THE SHARPSHOOTER - Fort Hill Rifle & Pistol Club



THE SHARPSHOOTER

FORT HILL RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB NEWSLETTER

NUMBER 17 ______ ___ ___ JULY, 2005

3RD ANNUAL RAFFLE OFF AND RUNNING

Ticket sales for the 3rd Annual Great Guns Raffle sponsored by the FHRPC began on Friday, July 8. We have once again selected a spread of 20 fine firearms for the raffle, including center-fire rifles, rim-fire rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns, and pistols. The list of firearms is described on the last page of this newsletter. Ticket sales will continue through early October, ending with the raffle and associated shooting matches on Sunday, October 9.

The FHRPC needs your help to make this raffle successful. This is a fine opportunity to volunteer and sell a few tickets to support your club. Your willingness to sell 2, 3, 5, or 10 tickets is greatly appreciated. All proceeds from this raffle go to improving your shooting facilities. Call Marty Harsh at 301-759-2877, or Frank Snyder at 301-777-1298 if you would like to sell a few tickets.

A raffle ticket serves as the buyer’s entry into two shooting matches at our Warrior Mountain ranges.

The center-fire rifle match consists of two sighter shots and ten shots for record, from the prone position, at a range of 300 yards. Match rules are listed on the next-to-last page of this newsletter. The rules have not changed from those used in our earlier matches. Ties will be broken by shoot offs. Competitors eligible for the cash prizes must remain through the end of the match to defend their score in case of a tie. We have had ties in both of our first two years.

The muzzleloader match consists of five shots for record, from the offhand position, at a range of 100 yards. Likewise, match rules are listed near the end of this newsletter. The only change to the printed rules is a correction to the method used to break ties. For the muzzleloader match, ties will be broken by closest ball to center. So, the competitor need not be present to break a tie. Any muzzleloader and any sight legal for Maryland deer hunting are allowed in this match. Your in-line rifle with a telescopic sight is eligible. We are hoping a few good men will show up and give Terry Mulligan a little competition.

Cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 will be given in both matches for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers.

CLUB OFFICERS

FHRPC officers for the year 2005 are (1) President, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859, (2) Vice-President, Bill Lewis, 301-777-8180, (3) Treasurer, John Dowell, 301-724-5866, (4) Executive Officer, Dave Thompson, 304-788-1346, (5) Executive Officer, Jim Soulsby, 301-724-0724, and (6) Secretary, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

The club officers welcome your feedback. If you have any suggestions, comments or concerns please feel free to contact any of your club officers.

VOLUNTEERS TURN OUT AT MORNINGSIDE RANGES

Eleven FHRPC members turned out on a cold and windy Saturday, April 23, 2005, for spring cleaning and maintenance at the Morningside Drive ranges. Bill Bittner, Ken Fuller, Howard Fezell, Chet Amick, Bill Lewis, Jim Schmidt, Frank Snyder, BC Atkinson, Chris Bennett, and Barry Fickes formed the work crew. These men gave a few hours of their time to make the Morningside ranges a nicer place for all members to shoot.

Morningside maintenance continued on Saturday, May 14, when Richard Frye donated his time and equipment to spread 60 tons of crusher, expanding the parking area.

The volunteer spirit that formed the Fort Hill Rifle and Pistol Club from Maryland Minutemen in 1944 is alive and well today.

FHRPC RANGES CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE

All FHRPC ranges will be closed from 0800 to dusk on Saturday, September 10, for maintenance. This is a great opportunity for members to support the club with a few hours of volunteer time. If you are interested in helping, call Ken Fuller at 301-724-5254, or Marty Harsh at 301-759-2877. The FHRPC will provide lunch and drinks.

NEW MEMBERS WILL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD

The FHRPC will experience a big increase in membership in 2005. A large number (possibly 75) of new shooters will join our ranks as a result of regular members graduating to life membership, normal membership turnover, and the vote to increase our regular membership limit by 50 at the last annual meeting. Recall, our regular membership limit now stands at 350.

We do a good job of new member orientation. All new members are required to attend a three-hour orientation class to familiarize them with club rules and procedures. They are given an orientation booklet describing range safety, club activities, and bylaws. They are encouraged to do “the right thing”. “The right thing” is “the safe thing” on FHRPC ranges.

All these new guys will be watching you old guys. Many will emulate your actions. It is incumbent upon you, the senior members, to set the safety standard. Always do “the right thing” – the right target frames in the right place, clearing the firing line before going down range, not handling yor firearm while someone is down range, signing the log book, locking the gate as you leave, keeping your muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keeping your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, knowing where you bullet will stop.

We encourage the new folks to get to know other members. They may ask to see your membership card. If you see an unfamiliar face at the range, you should ask to see their membership card. Please don’t bristle up and get that big testosterone rush when asked to produce your membership card. New membership cards will be mailed within the next month.

