Another day of shooting with the boy yesterday.
We got to shoot at the pyramids (That's what my Dad and I used to call this place)...
"The Great Pyramid", a substantial backstop. No powder can for scale, a truck will have to do...
View from the Great Pyramid to the firing position. 110 yds...
Interestingly, I just found out today via a sign posted at the entrance to the canyon that this area was used for artillery training during WWII. I've been going there for four decades and never knew. I'm shocked that they didn't close the place to the public; the Forest Service has already closed most of the dirt roads my Dad and I used to explore (to reduce fire danger, Mr. Ranger told me)...
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/lospadres/news/2008/10-06-ordnance.shtml My Son wanted to see what would happen to an aluminum container filled with water when shot with my 1" cannon at close range...
Now I remember why I need to reduce the charge if the barrel is pointing down...
I think we 'blew' our redemption value on this particular container...
One of my Son's custom composite loads - A tennis ball under a partially dirt-filled water bottle with a piece of clay pigeon thrown in for good measure...
I found a 3/16" steel plate that I stashed in a juniper bush in ~1998...
Even using some of DD's South African tricks, I couldn't hit it after three shots at 30 yds (Note to self - All new cannons must be RIFLED)...
After some careful fine-tuning of my tekneeke (moving cannon up to ten yds from the plate), I was able to knock it down easily on the very 1st shot! I wasn't about to lose a 4th 1$ bill to my kid...
Don't think I've ever posted any pics of myself. This is me in 1968, holding one of my Dad's Mausers in the same spot we were shooting yesterday...
Here I am now, slightly older but not much less of a kid concerning what I like to do in my free time...
I hope my Son will be able to take some pics in the same spot with
his Son in 30 years or so...