International Lawn Steel shooting

[Pee Wee]

Yes, Michael, Orville is all in and has sucked me in with him. I love this game.
see you at the range
Keith

[DukeInFlorida]

I have been trying to figure out a way to get a casting workshop going down here.
When I lived in New England, I had NES to work as the place to spread the good news.
Maybe I need to contact Derek, and create SES (South East Shooters), and develop the site first. Dunno.....

However, I have already taught a few of the guys in lawnsteel some refinements for the smelting process. Most of them have a good handle on the boolit casting part.

Michael, we have to get you on the line, shooting lawnsteel. You have to make a special trip!!!

i'm jealous
i can say that i've seen duke's work first hand. If he gets his grip on lawn steel (or lawn steel gets its grip on him??) he's going to push to make it the best he can and bring in tons of new people.
he did amazing things for new and veteran casters in the new england area while he was here. i'ms sure he's going to put his usual effort in to lawn steel and casting down there.
keep it up guys. i love reading about the game

[Michael J. Spangler]

i wish. maybe i can plan it for next year.
i would love to get down there and play the game. it seems like the type of game I would create if i had the creative juices.

[DukeInFlorida]

To assist the newer shooters, and some of the older guys who are looking for additional Contenders, here is a list of serial numbers, and when they were made.

Blued T/C Contender

Jan. - June / July - Dec

1967 1001-2250
1968 2251 - 3060 3061 - 4330
1969 4331 - 7500 7501 - 11075
1970 11076 - 14501 14502 - 15360
1971 15361 - 16850 16851 - 17885
1972 17886 - 19800 19801 - 22400
1973 22401 - 24750 24751 - 27090
1974 27091 - 30100 30101 - 34500
1975 34501 - 38401 38402 - 47890
1976 47891 - 60670 60671 - 67875
1977 67876 - 74825 74826 - 80398
1978 80399 - 91872 91873 - 108344
1979 108345 - 133856 133857 - 153636
1980 153637 - 169090 169091 - 173516
1981 173517 - 181663 181664 - 196703
1982 196704 - 208412 208413 - 220806
1983 220807 - 227176 227177 - 234850
1984 234851 - 246791 246792 - 256525
1985 256526 - 265000 265001 - 273800
1986 273801 - 287000 287001 - 297200
1987 297201 - 310599 310600 - 317099
1988 317100 - 327999 328000 - 335200
1989 335201 - 351700 351701 - 357200
1990 357201 - 366900 366901 - 370677
1991 370678 - 382852 382853 - 386697
1992 386698 - 399679 399680 - 407884
1993 407885 - 411796 411797 - 418410
1994 418411 - 427890 427891 - 430597
1995 430598 - 435934 435935 - 438365
1996 438366 - 443306 443307 - 446201
1997 446202 - 446735 446736 - 450227
1997 was last year of production for "Gen 1" Contenders

Generation 2 Serial Numbers
1998 450228 - 452512 452513 - 453321
1999 453322 - 455590 455591 - 456568
2000 456569 -

[gatortommy]

[QUOTE=DukeInFlorida;3096557]Just a follow up (since we haven't had one in a while.)

Gator Tommy came down from near Jacksonville, and shot with us. Took him about one and a half games to get his gun tuned for the game and then he started shooting well. He did OK for the remainder of the morning. We had a bunch of shooters that Wednesday, and we took turns sitting out, so that Tommy could shoot all four games. He said that he came great distance to shoot, and we sure allowed him to trade nickels. He hasn't checked in since he shot with us. I trust that he had fun.

I had a blast and am hoping to return soon, maybe this week. I've been busy stockpiling nickels and sighting in the 625 a little better. I think I've got it where it needs to be now. I also picked up a Contender and have been working on Lawnsteel loads in .357. Next time I come down, I'll bring both.

