As an amateur student of history, something that would surely surprise a few of my old teachers, I’ve always liked reading about fine firearms and the stories of the people who used them. That was first touched off when I fired an antique snail-lock rifle built in Lisbon, Ohio, that had been converted from flint. “Small” was gracefully etched on a barrel flat, giving credit to its builder. The gentle nudge of the 30-odd caliber, the puff of smoke, the graceful lines and the ghost of its creator planted a seed that’s never stopped growing.
First look. That first exposure taught me to appreciate the careful art and discerning eye that played out in designing those once-daily tools. Their watchful skill to detail opened my eyes to a world of firearms that many today seem to ignore in preference for the more sterile domain of plastic stocks. If those folks had followed me to the little town of Friendship, Indiana, they would have likely been bitten by the same bug that got me so many years ago.
During this trip, it was the legendary Sharps, Winchester, Remington, Ballard and Stevens single-shot rifles that took to the line to compete in the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association Regional Black Powder Cartridge Silhouette Championship.
Shooters pitted their skills against metal falling targets ranging from 200 through 500 yards while plying their skills in fine-tuning Vernier tang sights and judging the wind direction of the notoriously unpredictable conditions on the historic Walter Cline Range. Some rifles sported period Malcolm design optics donning exterior adjustments that need similar attention and talent.
The skills I saw rivaled any shooting discipline that I’ve ever tried. With its blend of history, walnut and steel and the instant gratification of knocking down distant steel targets, every hit felt like an Ohio State touchdown against Michigan.
At the command which unleashed the first volleys, my imagination invoked the image of a 19th-century skirmish line. Gray smoke, drawn down by a heavy morning dew, hung on the range before slowly drifting into the ether. During the two-day championship, over 6,000 rounds of vintage, black powder-driven cartridges boomed their presence, resulting in the satisfying clanging of hits ringing through the hillsides.
Stand out
While many of the participants sported a little gray under their hats, younger shooters with their youthful eyes were deep in the mix, vying for their right to win their place on the scoreboard.
One marksman in particular stood out to me. The camo ball hat pulled low over the eyes, the slim figure of youth, the serious, businesslike handling of the 1885 pattern rifle and the very long blonde ponytail revealed that this participant was different, but it was the shy smile of a 17-year-old girl that was the real giveaway.
Paige Wolfe had traveled with her father Greg from Alma, Michigan, to the NMLRA home grounds nestled among the hills along Laughery Creek just north of the great Ohio River. She was there to compete in her third match of the year, which coincidentally was also her third match ever.
No stranger to firearms, Paige had taken five deer while hunting with her dad, but this was new ground for both of them. It was Marshall Chase from Elwell, Michigan, who had made the difference and encouraged her onto this course.
Marshall, a longtime shooter and competitor, knew young Paige and her father and volunteered to teach her the game. He had all the equipment, a practical light-kicking firearm chambered in 38/55 as well as a quality .22 rifle for similar matches designed for that diminutive cartridge. Paige was willing and eager to learn, and her father — always captivated by his daughter’s smile — couldn’t say no.
Marshall’s experience, help and spotting abilities have turned young Paige into a quick study, while also provoking an interest in her dad, who mentioned that he is now attracted to the game himself. A student-athlete at Alma High School in Michigan, Paige enjoyed soccer and volleyball, displaying the hand-eye coordination required by those sports and carried those skills to the range.
She competed in both the 22-BPCR match and the big-gun competition. Paige demonstrated that she was not waiting in the wings to become a good shooter — she is working to earn her position in the winner’s circle.
A few skilled shooters, including this one, had to pass by her name on the winner’s lists to find our names listed below it. Those young eyes and steady hands sure must help.
Honestly, I believe any one of those shooters ringing those downrange targets would gladly step aside with a proud smile to allow her to take her place in the winning circle, each knowing that in some small way that their own friendly competitiveness had helped to set her on the course of success.
Marshall Chase is deserving of all of our thanks for his mentorship with nothing more to gain than personal satisfaction of seeing her excel. We also owe a debt to her father, Greg, for allowing this partnership to flourish.
Each of us could learn a lesson from their symbiotic relationship. How our outdoor sports would grow if each of us could just introduce one more shooter to join in on our fun. I hope to see Paige and Greg competing side by side in a future match with Marshall coaching from behind his spotting scope.
NMLRA
Founded in 1933, the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association exists to promote, support, nurture and preserve our nation’s rich historical heritage in the sport of muzzleloading through recreational, educational, historical and cultural venues such as match competition, hunting, gun making and safety, historical re-enactments, exhibits, museums, libraries and other related programs. Over recent years, they have also added inline and black powder cartridge shooting events to their schedule.
While competing at the range, the national leaders of NMLRA were on site to ensure that everyone’s needs were met and that the BPCR matches went safely and smoothly. I have never been to any match in any venue that was run any better. I am certain that NMLRA intends to host the Regional Black Powder Cartridge Silhouette Championship next year … and I’ll be back.
Learn more about the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association and their many activities at nmlra.org and get ready to make new friends, burn some powder and explore our national heritage. I’ll bet there’s a charter club near you! Visit nmlra.org/charterclubs.
“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own.”
— Benjamin Disraeli
