As it's my practice, I try to travel around to various shoots here in Northern California. Of course, I tell folks that's so I can enjoy the camaraderie of more cowboys. But in reality, I figure if I keep moving, nobody will catch on that I'm such a bad shooter. They'll all just think I'm a newbe, and take pity.
This Saturday (August 24, 2002) Gator, a local pard that don't mind my pitiful driving, and I drove up to Grass Valley for a shoot. This was a first for me: Indoor cowboy shooting!
This may come as a shock to some but, California is not all sunshine and beaches; we got mountains -- and snow too! Grass Valley is one of those places, up in the hills, where the winters can keep you indoors for weeks at a time. The "Grass Valley Federally", who's a Cap'n in the local poll-ece department, runs an indoor shooting range. And quite a range it is! I got a couple of boxes of primers for about 5-bucks cheaper than down here in the flatlands. And we all got a chance to mosey around his store before the shoot.
Gator and I left early, at oh-dark-thirty. To insure we didn't miss any of the fun, and offer extra time to get lost. Gator's a practitioner of the holly-black, but for the day he had to stoop to smokeless. A small price to pay to shoot indoors.
Gator talked to one shooter, at the range, who said he had been shooting CAS for over two years, and never shot out of doors! He did look a little like a vampire, but that's another story. That good old boy just got to get out doors more!
Shooters at the match were:
Grass Valley Federally
Gator
Judge J.R.
Nevada Drifter
Sew Sioux Mi
Milt Dillon
B-Rosa
Dirty Dakota
Poncho
Laredo Joe
Creative stages are a must when you're inside.
We didn't shoot up as much ammo as I'm accustomed to, but we sure had a bunch-O-fun. The first stage was a wooden strongbox, suspended in midair. Teams of three had to open it remotely. Considering that the only remotes available in the late 1800s burned gunpowder, we blasted away till we got the box open.
While the Grass Valley Federally goes downrange to start the strongbox a-swing'n, (Brave soul), the team turns their rifles away. Rifles Up
Pistol-whip it first, then open up with the big guns. Pistols First
A heavy wooden box, with the top and bottom screwed on tight, brought thoughts of shoot'n a whole box of ammo to get it open. The team I was on shot the first box open in about 20-seconds. We thought we were pretty good shooters, till the others blew their boxes open in nearly half the time. I should know better than to be first up at a stage! Easer than we thought
The job was not only to get the box open, but we were also scored on how little damage we inflicted on the contents. My team shredded the poor little stuffed guy. It's sure sad to see all those fluffy innards wafting around the range. The Prize Inside
Four very creative stages were presented for our shooting pleasure. Targets mounted on a side-moving mount challenged even the better shooters. If you don't think hitting four small balloons then trying to center punch the bull's-eye, on a moving target, is a piece of cake, come to Grass Valley for some humbling. Other Stages
A mess of old CD-ROMS, moving fore and aft, challenged our shotguns. Paper targets, up close and far, got to feel our wrath. (Just why is it that the day before, I painted my nice nickel front sight black?) Indoor ranges with low light and black targets blend right in to a black front sight.
A good time was had by all, but to this judges dismay, nobody fit for hanging was seen all day.
If'n your ever in the gold-country of Northern California, give the good pards at "The Range" a call. (530) 273-4440 A great place to shoot and shoot the breeze.