Not a good shooting day, sun shining in the eyes didn't make it easy. Seven shots, all on the paper.

I got an idea that the wiping between shots might be a problem, I was using a lambswool mop made damp with dilute Murphy's oil soap and it was getting a bit stiff to load after a few shots.

I made a nylon jag which was a tight fit when wrapped with a soft cortton cloth. Also made an end stop so I could control exactly where I placed the ball.

I loaded the first ball, set the stop on the rod, shot it and found I couldn't wipe to the breech because the stop wouldn't let me, do'h.

I dropped the load to 75 grains to try and preserve the patch, discovered I'd left the remains of Stumpy's moose snot at home and switched to Lehigh Valley. So that's 3 variables changed but it seemed to make very little difference, row of four across the top and three falling low. OTOH, none of them fell off the bottom this time and the last one loaded as easy as the first.

My camcorder volunteered to go down range and record the shot order to see if there was any rhyme or reason to it. Something appears on the target half an inch above where shot #7 is just about to arrive. Wonder if it could be magic attractor powder, I've had trouble from the bloomin' range pixies before Movie (1.3Mb)

Whatever, just time to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Our Boxing Day clayshoot is on New Year's Eve for some reason that escapes me. It's the one day a year we put away our muzzle loaders and shoot back stuffers, I even have one made after 1900 -gasp- but I think I'll stick with an 1870's piece :o)