DEDICATED MEMBERS EARN LIFE MEMBERSHIP

Eleven members were promoted to life membership in 2005. The new life members are shown in the following list. The FHRPC thanks these men for their dedication and support. We are fortunate to have 72 life members on our club roster. Life membership is awarded to those members with 25 years of continuous membership, and is dues free. These senior members provide much needed continuity and stability to our organization.

|Bill Arthur III |Earl H. Harper |Jacob S. Teter |

|Herbert N. Barmoy |John C. Keller |Larry D. Webb Sr |

|Wayne F. Belloff |Terry M. Mulligan |William T. Wright |

|Paul M. Coakley |Richard H. Rice Jr | |

LETTER FROM THE FRONT

Secretary’s Note – The following article was written by FHRPC member Tom Detrick. Detrick joined the FHRPC in 1987. He is a 1984 graduate of Fort Hill High School and a 1988 graduate of Frostburg State University. He is in his 17th year of service to our country, holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. His present position is Chief of the General Support Division for the Test Evaluation Support Activity (TESA) of the United States Operational Test Command (OTC) at Fort Hood, Texas. Tom Detrick is a veteran of Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and recently served twelve months in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This weekend I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the 134th NRA Conference in Houston. I came away with confirmation that we are extremely lucky to have the right to buy, collect, and own firearms. Like the organization or not, the NRA is responsible for the majority of the freedoms we still have intact. At my wife’s urging, I bellied up to the bar and did something I had wanted to do for many years and became a Life Member.

While touring five acres of guns and gear I heard a variety of comments about the organization that ranged from “best thing since sliced bread” to “I’m tired of them always asking for money.” True, they constantly solicit money to the point of great annoyance. But, in their defense, they are no worse than the other organizations I currently belong to, including the Masonic Lodge, Ducks Unlimited, the American Legion, and the VFW, all of whom rely on dues and donations to remain solvent. The most memorable moment of the event for me was listening to the response a show attendee gave to a vendor when he asked, “Do you hunt?” The man replied, “No, I don’t hunt or shoot, I just want to keep my second amendment right to.”

We are all on the front line in protecting our rights to enjoy, use, and own firearms. We need to do our part. We pay soldiers to protect the nation, police and firefighters to protect us…why not pay someone with 134 years experience to protect our gun rights? I just want to say we need the NRA and the NRA needs us. Before you decide to not renew your membership or throw away the next letter you get from them, please take a minute and give yourself a virtual look into the future – and ask yourself, “What was it like back when you could own guns?”

Thomas Detrick

Lieutenant Colonel, Unites States Army

NRA Life Member

GUNPOWDER

Secretary’s Note – The following article was written by FHRPC member Dave Thompson. Thompson was born in Quantico, Virginia, and grew up bouncing from one Marine base to another following his Marine father. Home to the Thompson family is West Virginia. So Dave graduated from high school in 1980 at Shinnston, West Virginia. He went on to study chemical engineering at West Virginia University, graduating in 1985. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree, he went to work for Hercules at Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) in Radford, Virginia. At RFAAP, he was exposed to smokeless powder manufacturing on a big scale. In 1987, he transferred to Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL), where he works to this day. He is presently responsible for manufacturing 5-inch diameter rocket motors for the SIDEWINDER missile system. Thompson joined the FHRPC in 1990. He is one of our elected Executive Officers, chairman of the highpower league, and a Director of Civilian Marksmanship Distinguished Rifleman.

Hi! My name is Dave Thompson and I’m a gunpowderaholic! And like many of you reading this, I have a great lust and yearning to get my nostrils full of that heady scent that only comes from burning propulsive dust. As Robert Duvall may have phrased it, “I love the smell of cordite on Morningside”! I’m lucky having a good job and have the great fortune to be working for one of the big manufactures of gun propellants, Alliant Techsystems.

Alliant makes several of the reloading powders that many of you may be familiar with: Bullseye, Red Dot, Herco, Green Dot, Blue Dot, 2400, Reloders 7, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, and 25. But Alliant also makes gun propellants for commercial ammo manufacturers and the government, and these are used in applications from the 22 rim-fires to the 16-inch naval guns! Before moving to the Cumberland area, I worked for Alliant at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) in Radford, Virginia. At that time (late 1980s), RFAAP produced 95% of the gun propellant for the “free world”. Millions of pounds of propellant were being produced each month! It was in this production environment that I learned a good deal about the technology associated with gun propellants, and would like to pass along to you in this article.

A gun propellant is conventionally a solid in nature that combusts inside the gun barrel to produce gas pressures to propel the projectile down the barrel. Now as you all may remember from the fire triangle in school, combustion (or fire) needs three elements: an oxidizer, a fuel, and heat. Since the combustion occurs inside a closed chamber, isolated from the oxygen in the atmosphere, these propellants must contain internal stores of oxidizers. Oxygen as well as other strong oxidizers (sulfur and chlorine) are mechanically mixed with, or chemically bound inside the propellant, and are liberated during combustion. In addition to oxidizers, the chemistry of propellants contain a combustible material for fuel that when burned must release heat to complete the triangle.

