NRA BPTR matches

[Ranch13]

Jonathan Leighton posted this on the shiloh forum, and I believe it deserves some attention and  makes a good case for folks that are even vaquely interested in shooting this sort of competition (or most any other for that matter). So maybe folks can either make plans to attend the BPTR championships at Raton in August or look for an NRA sanctioned match somewhere near your home base.
: 2012 NRA National Black Powder Target Rifle Championship
by LEIGHTON » Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:02 am
 Jim,

I really do think he would support it and fight for funding providing we can get this thing kicking at the National-level. I don't want to push him out on that limb until I know we have solid competitor backing. 2012 Nationals is a decisive factor in the future of this discipline, let alone competition in this discipline at the World-level.

The way I see it, you shouldn't even bother shooting Nationals, or Worlds, if you're not going to compete at the Local and Regional-level. We need to build NRA Black Powder Target Rifle from the base up. I mean, right now, we have a fair share of Local matches and a few main Regional matches. If it weren't for our volunteers and match sponsors, we'd be in real trouble. Matches like yours at River Bend, Steve's at Ben Avery, the Lodi boys, Paul Behe at Grayling, Bob Tarkenton at Folsom, Jim Morgan at Quantico and now Eron Ahmer at Colorado Rifle Club are the life-line of this entire discipline. When the brass looks at money allocation, some important factors include the number of active and classified competitors in each discipline as well as the number of matches, in that respective discipline, in the Shooting Sports USA schedule. We need to bolster numbers at all levels before we can think about World-level competition. I'm just trying to be frank and honest since I've got a feel for this horse after 5 years.

2010 was the last time I polled the International community. The feedback was less than positive. Most of these countries respective shooting associations or federations have all black powder lumped together, almost like us here at the NRA, to include muzzle-loading, cartridge guns, cowboy stuff, reenactors, Barnum & Bailey Circus, etc. They all split the funding and they go with the current, highest demand and, right now, it seems to be muzzle-loading programs especially through the Muzzle Loading Association International Committee (http://www.mlaic.org/). They last hosted the match in the US at Camp Butner, NC. I saw Dave Gullo and Lee Shaver there so I know people in this forum shoot both sides of black powder, just like a lot of those International competitors (Josef Rouss of Switzerland, Merwe Van Rensberg of RSA's BPSU, Gunter Kunz of Germany's BDMP, etc.), who seem to be investing their time, currently, in muzzle-loading. With that being said, currently, at the World-level, I'm not sure the demand for cartridge rifle competition will be there until we revive this thing at the bottom, on the cartridge rifle side, and then build it back up to the forefront of shooter's attention. If we get numbers up at the Local level, encourage shooters to attend Regionals so they can practice for Nationals, alongside some of the same competitors they'll see at Nationals, then we are on a good path to increase attendance at all levels. Once this happens and the International community sees the surge in NRA cartridge rifle competition, especially at the National level, then maybe we can peak their interest and get them to drop their muzzle-loaders for a little bit.

Long story short, I know my new Director would support World-level competition. We just have to back him up. We can't hang him out to dry and the only way to do that is to shoot more and show up to Raton in August. You can meet him yourself and talk to him about it yourself. You just have to show up and shoot. Jonathan Leighton
National Rifle Association - Since 1871
Competitive Shooting Division
703.267.1465 - Office
703.267.3941 - Fax
jleighton@nrahq.org
silhouette@nrahq.org

[John Boy]

Don, a 180 turn around for the NRA - Leighton and the Competitive Shooting Division ...
*  A couple of months before the US NRA had the the World BPTR Match scheduled in 2010 - they pulled the plug on it citing - NRA costs.  Now Leighton says "2010 was the last time I polled the International community. The feedback was less than positive. Most of these countries respective shooting associations or federations have all black powder lumped together, almost like us here at the NRA, to include muzzle-loading, cartridge guns, cowboy stuff, reenactors, Barnum & Bailey Circus, etc. "  These are not the words in his email to Kidwell!

Would I love to see the resurrection of the International Creedmoor BPTR Matches? You bet I would.
Would I live to see a definitive increase in the the number of competition BPCR shooters?  Yep, again!

The only BP organization that is thriving is the Long Range Muzzle Loaders (LRML).  In 2010 when the BPCR match was cancelled - 1500 LRML competitors went to Camp Perry and competed.  Heck, I don't believe there are 150 BPTR competitors in the US of A!   