Tom

[Pee Wee]

That's great that you found a contender, if you go back in the theard you will see what loads and boolits to use. also use the same headstamp for all your brass. It makes a difference. glad you had a good time hope to see you soon. Eddie and I just picked up our second contenders, mine was made the first year 1967 and only shot a few times. Eddie got one that was made in 1995 and has never been shot, brand new in the box with all paper work and tags and bands still on it. We were both like little kids with a new toy.
Can't wait to shoot it on Wed.
We have completed our metal building and now we can store all of our equipment at the Range and not be carrying it back and forth every week. We have had about 4 new shooters in the last month. I love not being the ***.
I love this Game.
see you at the range
Keith

[DukeInFlorida]

GatorTommy, I was worried that we hadn't heard from you since your visit. I'm delighted that you had fun, and will be joining us again.
Please PM me your email address, and I will be sure to add you to the mailing list for newsletters, shoot dates, etc....

We're shooting this Sunday, Feb1st, which is StupidBowl Sunday. Assemble at the normal 8 AM for steel set up. Shooting begins by 9 AM.
Next shoot date is Wednesday, Feb 4th. Same assembly time. We shoot every Wednesday.
The next Sunday shoot date is Feb 22nd.

The club is holding a nationally televised shoot on March 20, 21, and 22 (S&W National Steel Shoot!), and the club will be making final range preparations the prior week. So, we will be gathering at Fast Eddie's place in Deland for shooting on March 18th. That info will be included in the next newsletter.

[Pee Wee]

well, lets see now, a lot has been going on since I last posted. We have erected our shed, we have put up a 10X12 shed to keep our equipment and shooting supplies in. That was a job as we had to put it in a spot that was flooded. Eddie went home and brought back a small front end loader and moved the dirt we needed to build up the earth so we could get the building up high enough to keep it from being flooded. We have had several new shooters come to try their hand a lawnsteel shooting. Two have purchased Contenders and are getting the bug to start casting and loading their own boolits. I have my 38 dialed in and have been shooting really good, Orville and I are working on loads for our 44. we are loading 44 special brass instead of mag. brass and are using Trailboss powder. He is loading 5.0 grains and I have to still do some crono work on my load, as 5.0 is still a little over what We are shooting for(810fps) 5.0 is at 819fps in my gun, so I have loaded up 4.8 and 4.9 and will crono tomorrow, I am thinking that 4.9 is going to be the one. will post results when I have the final number. Orville is going to have some surgery on his abd. seems he has a abdomial hernia, he pulled it when we were building the foundation for the shed, he has not been able to do much for about a month now and you know that if he does not shoot that something is wrong. He thought he had a kidney stone, but when he went to the hospital they did a ct and found the hernia. It is great to not be the new guy I have actually become a nickle grubber. althought Wed, I almost shot a perfect game to turn around and foul 4 times in the next game. Oh well, as Rob says, at least I knocked down a target. We will be shooting this sunday, can't wait.
untill then see you at the range
Keith

[Pee Wee]

Went over to Eddies yesterday and cronoed the 44 loads of 4.8 and 4.9. The 4.9 loads are the ones. the mean was 809.5/ cant ask for anybetter than that. I loaded up a batch and will be shooting those today. The Internation Lawnsteel shooters Assoc. is offically back. If you are intrested in starting up a branch in your area you can leave a message here and someone can get you the information on how to do that. well got to get ready to go shoot the game, I love this game.
see you at the range
Keith

[DukeInFlorida]

ILSA is officially accepting applications for membership. It also has a new board of directors, all of which will be announced in the next newsletter, as soon as Slow Roy (he's having a Dickens of a time with his brand new brass. Lots of hangfires, causing lots of fouls. Great for the others... Not so good for EvilRoy... er... um... I mean Slow Roy (slow to catch on and catch up)......

Some of the ILSA guys have come to take my formal reloading class. What, you say?? Guys who have been successfully reloading for Lawnsteel for a long time taking a reloading class? Yes, they are reporting that they have learned some "advanced knowledge" and that it's made their shooting even better. And, given them skills for building rifle cartridges, which they had little or no experience with.