Since the goal of the propellant is to produce gas for pressure development, the chemistry of propellants is geared toward making the maximum amount of gas possible. Many elements will react with oxidizers and generate heat but only two will produce gaseous products, hydrogen and carbon. Therefore, the fuel part of the propellant is usually carbon, hydrogen or chemicals containing carbon and hydrogen. Fortunately, in nature there are an abundance of chemicals that contain both carbon and hydrogen and as a group are in a chemical category known as “organic” compounds. Virtually all the combustible materials we are familiar with in everyday life are carbon-hydrogen rich organic chemicals (petroleum, coal, charcoal, wood, paper, rubber and plastic). Many of these common everyday materials are used directly or in a modified state in the production of solid propellants. Chemicals that do not contain carbon are classified as “inorganic” compounds, and many of the oxidizers used in propellants are inorganic.

Just as with the fuel, the oxidizers for propellants are geared toward producing gaseous products when reacted. For solid propellants, this limits the field to only three suitable candidates, sulfur and the oxy-acids of the gases nitrogen and chlorine.

Sulfur isn’t on the drug store shelves anymore, but at one time it was used like iodine, isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide as a sterilization agent to kill (oxidize) germs on skin cuts. With one notable exception, the use of sulfur in solid propellants is uncommon. When burned, sulfur can produce many non-gaseous chemicals that hurt propulsive performance. Additionally, many combustion products of sulfur are caustic and can attack the metals comprising gun barrels. The only substantial use of sulfur is in the oldest of gun propellants, black powder (original called gun powder!). Black powder is an ancient formulation comprised of a mechanical mixture of sulfur, charcoal (carbon) and saltpeter. Saltpeter, is the archaic common name given to what is known today as potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is a chemical produced from an oxy-acid of nitrogen called nitric acid. Therefore, black powder, makes use of two oxidizers, sulfur and saltpeter, and one fuel, charcoal.

The most wide spread oxidizers used in solid propellants today are chemicals derived from the oxy-acids of nitrogen and chlorine. The chlorine-based oxidizers are usually not used in gun applications, due to the production of hydrochloric acid during combustion. Hydrochloric acid strongly attacks metal (such as gun barrels) and the use of chlorinated oxidizers is generally limited to single-use applications such as rocket motors and fireworks. The only large scale use of a chlorine base oxidizer for gun application was the use of potassium chlorate in the corrosive priming of United States military ammunition between 1900 and the mid 1950s. The corrosive priming used in earlier military and commercial ammunition and by most foreign countries made use of mercury fulminate, which is generally termed as “mildly corrosive” by comparison to the chlorate priming compounds.

Far and away the principal oxidizers for gun applications are the compounds derived from the oxy-acids of nitrogen. They produce a lot of gas and heat, which make them ideal as pressure generators. In addition, the nitrogen base of the compounds, produce chemically inert nitrogen gas and thus minimizes the caustic (corrosive and erosive) effects on the gun barrel. Oxy-acids of nitrogen in their raw state are highly corrosive and would not be compatible with the metals of the cartridge case and bullet. Therefore, the acid is “neutralized” by a chemical reaction with an alkali (basic) compound to produce a relatively inert salt and water (which is removed). As discussed previously, black powder makes use of potassium nitrate, which is the salt formed by the reaction of nitric acid (oxy-acid) and the alkali chemical - potassium hydroxide (potash from wood ashes).

Black powder, as well as many of the commercial substitutes (Pyrodex, Black Magic, Black Canyon, Pinnacle, etc.) is classified in a group of propellants called composite propellants. Composite propellant, as its name implies, is a composite matrix of distinct particles of inorganic oxidizers dispersed in an organic fuel. The matrix is just a mechanical mixture where the two chemicals exist in two discrete phases, not unlike the asphalt covering road surfaces (oxidizer is like gravel, and asphalt is like the organic fuel). The use of inorganic oxidizers in this class of propellant makes them quite stable. The chemical bonds in the inorganic salts are very strong and the reverse reaction (in the presence of water) to form the original acid does not occur. These strong bonds give these propellants very good safety properties. They possess virtually indefinite shelf-life and are relatively unsusceptible to reactions precipitated by shock waves or impacts (non-detonable). The high strength of the oxidizer chemical bonds however, takes a lot of energy to break when combustion occurs. This reduces the amount of energy available to propel the bullet, which make composite propellants relatively low in performance. Additionally, inorganic oxidizers often contain some metal salt content and have nitrogen contents that are relatively low. The metals in the propellant are expelled from the gun in solid form, which hurts performance by reduced gas volume and creates primary smoke. The low nitrogen content generally makes the combustion gases richer in moisture, which under certain atmospheric conditions, will condense to form a visible steam in the exhaust cloud. This steam is what is termed as “secondary smoke”. In short, composite propellants are relatively safe but low in performance and have more smoke signature.