[Ranch13]

John I'm of a mind that if more matches were held around the country, there'ld be a rather large turnout, something akin to what we see at the various gong matches. But with just the few matches being held now, there's an awful lot of travel involved for all but the locals at each event to get there.
 Even now with the matches firing up at Byers Co. I'll still have a 500 mile round trip, but for the sake of the sport and the fun of it, I'm going to make every one of those that I can.
 Plus I am planning on taking in the Nationals at Raton.
 The few email exchanges I've had with Jonathan are nothing but positive, I believe bptr has a believer in the competitive division and I think anything we can do to help him out now will pay dividends years down the road.

[John Boy]

John I'm of a mind that if more matches were held around the country, there'ld be a rather large turnout, something akin to what we see at the various gong matches. But with just the few matches being held now, there's an awful lot of travel involved for all but the locals at each event to get there.

BINGO, Don
The next time you talk with Jonathan, you might want to put this bug in his ear!  He and the Director of Friends of NRA could contact those ranges with 1000yd distances in the Midwest-South and East Coast to install BPTR riser targets with pits. The FON could supply the funding, like is done in every State for many clubs, to install the pits and it wouldn't cost NRA National a dime.  I've talked to the Ridgway VP to install 700-800-900-1000 lay down targets.  He said it was a good idea but has never been put in motion

A prime East Coast candidate - Ridgway.  They could even go to 1200yds.  Presently there, the club holds the Eastern Regional BPCR Silhouette Match - a full 10 bank setup.  Two years ago, the Club put in a 1000yd Silhouette range for the high bore folks ... them coyotes @ 1000 look like the head of a pin looking through a vernier instead of a scope.  I know, I've tried and got close but no brass ring with a 45-70.  The only BPCR 1000yd target at Ridgway is my buddy, Homer and the 200-500m steels
Further, Ridgway would be a prime location because the high range presently has a 25 position covered firing line, an admin scoring house with tower and tons of acres for campers.  Plus there are 3 motels with 10 miles driving distance to the range

Even our south Jersey club could be a candidate.  We presently have a full pit for 20 riser targets that has been reduced to 12 at 600yds.  There is enough area in back of the 600yd line to berm it for 700 - 1000yds

To make it happen, it has to start with the NRA with Jonathan being the initiator ... if the NRA is really serious.  Might want to tell him also, there are many LRML competition folks that would be interested too.  The more longer ranges for BPCR other than 100-300yds ... the more interest there would be in BPTR!  This is why Ridgway was the magnet for me to drive the 8 hrs two or three times a year ... just to shoot Homer    Plus, there are no BP silhouette ranges in New Jersey but Ridgway has two, 100m and 500m ranges with the steels set out, available 24x7

[Ranch13]

John , just contact him thru the contacts listed there. You can do more for your end than I , as you know the territory.
You might also when you contact him ask about putting on a midrange match at your local club. BPTR takes in more than just Creedmoor.
Shiloh by my estimation has 20k guns out since the Bryan's took over, C Sharps would be near the same amount, and lord only knows how many rifles the ships have brought over from Italy. Point being there's a lot of rifles out there , and there's a bunch of shooters owning those rifles, all that need's to happen is for someone to start making the shoots happen, and I'm thinking local clubs working with Jonathen will make it happen.

[longcaribiner]

Part of the problem may be the NRA.  thirty years ago the BPCR sillouette and target matches in this area permitted any pre 1898 rifle with black powder loads, even 11MM Mausers and Martini Henrys.  Most rifles were stock and the beginners could shoot old trapdoors which were still reasonable or H&R 45-70's.    When the NRA got involved, it killed the fun for many of us in this area.  Suddenly many of the rifles were "not legal" and the arms race for expensive reproductions with $800 sights began.  Instead of welcoming a beginner who showed up with an H&R they discouraged them and chased many folks away. 

Instead of broadening the base of shooters, the NRA seems to have a way of fractionalizing BPC shooting.  In this area, it never recovered.   

I know of more than a few who would welcome an eastern Quigley sort of match, but they don't want a match with a 50 page rule book, or to be told their gun isn't good enough because it has an ejector, or no exterior hammer. 

[Ranch13]

That sort of stuff falls more to the local club than it does the NRA rules. The local club has the option to allow whatever type rifle to compete, that shooter however will not be eligible for any NRA award.
The H&R trapdoor is still legal in all the NRA matches, however it would not be eligible to win the trapdoor trophy at the Quigley. To win that it has to be an unaltered original trapdoor.