When The Smoke Cleared

Dark Day on The Santa Fe 2021 was another successful match from Confederate Colt and the gang at the Ft. White Gun Club. There is a long list of people that are essential to making that match what it is and we thank you all. Everyone worked hard all week to pull it off again. They always make you feel like family with the match and all the festivities. Sure Shot Shawanda’s cinnamon rolls were just right for the cool mornings of the match and Laura and Bucky’s chili warmed us up Friday night. I know I say it a bunch but it's true what a great match. (even for someone that does not shoot black powder all the time) 

Day one started out good, good, and cold. I had to use my room key to scrape the frost off my windshield. The truck eventually warmed up and I was off to shoot the first 5 stages. Got to the range turned on my hand warmers and unloaded the truck while catching up with my pard Delta Glen. It was nice to be on the range. We said the pledge, Rocky Creek Shooter said a few words and it was time to start smokin it up.

Posse 5 hit the berm lead by the fearless Greta Dee who, was our spirit of the game recipient. Fearless? Yes, let’s just say posse 5. The list of usual suspects took the stage with more than a few new to me shooters. Mustache Kid, Curly Walker and Barkeep Casey joined the Cracker Crew to let it rip. Greta read the stage and we were off. The bangs and clangs started, and the smoke and smell of black powder filled the air.

That is when I realized that the King of Kaboom shooters did not spare the powder. It was loud, smokey and entertaining. If you are not familiar with King of Kaboom you have to shoot the big pistol calibers and make them go kaboom. Here are the load specs:   

Pistols and Rifle:40 cal and up – 200 grain and up – 25 grains of powder and up 38-40 cal – 180 grain and up – 30 grains of powder and up Cap and Ball – 44 cal round ball and up – 30 grains of powder and up

Shotgun: 1 1/8 oz shot, 60 grains of powder. Double barrel and 87 only

Some of them had problems with guns, some had trouble seeing through the smoke and others had trouble with both. On my posse, I give Santa Fe River Stan the title of KABOOMIEST rounds. I had a really good time and may even get my .45s out of retirement for next year.

Friday night Bucky Buckskin, Laura, Rocky Creek Shooter and Sure Shot Shawanda made chili and invited anyone that wanted to come to the pavilion on the range for good food and good conversation. Sure, the shooting is fun and competitive but there is the time when shooting is done and you reconnect with pards you haven't seen in months and some you saw a few days earlier as well as meeting new pards that you make memories with to laugh about the next time you meet on the range.

Day 2 started out the same, frost on the windows again. I think I heard more than once from out northern visitors, “Sure, come to Florida they say. It will be beautiful and warm they say??” It was cold. In the 30’s both mornings. It warmed up when the shooting stated though. We began with stage 10 where you started from inside a “coffin” that already had a resident who, from what I heard tried to get a little too touchy with Fireball. At the beep throw open the door and go to work. That was a fun stage with a good bit of movement. There was also a 20 target knockdown stage that got more than a few Rick Flair WOOOOO’s! Then just like that we were done.

Congrats to Bucky Buckskin for overall and Ray’l Gun for over all ladies. They both also won their categories. Fireball KABOOMED his way to the King of Kaboom concho. Confederate Colt took home the duelist category. I was 5^th and Realtree was 4^th duelist. If you would like to see how you did or are simply curious you can check out the scores here http://fwcc.net/2021-scores/ you can also find information on other upcoming events like the Shootout on The Santa Fe.

The shooting, the persiflage and family feeling is alive and well in our game. I look forward to this year of great matches and friendly people. Even if you had a bad match, it’s still better than a good day at work.