The weaknesses of composite propellants prompted development of higher energy less smoky formulations. Improvement was achieved by reacting the oxy-acids of nitrogen directly with the organic fuel. These compounds have names that normally contain the phrase “nitro”. Examples are nitroglycerine (nitric acid reacted with glycerine), TNT (trinitrotoluene, nitric acid reacted with toluene), and nitrocellulose (nitric acid reacted with cellulose such as cotton or wood pulp). The direct addition of the oxy-acid to the organic fuel relatively increased the nitrogen content of the chemistry, and the chemical bonds in the molecules are weaker than in the inorganic oxidizers. This provided reduced potential for smoke generation and more energy for propulsive action. Gun propellants that make use of these nitro-organic compounds are generally referred to as “smokeless powder”.

Smokeless powders do have a down side though. The weaker chemical bonds in these chemicals make them more susceptible to shock induced reactions. This is a long hand way of saying “detonation”. Any of this class of chemicals can detonate if hit with a sufficiently strong shock. This characteristic is desirable for explosive applications (mining and military) where a violent explosive event is desired to fracture or destroy adjacent materials. However, in a gun, a detonation would be catastrophic and would destroy the gun and potentially hurt anyone near it.

Alfred Nobel (of Nobel Prize fame) studied this character of nitro-organic compounds. Nobel experimented with mixtures of two nitro-organic compounds, nitroglycerine (NG) and nitrocellulose (NC). He mixed the two chemicals in different ratios and exposed them to shocks from a number-8 blasting cap (standard detonation device used to initiate mining explosives). He found that when the mixture contained less than 40% NG, the mixture would burn but not detonate. Above 40%, the mixture would detonate. He classified those mixtures below 40% NG as “cordites” and those detonable mixtures above 40% NG as “dynamites”. Thus, Nobel originated the term “dynamite”. Today, the term “cordite” is not familiar to many people except to those familiar with the loading of 303-British military ammunition. The long stick of propellant that was used in that cartridge was known as cordite, and was a mixture near that 40% cut-off that Nobel determined. Nobel’s work established the upper NG concentration limit for “cordites” (gun propellants) that allows for safe operation in a gun. However, even the lowest level mixtures will detonate if hit by sufficiently hard shock waves.

The research invested by Nobel provided the supporting data that allowed the successful design and use of NC and NG in gun propellants. To this day, these two compounds form the base for most gun propellants. In fact, smokeless powders are divided into two classes. Propellants with only NC as the energetic ingredient are referred to as “single-base”. Those that use both NC and NG are referred to as “double-base”. Single-base propellants are cooler burning (but less energetic) propellants designed to enhance barrel life by reduced erosion due to propellant heating. The double-base propellants achieve higher performance by the added energy provided by NG, but higher barrel erosion results from the higher flame temperatures of the propellant.

During the Second World War, a third class of smokeless propellant was developed. It made use of the traditional NC and NG ingredients, but also incorporated a third nitro-organic compound called nitroguanidine (NQ). NQ originally was formed by reacting nitric acid with bat manure (also called guana, which lends to the name guanidine). NQ is very high in hydrogen content but is relatively low in carbon. Combustion products from hydrogen are extremely low in molecular weight and the lack of carbon reduces the amount of heat liberated during combustion. This combination results in the production of a relatively large quantity of gas (with low molecular weight) offsetting the performance loss due to the relatively cool combustion temperature. Thus, NQ enables performance comparable to double-base systems but with the lower bore erosion properties of single-base propellants. This third class of smokeless propellant was given the name “triple-base” in recognition of its use of three energetic ingredients NC, NG, and NQ.

The cost of NQ is quite high and its addition to propellant probably at least doubles its cost. This higher cost must be weighed against the cost of barrel replacement. The only application where the cost trade appeared favorable was in the large artillery and tank gun systems. Its use allowed barrel life to be extended from 100-to-200 rounds to 400-to-500 rounds. And with barrel replacements on these systems costing $100,000 or more, it more than justified the cost of the increased ammunition. In small arms however, the barrel life is on the order of 10,000 rounds and the barrel cost is around $100, thus cheaper ammo is more prudent and triple-base systems are not used.

Reloaders can currently buy either single-base or double-base propellants. In general, those powders that have an IMR (Improved Military Rifle) designation are single-base propellants. Examples are IMR (H or XMR) 4227, 4198, 3031, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4350, 4831, and 7828. In addition, I believe that the Vihta Vuori propellants in the 100 series of numbers are also single- base. Virtually all other smokeless powders available to reloaders are double-base, including the various pistol and shotgun flake powders and ball powders.

Smokeless powders have a second, and probably less well-known, bad trait. The weak chemical bonds between the nitro group and organic fuel allows for the reverse reaction to occur that will generate the original nitric acid. This reverse reaction requires the presence of water. Unfortunately, the friction and spark sensitivity of these propellants require that some small amount of water be incorporated into the formulation. The propellant formulation contains chemicals called stabilizers, which are alkali chemicals that neutralize these acids as they are formed. These stabilizers, however, can only handle a fraction of the potential acids that can be generated. The concentration of these stabilizers are set to provide protection from the formed acids for a period of approximately 20 years at a hot storage condition (100 F). At cooler room temperatures, the reaction rates that form the acids are slower and thus a longer shelf life will result.

