behind in Oregon. At least the rifles weren't soaked and rusting.. Just have to be careful to keep a blowtube in the chamber between relays to keep the snow out.

[unclebill]

love it!




Ive been in a few small bore silhouette matches with single digit temps and plenty of snow.
i remember one where every person on the line(yeah we had lady shooters believe it or not!) looked at each other and started laughing.

we were waiting for a pause in the sideways snow gusts so we could see what we were shooting at!

[BPCR Bill]

unclebill, we did have two lady shooters out there braving the cold with us!

Regards,
Bill

[John Boy]

Bill, ya want to hear a rant? You guys in the West have all the fun!
Here on the Right Coast, BPCR matches and fun shoots are few compared to the Left Coast States

Cold as it was - must have been a Fun Time!
Thanks for the pictures

[BPCR Bill]

John, I feel yer pain. I moved out here to Western Oregon a few years ago, (wife was homesick), and there are very few places to practice the craft, especially at long range. I have to drive to Central Oregon now, a 3 hour drive to shoot at long range or even silhouette. I just hope that when the wife retires she'll approve of moving back to Montana. I have made some good shooting friends out here, and that is a plus, but it sucks when you can't just drive a few miles on a Sunday morning to shoot.

Regards,
"Left Coast" Bill