Are you still having fun ???

[4V50 Gary]

BedBugBilly - I'd be around the campfire swapping lies and having fun instead of meticuously measuring every grain of powder and minie ball.

 

[maillemaker]

I once shot with a N-SSA team a number of years ago. We had a couple of guys who took it waaaaay to seriously. When we'd go to matches . . . the night before they would sit up most of the night weighing their minie balls and powder charges so that everything would be "exact". Me . . . I much preferred sitting around the fire visiting and laughing with the other members - the camaraderie to me was one of the best parts of it. I once asked those two guys if they though that every soldier in the Union or Confederate Armies sat around the night before a battle and weighed their bullets and powder? Sometimes . . . folks can worry about things so much that they have to invent solutions to problems that don't exist . . . sort of like Washington, D.C.

I've been shooting N-SSA in the Deep South region for about 4 years now. It seems to me that the N-SSA is first and foremost about competition shooting with a Civil War theme. I weigh my charges and my bullets as consistency is the key to accuracy. But I can't figure out why anyone who is a serious competitor would be up "the night before" preparing ammunition. I only had to work on ammo once when I first joined the N-SSA and had the wrong bullets. You should have your ammunition prepared before you leave home to come to an event.

That said, I don't socialize much at N-SSA events except during the skirmish. Most folks clear out after it's over for the day. I know I'm beat at the end of the day and I eat some dinner and it's off to bed pretty early. I think some folks sit around the fire in their campsite but I generally want to sit inside in the air conditioning and relax.

Steve

 

[DennisCA]

Still love to shoot-em!

I must admit - I don't shoot mine as much as I would like but when I do it's still a hoot!
Besides - I love to have some AR-types next to me (and hopefully down wind) when I touch-off the .50 cal Hawkin rifle! A few of them are even brave enough to shoot it - Never fails to draw a crowd at the range!

 

[B.L.E.]

If it wasn't for competitive shooting, I would have probably gotten bored with muzzle loading a long time ago. But, competition never gets old for me. It keeps the sport exciting. I live for the next shoot.
I sometimes wish I didn't live so far away from Friendship.

 

[MIOkie]

Still having fun, Pahoo...

There's been lots of good responses to the question asked, and everyone has their personal reasons for burning the Black.

For me, it's therapy.

A chance to slow down and take it easy, a little one on one time with myself. I enjoy putting all the components together and causing an action and equal reaction. After a liesurely afternoon of slow paced shooting I am recharged and ready to take on the work week and the related traffic that goes with it.

I despise paper... so much so that I take advantage of every opportunity to put holes in it...!

The blank stare of a pristine white paper plate mocking me from thirty yards off is more than I can bear...

That said, it's also fun to make things shatter, break or blow up. The first time I shot a cinder block I was pretty impressed with what a .44 cap and ball revolver could do.

Yep... still fun.

 

[kwhi43]

B.L.E.

I have the same feeling. We live 550 miles from Friendship, but still we go.
This is where it's at. Been going for 25 years, still can't get enough. Problem is
when I turned 70, it started going downhill. Well I did. Started getting harder
to shoot. I'm almost 73 now and have probably fired my last match. It was in
June at Friendship. The 100 yard pistol match which I won. I can't stand. Up
anymore to shoot 10 shots in 30 min. Can't post my targets. Can't walk to the
target frame even at 25 yds. Wife could not shoot this year at all. Pinched nerve
she can not stand up anymore to shoot over 4 shots. But I'm not really complaining. When I see people who have no legs or arms. I'm just thankful for
what I have and still do have. Made lots of good friends at Friendship thru the
years. We will go next year to visit. Mebby see you in June. We will continue to
go as long as the health holds up but I probably can count on one hand the amount of times I will be able to keep going. But go I will.It's been a good run.
Phil

 

[B.L.E.]

I'm close to 1100 miles away from Friendship, however I know a few people that go there every year, and when I go to Electra, TX for the annual Shotgun Soiree, it seems that a large percentage of the people who shoot shotguns at Friendship show up there.

 

[Doc Hoy]

Phil...

I have to paraphrase this because I can't remember it exactly as I originally heard it.

Some one I respect for some very good reasons advised me that our quest in life should be to engage in experiencing things that give us joy. The reason for that is that those experiences turn immediately into memories. In the end, our memories are among the few things that providence and life's eventualities can't take away from us.

He was a very religious person and for him the joy came in giving. But he was smart enough to know that everyone has their own source of joy.

By my reading of your posts over the years, I observe that your approach has been to maximize experiences and those experiences give you joy. They seem to be widely varied including several prominences; Family, Your creative imagination, Your creative ability, Fellowship with other shooters at the events, Indirect fellowship with other shooters in places like this. There are probably plenty of others I don't know about.

FWIW, I admire you.

 

[kwhi43]

Doc Hoy

Thank you for your comments. About two years ago I decided to take up the banjo. It is now a big part of my life. I play with a bunch of guys who are
Professional blues men. We do have lots of fun and I enjoy playing all types
of music on my banjo. Keeps me active

 

[SycoPath]

I do everything I can alone, including live alone (a hermit?). When I go to the firing range, I go at times when I know that there probably won't be anybody there to critisize what I do or how I do it. If I hit a target, fine. If I miss a target, fine. I'm just having my version of fun. That drives competitive people up the wall. I am not competitive. I know what I can do and don't care if somebody can do it better. You did notice my username didn't you?

 

[Hawg]

I don't even go to a range. I just go outside. I've had more forum people than I can count tell me they wouldn't shoot with me. Well that's fine I don't remember inviting anybody.

 

[deerslayer303]

Having Fun? YOU BETCHA I can't get enough of it! I'm not competitive don't intend on doing so. I got into black powder by poking my nose in this here forum one day and have been having a blast with it ever since. I would rather take my smokers to the range as I can shoot all day for a fraction of what cartridge guns would cost me, especially that dad blasted 45 Colt (well until I start reloading for it). I enjoy every aspect of the hobby, casting, making wads, possibles etc. I shoot by myself usually and I LOVE finding all sorts of stuff to BLOW UP, like SWMBO's freshly bought fruits, sodas, melons, etc. Sometimes in a pinch I can get my fix by simply kicking open the back door and shooting the Remmy dry, then cleaning and reloading it! The Joys of living in the Sticks!

 

[AKexpat]

Thank you for your comments. About two years ago I decided to take up the banjo. It is now a big part of my life. I play with a bunch of guys who are Professional blues men. We do have lots of fun and I enjoy playing all types
of music on my banjo. Keeps me active.

I know this has nothing to do with the forum or thread but I have to recall:

I played 5-string in a in-neighborhood band way back in the late 70's, and I did not master it like Earl, but it was fun. I also used to play mandolin and guitar but, LOL, not well.

It was great fun, even though we never signed a contract with anyone.

Kudos to you.

Jim

 

[Andy*]

Still having fun.
Here I am this past summer at the 1838 Rendezvous in Riverton Wy.
I am in the off white shirt and dark red cap.
My friend and I took our collection of 30 odd original muzzleloaders to the rendezvous.
What was fun , was shooting and having other folks shoot a original Leman rifle that dates to around the late 1830's or so.
Andy

 

[4V50 Gary]

If the wheels don't fall off, this year I'd like to go to the NMLRA Gun Building Workshop and then Friendship afterward.

 

[Big Shrek]

You can't make something like this if ya ain't having fun