Once the stabilizer is depleted, the acid generation in the propellant will go unchecked. Unfortunately, the acids will catalyze further acid formation progressively increasing the rate of acid generation with time. Eventually, a rapid chain reaction will develop to provide sufficient heat to cause auto-combustion. The explosives industry and the military have lost many magazines due to this condition. In response they have imposed very strict guidelines on handling of smokeless powders and conduct annual chemical analysis of each lot in inventory to verify the usable shelf life remaining. The military will consume or destroy all ammunition that leaves the temperature-controlled inventory in magazines. This is why you see the surplus powders available on the market today. They are from ammunition that the military was unwilling to place back in their magazines and couldn’t rapidly consume in training or exercises.

A warning I would like to convey to anyone (like myself) who buys surplus ammo and components, is that you should plan to consume it. Don’t expect to save it for a rainy day years from now, or to pass it on to future generations. Store it in as cool an environment as you can away from direct sunlight. Smokeless powder can become unstable and auto-ignite. Cartridge collectors are especially at risk in my opinion in that they have no intentions of firing the ammo they possess and may well have very old ammunition. Please, if you want to collect a cartridge, pull the bullet, dispose of the powder, and reinstall the bullet. It’s simply not worth burning down your house over. Warning signs that the stabilizer in the propellant is depleted is that the propellant is clumping together or is soft, has strong pungent (ammonia-like) smell or the cartridge case cracks or develops spots of corrosion that originate from the inside. This cracking and corrosion is the direct result of the acids being generated. Think of it this way, you wouldn’t keep canned foods forever due to the eventual spoilage, so why would you keep ammunition indefinitely because it can go “boom” when it turns bad!

The information that I’m presenting here is not being conveyed to scare anyone out of the sport. I’m just trying to enlighten any interested reader about the hazards that are potential with these materials that we are handling. There has been a hundred and fifty years of success using smokeless powders and if you heed proper handling procedures for these materials you will have a satisfying experience in the shooting sports. Ew, ew that smell, how I love that smell, the smell of cordite on Morningside!

LAND ACQUISITION DEAL DROPS DEAD

The sellor of the property adjacent to the Morningside Drive rifle range removed the property from the real estate market. He was unable to resolve a lien against the property and has now leased the trailer to a new tenant. We lost approximately $400 in loan application fees.

We are hoping to have another opportunity to buy this land in the not-too-distant future.

ALCO SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT USING

WARRIOR MOUNTAIN 100-METER RANGE

The Warrior Mountain 100-meter range will be closed September 12 through September 16 from 1700 to 2300. The Allegany County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting low-light firearm training.

MORNINGSIDE RANGE HOURS

Just a reminder… Range hours at Morningside Drive are 9 AM to dusk, Monday through Friday, and 10 AM to dusk on Saturday and Sunday.

NEW FIRING LINE COVER COMPLETE

Thanks to Terry Barnes, the new firing line cover for the 100-meter range at Warrior Mountain is now complete. Barnes designed the structure, developed the bill of materials, ordered the materials, solicited help from members, and scheduled the construction in an orchestrated fashion that rivaled a NASA space shuttle launch. The following pictures show the construction activity on May 15, near the completion of the project.

Barnes’ construction crew included Ron Lohr, John Morton, Tom Dunlap, Floyd Johnson, Al Paxton, Dusty Paxton, Dave Thompson, Dave Starr, John Dowell, Wayne Stott, Wayne Belloff, and Gary Dawson. These fellows donated a considerable amount of their time, as well as the use of their equipment, to make this a nice place for all FHRPC members to shoot.

Some activity remains to complete the range, including the addition of shooting benches and permanent standards for target frames. With a little more work, these improvements will be complete prior to the start of deer season in the fall.

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LONACONING TRAP CLUB AND MDOE AT ODDS

The Lonaconing Trap Club (LTC) is challenging the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDOE) attempt to close their trap range due to excessive noise. The LTC problem has been featured on the front page of the Cumberland Times on three separate occasions in the past year.

The LTC needs local shooter support. They are holding a shotgun raffle to raise money for legal support. Raffle tickets are $10 each and may be purchased by calling John Keller at 301-722-8067.

The LTC problem stimulated local sport shooting clubs to promote range protection legislation in the 2005 Maryland General Assembly. Senate bill 685 and House bill 756 were sponsored by our local legislators to exempt sport shooting ranges from noise regulations in Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties between the hours of 9 AM and dusk. Other Maryland counties already had the exemption. The legislation passed, was signed into law by Governor Ehrlich, and went into effect in July, 2005. According to the MDOE, the LTC is in a gray area and not protected by the new law.

The LTC folks took a blow on the chin for the rest of us with ranges in western Maryland. They now need our support. $10 for support is not much to ask. Plus, you are getting a 1-in-1000 chance to win a German made, $5000 trap gun.

YOUNG MARINES AT MORNINGSIDE

The Morningside Drive rifle range will be closed on Saturday, August 20, from 0900 to 1500 (9AM to 3PM for you civilians). The Mountainside Young Marines will be using the range for firearm safety and marksmanship training.

We need three FHRPC Marines to step forward and support this training exercise. If you can help, please call Marty Harsh at 301-759-2877.