[Pee Wee]

Its been a while since I have posted, one of the new guys mentioned that to me yesterday. I have both of my contenders shooting very well. They are right on the number that they need to be and I have been shooting very well. In a game we usally shoot 18 rounds a game give or take. in the three games that I played on wed. I hit 15 out of 18 shots per game. I am very happy with that. I am acutally coming home with more nickels than I came with. I have not yet shot a perfect game. maybe next time. We have gotten 2 new shooter that are regulars and have 2 more that are looking for contenders and geting the bug to get in the game. We also have a couple others that played and are also looking for a pistol to play the game with. If we continue to grow, we are going to need another Lawnsteel range.
I took Orvilles reloading class and learned several things about reloading that I did not know. Time well spent. Good class, Great Teacher. He has been having some issues with something in his back. Bad pain, so he has been up and down with that, he did come and shoot on wed. but had to bow out of the second game and head home, found out yesterday that he ended up in the emergency room again on Friday night. Hope he get it straightend out. I have my reloading and casting down to a precise routine. I purchased a star lubeasizer because of the volume of boolits that I cast. I also shoot 9mm,45acp in another form of steel targets. so I cast and lube and size around 1,500 rounds a mo. for those and when I cast for the lawnsteel loads I cast arount 3,000 rounds for that and then dont have to cast for a while for lawnsteel and using the lyman was killing me. money well spent. I am a card carrying member of the ILSA now that it is back running.
I love this game
See you at the Range
Pee Wee

[DukeInFlorida]

UPDATE:
The original Contenders were all carbon steel frames, blued. The Stainless Steel versions didn't appear in the marketplace until approximately 1993. Thompson Center Arms, when they were located in Farmington, NH, did all of their own lost wax investment castings in house. They did a LOT of carbon steel castings, and some custom stainless gun castings prior to 1993, but that was the year that the wonderful Gen 1 stainless steel models hit the stores.

For reference, Stainless Contender serial numbers, and production dates (approximate). FRO had different numbers, often custom, per customer request.

Serial #'s for Stainless T/C Contender

Year
Jan. - June July - Dec.
G1 Dates
1990 Custom guns, serial numbers per customer request
1991 Custom guns, serial numbers per customer request
1992 Custom guns, serial numbers per customer request
1993 S1100 - S11666 S11667 - S14723
1994 S14724 - S18041 S18042 - S23103
1995 S23104 - S28044 S28045 - S29610
1996 S29611 - S33187 S33188 - S36551
1997 S36552 - S36908 S36909 - S38434
1998 S38435 - S40173 S40518 - S40895
1999 S40896 - S41922 S41923 - S42280
Contender G2 was released in 1999/2000.
2000 S42281 -

[Pee Wee]

We have 3 new shooters. They have all bought contenders with 38/357 barrels. I have learned how to do trigger jobs on contenders and have done so for the new guys(****). I have been helping them with loading and getting their gun set up.(paying it forward for all the help I got when I started) Orville,Eddie and I have also added to our contender collection. Did trigger job on those as well. We are growing, we now have 9 to10 guys per shoot. We have six people on the line at a time, so we are switching off so everyone can shoot. We normally shoot four games (timed games are 55 min.) so we have started to shoot more games for the guys that want to stay later. Last wed. We shot six games as some of guys need to leave after four games. We usually start about 8:30 and after four games with setting up the targets and some banter in between we are usually done between 12:30 and 1:00 o'clock. So I still got to shoot four games, and it was about 3oclock when I left, so that's okay with me. We need another range so we are trying to come up with a solution. If everyone that is a member showed up at once we would have about 15 or 16 all together. When I started back in July, there was only eight guys. I have not shot a perfect game yet but have been close several times. Maybe next time. I love this game.
see you at the range
Pee Wee

[DukeInFlorida]

Keith is right, we need to come up with a way to alleviate the limited number of seats.

However, the current plan is to fit TWO lines of shooters into the current space.
We have two sets of targets, and enough room to get two lines of shooters easily.

When we started using the shooting bay we operate in, we located the shooting line out in FRONT of a shelter that was there. Here in Florida, the hot sun makes for sweaty hands while shooting. So, when we started, the shooting line consisted of a line of reclining chairs with each shooter sporting his/her own beach umbrella for shade.

We convinced the range owner to allow us to commandeer the shelter. We held a work party, and cut a tree that was immediately in front of the shelter. We relocated a shelf that was on the front of the shelter to the rear of the shelter. And, we installed a wooden floor in the shelter to give us a solid and flat surface to set chairs on.

So, the current plan is that the existing shelter could be extended enough to accommodate 12 shooters. However, that's gonna take some $$$ and a few work parties. In the meantime, some of us will shift left, out of the shelter, to make room for a couple more on the right side, and the rest of the shooters will shoot from that boggy area next to the existing sump pump.

