It’ll be close to 2-years now since I last saw Buck at our Winnemucca get together. The only gun he had to shoot at the board shoot was his old Snider .577. He was on our side and I remember how each shot took a big chunk out of the board. Just after his last shot, Cindy knocked it over by shooting the top. We won!
Not too long after that, we got the news that Buck had passed away. Boy, just like that! The guys on the board got together and made an inventory of his shooting stuff, agreed on some prices and put it up for sale at gun shows thru Don (Obbssd1958) primarily.
Since I live close, I went over to Don’s & had a look. I bought a few items but nothing too spectacular until the other day at our weekly coffee meeting. I have been hoarding my shekels to the point where I saw my way clear to buy the old Snider. It came with some dies & a box of other essentials along with some black powder loads.
Went to the range yesterday & set up a target at 50 yds. to see where it hit. After the smoke cleared, I saw a big white mark where the red dot used to be in the target. The next two hit within 2” of that. The boolit was an Accurate Arms 59-430B and I’ll have to get the load pulled to see what amount of holy black he used. The next shot was at the 100 yd. steel hanging plate. I remember the last time at Winnemucca, him saying “Just aim at the top of that plate.” I did and hit it twice. Yesterday was a repeat of my Winnemucca experience. That big old slug really makes those plates dance.
So Buck, wherever you are, I hope you’re happy and that you’re setting at some ethereal bench showing some British soldier from bygone days how to shoot and load for a Snider. I promise to take good care of your gun while I’m here.