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WANTED TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE

This section of the FHRPC newsletter is reserved for membership advertising. You can advertise your surplus sporting gear for sale (WTS, want to sell) or trade (WTT, want to trade). Likewise, if you are looking for something to buy (WTB, want to buy), you can advertise here. Sporting gear can be any type of shooting, archery, hunting, fishing, or camping equipment. Examples include firearms, ammo, reloading equipment and components, scopes, bows, boots, portable tree stands, and tents. Forward your advertisements to Marty Harsh at 313 Sunset Drive, LaVale, Maryland, 21502, for the next newsletter.

The FHRPC is not responsible for any sales, lack thereof, or compliance with any federal, ATF, state, or local regulations.

1) WTS, Walther, 22-cal pistol, model KSP200, molded righthand grip, with 100 rounds Eley ammo, like new, $650, Pete Walsh, 301-724-0841.

2) WTS, Iver Johnson, revolver, break action, 5-shot, 32 cal, antique, $125, Carol Lennox, 301-729-0461.

3) WTS, Remington, semi-auto shotgun, model 1100, 12 GA, 2 ¾-inch chamber, skeet barrel, $265, Carol Lennox, 301-729-0461.

4) WTS, trigger shoe for handgun, $5 each, Ken Fuller, 301-724-5254.

5) WTS, Remington, model 700BDL, 270WIN, left hand, like new, $400, Ken Fuller, 301-724-5254.

6) WTS, 22X13 arrows, model XX75, 27.5-inch long, with knocks, inserts and vanes, $3 each, Ken Fuller, 301-724-5254.

7) WTS, Remington, model 700BDL, bolt action rifle, heavy barrel, 222 REM, beautiful stock, 9-18X Simmons scope with 40-mm objective, Lee & RCBS reloading dies, 1350+ rounds ammo loaded with 50-grain Hornady bullets, 25-grain VARGET powder, Federal 205 primers, in two 50-cal cans, all for $700, George Sneathen, 301-759-1323.

8) WTS, Savage model 93 bolt action rifle, 17HMR, bull barrel, match trigger, 2 magazines, 40-mm 3-9X Burris mil-dot scope, 22+ boxes Hornady and CCI ammo, 50-mm 20X Burris spotting scope, cleaning rod, cleaning snake, cleaning rod guide, cleaning brushes, cleaning patches, gun case, all for $600, George Sneathen, 301-759-1323.

9) WTS, 30-06 brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, LC69 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

10) WTS, 30-06 brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, WCC56 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

11) WTS, 303 British brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, HXP73 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

12) WTS, 303 British brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, HXP76 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

13) WTS, 30 carbine brass, once fired, polished, mixed head stamps, all USGI, 2000+ pieces, $25, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

14) WTS, Winchester, model 1890, pump action repeater, 22 rimfire, fair condition, $400, Cliff Bennett, 304-788-3890.

15) WTS, Clark target pistol, 45ACP, M1911 frame, 6-inch barrel, smithed by Jim Clark, Shreveport, LA, $1000, Harry Twigg, 814-634-1516.

16) WTS, Pardini target pistol, 45 cal, 6-inch barrel, red-dot sight, $1000, Harry Twigg, 814-634-1516.

17) WTS, Remington, model 700 Varmint Synthetic, 223 REM, left hand, new in box, never fired, price reduced to $580, Barry Miller, 301-777-3532.

18) WTS, McMillan fiberglass stock for M14/M1A, model M1A, green/woodland camo, new in box, reduced to $300, Barry Miller, leave message at 301-777-3532.

19) WTS, Winchester, model 67, 22 rimfire, single shot, bolt action, $125, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859.

20) WTS, Enfield No. 1 MK III*, 303 British, somewhat sporterized, $150, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859.

21) WTS, US model 1896 Krag-Jorgensen bolt action service rifle, 30-40 KRAG, sporterized, beautiful bluing, $300, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859.

22) WTS, Lee Pacesetter reloading dies, 7MM REM MAG, decapper, resizer, bullet seater, factory crimp, all in plastic case, like new, $15, Russ Lease, 301-729-0365.

23) WTS, linotype metal for casting your own bullets, 50 cents/lb, Jim Gift, 301-359-3639.

24) WTS, 6.5MM Jap brass, new, unfired, Norma manufactured, box of 20 pieces, $10, Jim Gift, 301-359-3639.

25) WTS, Winchester model 69 22-rimfire barrel, can also be used on model 75, new, $25, Jim Gift, 301-359-3639.

26) WTS, gun books, Complete Guide to Handloading by Phil Sharpe, The Rifle in America by Phil Sharpe, The Amateur Gun Craftsman by James Howe, Modern Gunsmith by James Howe, Custom Rifles by Dick Simmons, Reprinted Old Gun Catalogs by L. D. Saterlee, Identifying Old Muskets, Rifles and Carbines by Colonel Gluckman, Americans and Their Guns by NRA Publications, Treasury of the Gun by Harold Peterson, $180 for all, Jim Gift, 301-359-3639.