If any of the existing Lawn Steel guys have access to surplus building materials, and can assist with formulating construction plans for extending the shelter, we are all ears.
We would really rather stay in the current location, and shoot, no matter how large the current local group gets.

Thanks, Keith, for the trigger job that you did on my two Contenders. They shoot amazingly well now.

[Pee Wee]

We had a good day of shooting yesterday. We had eight shooters, so Dennis and I sat out the first two games. Then Gary left as he was not feeling well and Orville sat out and Dennis and I got to shoot. After one more game Jackie left and Orville got back in and we shot two more games. After those 2 games everyone headed home except Orville and I. We stayed and shot two more rounds, however we did not play the game, we set up the targets and took turns calling our shot so we could dial our guns in better. We both changed our grips and fore ends from wood to the pachmayr rubber grips and that changed our sights. We had sighted them in ok to shoot the game but we needed to hone in for the more challenging shots, we did and we both made what we call "fuzzy butt shots."
These are targets that are mostly hidden behind another target and just a piece of it can be seen. This is the true test of a ILSA shooter. We both left feeling pretty good with the extra trigger time and more confident with our gun. Can't wait till next Wed.
I love this game.
See you at the range
Pee Wee

[DukeInFlorida]

Lawnsteel is alive and well!

Have had a few new shooters show up. It's been good for the ILSA group, and good for our host club. The new shooters have joined BOTH the host club and ILSA.

The regular guys are very generous with time, knowledge, and even materials to get the new shooters going. PeeWee has been especially gracious with his time. Not only has he coached the new shooters, he's also done trigger jobs on all the Contenders that have come with the new shooters. He's done those for free. And, he's very good at doing them.

I've been sitting on the sidelines for a month, dealing with the return of my cancer. I was able to shoot Sunday, and should be there again on Wednesday. Next Monday begins chemo, and I am sure I will be out of commission for a while again. I sure miss this game when I am not shooting.

My personal thanks to all who are helping the new guys come along!

[DukeInFlorida]

The SUMMER is getting hot. The range has been sizzling with heat, and shooters.

With my weakened condition, I'm not as up to staying on the shooting line very long.

Rumor is that in addition to the normal Wednesday shoots, we'll also start getting some occasional Sundays and perhaps even some other days. I'd like to get there early, maybe shoot two rounds, and head for the A/C at home.....

Range report as it happens.

[Michael J. Spangler]

Duke you sure as hell are a fighter. Not just with your health but you are a leader with this sport. From the NES cast boolits seminar to the ILS shooting I have to say anyone would be proud to have someone like you heading up their event, planning and growing better than anyone I know. The NES cast boolits seminar is done without you.
You're an ambassador to this sport. Keep up the good work and the good fight. Prayers sent my friend.

[DukeInFlorida]

Thanks for the prayers and kind words, Michael. I'm just like most people, always willing to pass along my knowledge.

Paying it forward is a BIG part of my life.

Besides, I am always surrounded by good people, eager to still teach me things I don't already know. And, I listen, watch, and learn all the time.

I'm kicking this cancer's butt at the moment, and the strong positive mental attitude is a major part of that.

Thanks again for the kind words, the encouragement, the support, and the prayers!

[DukeInFlorida]

Gunarea told me today he would check in here today..... I'll see him in the AM..... Had a busy day, I am working on a new WEB SITE for ILSA.... and gunarea was sipping whiskey the whole time I was on the phone with him (many hours).... maybe he fell asleep before getting around to posting here.... hahaha Hope it affects his shooting in the AM.

When it's ready, I will provide the new URL...... I have a LOT of details to add to the site!! And, pictures galore from the old days.

We have an upcoming work party to expand the current shooting line from one line (six shooters) to two lines (total of 12 shooters). That will handle the 10-11 shooters we get every Wednesday, and 14-16 we get every Sunday. We are also planning a TOURNAMENT for November 29th, 2015. It will be a big event, with BOTH lines running simultaneously. Big bore on one, small bore on the other.

If you'd like me to add you to our growing mailing list, please PM me. I'll need an email address and your real name, please.