2023/24 Ice Age Postal

[semtav]

-2° and a foot of snow in October can only mean a coming Ice Age, so with that theme, we''ll see how many are able to participate.

2 categories smallest group and string
Both BPC
Any black Powder rifle
200 yds
10 shots for score
Any Position including bench
Picture of Target and rifle setup and description of load to qualify
Cast bullets only


Remember the match is as much about the chatter it creates as it is about the target, so don't hide your mediocre attempts and only show the great one at the last minute. That creates almost no chatter.


Now til the end of February.

[mike herth]

10-shot groups! I may have to set up a mobile ice-fishing shelter at the firing line.

[semtav]

we could always add 5 shot groups For those is the artic.

[RB1Shooter]

Where and when? Sounds like a lot of fun, providing hot coffee available.

[semtav]

Where and when?

Here and now.

Put "postal" in the search and you'll see what we did previously.

[Woody]

I have a new lot of powder to work up loads with. I'm in.

Woody

[Aviator]

Can we only shoot when it is below 32 F?

[From Along The Trail]

All fall I was thinking about shooting after it snows, it could be fun to shoot with snow on the ground.

But not this soon.

I normally take our van to the shooting range. Easy drive uphill to the local range where I normally shoot. But I think driving the van on snow or ice to the range would require a tow truck. I have a old Jeep, but I took the front driveshaft off to shim the splines. I did that just a few days ago. Then a few of my customers called. They were desperate, so I went and fixed there problems.

Then they said snow is in the forecast. And cold temperatures after.

Yesterday I thought about what a target would look like at 1000 yards, with snow on the ground. It is a little different. I will study that today more. I have a target at 1000 yards at home. But I cannot shoot at home. Because that would probably get a group of badges headed directly to me.
So where is this shoot going to take place. Or do we all have our own shoot at the local range. Them report back on the forum.

I am willing to walk into the range in North West Montana.

So this could add some interesting situations to shooting a BPCR in the cold temperatures. What about wiping? Keeping wiping fluid liquid? It would eliminate a lot of extra stuff we normally have at the range. Although a back pack could help. Ok I still have a backpack, from my younger years.

Then what would happen if I see a deer or elk while walking to the range. That would be a big decision to make.

This situation is going to require more thinking? But a very interesting subject.

[semtav]

So where is this shoot going to take place. Or do we all have our own shoot at the local range. Them report back on the forum.

technically in a postal match, you are mailed targets, then you send them back with holes in them. We just post our own targets online. On your own honor.
Like I said earlier, its more about the chatter than the targets.

[semtav]

Can we only shoot when it is below 32 F?

No, but you get bonus points for doing it.

[Kurt]

Any restrictions on the scope like a 3/4" tube Unertl type?

[From Along The Trail]

I just was thinking about this shooting in the winter. This could be a good twist in competition.
A lot of shooters want to go to Ben Avery shooting range in the winter. I have been there twice before. But at that time I was not interested in long range BPCR shooting. Just was watching the SASS things going on.

Sure looks like the sun is going to be out today in western Montana. Not sure how long. I will test looking at a target with snow on the ground in a little while.

But, I believe all three of my wiping fluid containers are frozen. As I normally leave my shooting things in my van. My fault.

Does the diameter of our bullet shrink enough to affect accuracy, when it is 10 degrees outside. Or does the barrel shrink enough to coincide with the bullet shrinkage.

Could the paper patch be frozen to the rear of the bullet, just enough to hang on too long, so as to affect accuracy.

Just thinking

[patchbox]

Roughly calculated shrinkage with a 70 degree delta (change) temperature:

.450” diameter of lead will change .000475”

.450” diameter of steel will change .000229”

So the lead bullet will shrink more than tha steel barrel.

[semtav]

Any restrictions on the scope like a 3/4" tube Unertl type?

Shoot away. Just make a note of it.

[From Along The Trail]

I am near the Flathead river, north of the Flathead Indian reservation in Montana.

On Thursday afternoon the sky was really clear. So to see my target was easy to see at 1000 yards. But yesterday the air just had a bit of haze in it. It was warmer outside and the warm Flathead River was giving of fog above it. The air never was really clear yesterday.

So that makes shooting in the cold temperatures a tad bit more challenging.