27) WTS, 308 WIN blanks, Austrian manufacture, $1.50 per box of 20, have 5 boxes, Jack Parrill, 304-738-9270.

28) WTS, 223 REM blanks, M200, USGI, $3.65 per box of 20, have 50 boxes, Jack Parrill, 304-738-9270.

29) WTS, Thompson Center muzzleloading rifle, percussion lock, White Mountain model, very good condition, $125, Chuck Laurie, 301-777-1383.

30) WTS, Federal Ordnance M1A, 308 WIN, new Barnett match barrel, fired less than 100 rounds, $800, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.

31) WTS, Norinco M1A, 308 WIN, fired less than 50 rounds, $800, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.

32) WTS, handmade hunting knives, made to order, some in stock, call for prices, Mike Carney, 301-777-0997.

33) WTS, Savage, M110, left hand, 7MM REM MAG, like new, with 3-9X scope, $370, Darrel Bailey, 301-777-0551.

1) WTB, Smith & Wesson model 625 revolver, 45ACP, Jim Sherman, 304-738-9443.

2) WTB, IMR 1-pound powder cans, empty, $1 each, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.

3) WTB, 12-gauge shotgun shell reloader, Roger Winebrenner, 301-689-6426.

4) WTB, Smith&Wesson, model 686, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.

PLACES TO SHOOT

This section of the FHRPC newsletter is reserved for information describing shooting matches outside the FHRPC and in the not-to-distant surroundings. If you know of other places holding shooting matches that might be of interest to the FHRPC membership, forward the information to Marty Harsh at 313 Sunset Drive, LaVale, Maryland, 21502, for the next newsletter.

Action Pistol

1) Frostburg, MD, Longview Pistol Range & Sportsmen’s Club, 200-shot defensive pistol matches, similar to IDPA, start at 10 AM, $10 per match, Nov 14, George Gallagher, 301-463-6264, Tom Thrasher, 301-689-2868, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.

2) Frostburg, MD, Longview Pistol Range & Sportsmen’s Club, yearly memberships, January through December, $50 per year, George Gallagher, 301-463-6264, Tom Thrasher, 301-689-2868, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.

Bench Rest

1) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen’s Club, 22 rimfire, any power scope, start at 7 PM, Aug 4, 11, 18, 25, Sep 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Oct 6, 13, 20, 27, Terry Mulligan, 304-738-3219.

2) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen’s Club, center fire, factory rifle, 12-power scope limit, start at 1 PM, Sep 10, 24, Oct 1, 15, 29, Nov 5, 19, Terry Mulligan, 304-738-3219.

Muzzleloader

1) Maysville, WV, first Sunday of each month, $10 per match, starts at 1 PM, Terry Mulligan at 304-738-3219.

Highpower Rifle

1) Hagerstown, MD, North American Rod & Gun Club, 100-yard match, 10 sighters, 50 record shots, $20 per match, $40 per match with ammo provided, $50 per match for CMP M1 qualification, $10 for club membership, Aug 27, Norris E. Diefenderfer, 301-797-4282, barbara.norris@.

2) Thurmont, MD, Thurmont Conservation & Sportsman’s Club, Garand matches, 100 yards, $20 per match, Aug 28, Kevin Lippold, 301-293-0105, Steven Naylor, 301-631-6980, WWW..

3) Fort Meade, MD, 600-yard match, three 20-shot strings plus sighters, Nov 6, $30, Paul Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston, MD, 21047.

4) Fort Meade, MD, Maryland state championship, 80-shot regional course, 200, 300, 600 yards, Aug 20, $30, Paul Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston, MD, 21047.

5) Fort Meade, CMP EIC (LEG) match, Aug 21, $15, Paul Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston, MD, 21047.

6) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 50-shot National Match course, 200, 300, 600 yards, Aug 21, Sep 25, Oct 23, Nov 13, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234, WWW..

7) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yard match, two 20-shot strings plus sighters, Aug 20, Oct 22, Nov 12, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234, WWW..

8) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yard Pennsylvania state championship, two 20-shot strings plus sighters, Sep 24, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234, WWW..

9) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yd F-class match, Aug 28, Sep 18, Oct 9, Nov 6, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234, WWW..

10) Bridgeport, WV, White Horse Range, 80-shot regional course, 200, 300, 600 yards, Aug 13, Sep 10, Oct 8, $10 per match, plus one-time $15 league fee, Dick Whiting, 304-623-6093, dwhiting@.

11) Bridgeport, WV, White Horse Range, 1000-yd match, two 20-shot strings plus sighters each day (day #1, any sight, iron sight, day #2, any sight, any sight), Sep 17, 18, $40, Dick Whiting, 304-623-6093, dwhiting@.

Smallbore Rifle

(1)

Sporting Clays

1) Everett, PA, Everett Sportsmen’s Club, P. O. Box 312, Everett, PA, 15537, 50-bird rounds, shooting from 10 AM to 3:30 PM, food & ammo available, Ed Sponsler, 814-652-5562.

