March 13, 2004

WAS GOING THROUGH SOME SERIOUS WITHDRAWAL since I hadn't been shooting since November, 2003. The weather conspired against me for three straight months -- our match in December was snowed out; I had planned to shoot with the Carolina Cattlemen in January, but that match was cancelled; and our February match was cancelled, too. Tough winter! The High Country Cowboys actually held their January match, and it was huge -- but a scheduling conflict prevented my attending, dang it! By the way, in case you haven't heard, the High Country Cowboys are now shooting on the 2nd Saturday of the month (previously the match was the 4th Saturday).

This day was a glorious one in the mountains, sunny skies and temperatures that eventually made it to the upper 50s. Many of the Usual Crowd was off to the Raid on Andersonville in South Carolina, so we had a light turnout of 11 shooters, but we had a great time. We shot three stages, broke for lunch (cooked up by Wild Otter) and finished two more stages, as follows:

Stage One: Poison Coffee
A cowboy should never have to put up with Bad Coffee on the trail. The cup I held in both hands needed some serious help, so I said "Pass the sugar." A beep sounded from somewhere and at that moment a group of low-down rustlers appeared!

I put down the cup and drew my pistol with my left hand, firing two rounds at the first varmint and three rounds at the next. The handgun returned to leather, I grabbed my shotgun from a haybale and blasted two more. I shucked the empty shells and, keeping the open shotgun pointed downrange, carried the gun with me to the haybale in the center of the stage where I exchanged the double for my Winchester carbine. Five of the rustlers were up on a ridge a little ways off, so I let 'em have nine .44-40 slugs in a stylish Nevada Sweep. That took care of that bunch, so I put down the rifle, picked up the shotgun and moved to the right. Slapping another pair of shells into the scattergun, I hit a couple of rascals who were rushing me. So long, boys! There were two more who were still trying to make a go of it, but after I pulled my last pistol and hit them 2-3, it was all over. A clean stage is a fine way to start the day!

Stage Two: Shut Up, Kid!
I was after a tough group of outlaws, but was saddled with a greenhorn deputy named "Otter" who kept asking fool questions. We had found the gang's hideout, and as we approached, Otter babbled on. Fed up, I hissed "Shut up, kid!" and then heard a strange beeping sound. The bad guys must have some kind of alarm! Well, they knew we were coming and there was no point in stealth now.

Looking through the left-most window of their shack, I saw a bunch of bad guys and grabbed for my Colt (clone) with my left hand. Three hombres stacked top to bottom were dispatched with a 5-round Nevada Sweep. With the other handgun in my right hand, I put another 5-round Nevada into a horizontal line of robbers and they weren't going to worry anybody anymore. I moved to the doorway, where I picked up my rifle and double-tapped each of 4 bandits who were outside. Moving to the left window, I used my scattergun four times on two targets and that was that. Another clean run. Unfortunately, it would be my last.

Stage Three: (Insert Your Line Here)
I don't recall a story for this stage -- we all just picked a good "cowboy" line and ran the stage. Somebody else stole my line before I got to shoot (I was last on the list), so I had to employ my backup line: "Jerk that pistol and go to work!" Anyway, I started at the center of the stage with the Winchester at port arms. After the line and the timer's beep, I double-tapped each of the 5 rifle targets and put the carbine down. Moving to the left, I fired a revolver with my left hand at two targets, alternating. I picked up the shotgun and shot a pair of swingers four times: 1-2, 1-2. Carrying the open shotgun across to the right side, I reloaded it and repeated on a pair of targets there: 1-2, 1-2. I set the scattergun down, drew my remaining revolver with my right hand and shot two targets, alternating. I missed once, which spoiled my Clean Shoot. Dang.

Stage Four: It's Your Cut
I knew I shouldn't have sat down at that table with such a bunch of obvious card sharps, but it was too late for regrets. They weren't satisfied with cheatin' me out of my hard-earned silver -- I could see they planned to bury me, too. I looked the most ornery villian right in the eye and said, "It's your cut."

The card came up Hearts. I jumped out of my chair, pulled my pistol and began firing at the four card-suit targets, beginning and ending with the heart-shaped one. After emptying the first gun, I drew the other and did the same thing. I missed three times with the revolvers, consarn it! Ah, well, I picked up my rifle and sent nine rounds in a continual sweep across the card-suits, beginning and ending on the heart. Finishing with a big boom, I filled the air with smoke as I blasted the three shotgun swingers with six shells. Pow!

Stage Five: Ride Hard, Boys!
Suddenly, I found myself mixed up in the roughest bunch of bank robbers around. We'd just knocked over the Savings & Loan in East Nowhere, and we had a posse on our trail. Holed up in a canyon, the gang's only chance for escape was for somebody to stay behind and delay the pursuit with some well-placed lead. I was elected "Somebody."

With my back to the door of the hide-out shed, I tossed the bags of gold at the nearest man and said, "Ride hard, boys! I've got your back!" Their only reply was a beep -- that's gratitude for you... I spun around, went to the door and picked up my Winchester. I could see three of the deputies up near the tree line, so I let 'em have it with 8 rounds: two on the left, one in the middle, two on the right, back to the middle with one, and two more on the left. They were down, but I spied a coyote way up in the timber, and I had one cartridge left in the carbine... BLAM! Bonus Time. There was no time to celebrate; with the demise of the first three, the rest of the posse figured their best chance was to rush me. I moved to the window and drew a revolver, shooting three more men 2-1-2. Stepping to the right window, my last pistol blazed at another three, 2-1-2. I missed twice, but they stopped coming. A pair of sneaky devils was trying for the door, but four shells from my scattergun put an end to that. I would ride away at the end of the day.

And the numbers are...

I was quite amazed to have finished 4th overall. Given that I shoot black powder and "double-duelist" I've really got no business being up there at the top of the scoring list. It seems that my having fewer misses than most others was the key to the day's performance. I'll take it!