Trap

1) Lonaconing, MD, Lonaconing Trap Club, Tuesday & Thursday evenings starting at 4 PM, Saturday mornings starting at 10 AM, $2.50 per round (25 birds), Gary Dawson, 814-356-3688.

2) Bedford, PA, Bedford Sportsmen’s Club, every Wednesday at 4 PM, $2.50 per round (25 birds), Gary Dawson, 814-356-3688.

3) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen, $2.50 per round (25 birds), Gary Dawson, 814-356-3688.

4) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen, Calcutta and Lewis Events, practice starts at 12 PM, match starts at 1 PM, Aug 13, Sep 17, Oct 8, Nov 12, Gary Dawson, 814-356-3688.

FORT HILL RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB

RAFFLE DAY MATCH RULES

OCTOBER 9, 2005

MUZZLELOADING RIFLE

1) 5 shots for record, no sighters.

2) Offhand position.

3) 100-yard range.

4) Standard A25 NRA smallbore rifle target.

5) 20-minute time limit.

6) Any muzzleloading rifle legal for Maryland deer hunting.

7) Any sights legal for Maryland deer hunting.

8) Ties broken by closest ball to center.

9) Multiple re-entries allowed. Competitor can post only one score.

10) Raffle ticket stubs are non-transferable for match entry.

11) 120 maximum entries.

12) First relay starts at 9 AM. Additional relays start every 30 minutes. Final relay starts at 2:30 PM.

13) Match director may alter course of fire due to weather conditions.

14) Competitor may be disqualified for unsafe actions on shooting range.

15) No alcoholic beverages allowed on shooting range.

16) First, second and third prizes are $100, $75 and $50, respectively.

MODERN RIFLE

1) 10 shots for record, 2 sighters.

2) Prone position.

3) Any support, including sand bags, bipod and/or sling.

4) 300-yard range.

5) Standard MR-63 NRA highpower rifle target.

6) 20-minute time limit.

7) Any centerfire rifle of 45 caliber or less.

8) Any sights.

9) Ties broken by shoot off.

10) Multiple re-entries allowed. Competitor can post only one score.

11) Raffle ticket stubs are non-transferable for match entry.

12) 120 maximum entries.

17) First relay starts at 9 AM. Additional relays start every 30 minutes. Final relay starts at 2:30 PM.

13) Match director may alter course of fire due to weather conditions.

14) Competitor may be disqualified for unsafe actions on shooting range.

15) No alcoholic beverages allowed on shooting range.

16) First, second and third prizes are $100, $75 and $50, respectively.

3rd Annual Great Guns Raffle, October 9, 2005

Sponsored by Fort Hill Rifle & Pistol Club

at Warrior Mountain Range on Cresap Mill Road

• $20 Donation includes Chances to Win

Great Firearms & Participate in Two Shooting Matches

(Muzzleloading Rifle & Modern Rifle)

• Only 1000 Tickets Sold

• Need Not Be Present to Win

• All Firearms Will Be Raffled to Ticket Buyers

• All Winners Subject to Federal & State Checks

• Match Schedule May Change Due to Weather & Number of Participants

• Raffle Ticket Replaces Match Entrance Fee ($10)

• Prizes Awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place Shooters

• No Alcoholic Beverages Allowed on Shooting Range!

Firearms on Display, Tickets Available at

Mulligan’s Gun Shop

69 Potomac Street, Ridgeley, WV

To purchase ticket: Contact any FHRPC member,

Or call: 301-759-2877 or 301-777-1298

Or mail request to FHRPC, 313 Sunset Drive, LaVale, MD, 21502

(include $20 check payable to FHRPC)

|TIME |FIREARM |CALIBER |

|10 AM |Remington M700DBM Rifle |30-06 |

|10:15 |Springfield Armory M1911A1 Pistol |45ACP |

|10:30 |Remington M700BDL Rifle |280 |

|10:45 |Winchester 1300 NWTF Short Turkey Shotgun |12 GA |

|11:00 |Ruger M77R-MKII Rifle |270 |

|11:15 |Knight Revolution Muzzleloader |50 CAL |

|11:30 |Remington M504-T Rifle |22 Rimfire |

|11:45 |Ruger M77R-MK II Rifle |260 |

|12:00 |Ruger 10/22-T Rifle |22 Rimfire |

|12:15 |Remington M870 Classic Trap Shotgun |12 GA |

|12:30 |Winchester M70 Coyote Rifle |243WSSM |

|12:45 |Ruger MK3 Target Pistol |22 Rimfire |

|1:00 |CVA Optima Pro Muzzleloader |50 CAL |

|1:15 |Remington M700 VLS Rifle |22-250 |

|1:30 |Ruger MK77/17 Rifle |17 Mach 2 |

|1:45 |Knight Disc Extreme Muzzleloader |45 CAL |

|2:00 |Savage 12BVSS Rifle |223 |

|2:15 |Remington M1100 Classic Field Shotgun |20 GA |

|2:30 |Springfield Armory M1911A1 Pistol |45ACP |

|2:45 |Ruger M77R-MKII Target Rifle |204 |

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