Reload!

OCTOBER 2001 NEWSLETTER
© Bruce Buck, editor

A WHITE DOVE IN FAIRFIELD (by Vinny LaScalza)…

Gathered around red picnic tables, under puffy white clouds against a
deep blue sky, 150 Travelers gathered shoulder to shoulder at the
Fairfield County Fish and Game Club on the morning of September 16,
2001 filled with purpose. Bruce Galotto began to set the tone for
the shoot by mentioning the recent victims of the Twin Tower tragedy
and their families, and asking for a period of silence to show our
respect. He then explained that what we were doing this morning was
not just shooting clay targets, but more importantly "resuming our
lives as the President has asked."

How do Travelers resume their lives? Well, we bust clay targets!
But, there is something else underneath this action that defines what
being a Traveler really is all about. It became evident when Laura
Godfrey who sings at many public events was asked before the shoot to
sing our National Anthem. Her beautiful voice echoed through the
hills of Fairfield County and helped rally us all. This was followed
by a stirring rendition of "God Bless America" in which all the
Travelers joined in. This simple but elegant preface to our shoot
helped all the Travelers and their guests make a difficult transition
from a world filled with mayhem and sorrow to a more normal one.

Travelers make it better for other people. This is the central idea
behind being a Traveler, and it was evident all day long. As I stood
at the picnic tables in front of the lodge, I could see the large
glass jar sitting on the table on the front porch. It was filled
with donations that totaled one thousand dollars to help the families
of the fire fighters, policemen, and other victims of this tragedy.
To the left of this on the edge of the parking lot sat a brand new
4-wheel drive Mule completely "tricked out" for sporting clays. This
and a trailer were presented to Al Anglace from all the Travelers in
appreciation for all he had done to make better the lives of the
people around him. Oh, and there on a table in a box, was a brand
new 20g. Beretta 391. It would be given away by lottery at the end
of the shoot to a Traveler just for being there. This gun was
purchased through Joe Cimino who donated a Traveler gun slip because
he thought the gun needed one.

If you are not a Traveler and are reading this, you must be asking
yourself if this goes on all the time. The answer is YES! It may
not be a Mule or a 391, but the feelings underneath these acts are
always present when Travelers meet. I am proud to be a Traveler.

By now, you must be wondering if a shoot actually took place? I know
that Bruce is gnashing his teeth and wondering when I am finally
going to get to the targets. Well here we go, in a word "SIMO !!"
It was a very fast world at Fairfield this last weekend with a large
number of simo presentations. The general feeling of being rushed to
make the first shot followed by the statement that "There is plenty
of time, I didn’t have to rush!" was a constant refrain.

Station # 12 (the first skeet field) had a simo pair fired over the
shooter’s head settling 40 yards away. They crossed paths a short
distance away from the shooter and then became small. The first
problem was deciding which bird to attempt first. To answer this
question, you had to watch the complete paths of both birds. One of
the birds floated relatively straight down while the other was on
edge in an impossible slanting downward line. This last bird had to
be the first bird attempted. This meant that you first struck at
this bird over your left shoulder almost as it crossed you. You then
at least had the predictable bird left at around 35 yards away and
getting smaller.

One of the most entertaining and remarkable stations on the course
involved a report pair of rabbits. The first rabbit streaked away
from a trap behind the shooter’s left shoulder quartering away and
crossing the future path of the second rabbit. This first rabbit got
away fast and was best struck aggressively while most of its face was
vulnerable. On report, a second rabbit crossed the shooters position
at 35 yards from right to left and continued increasing the distance.
Besides the obvious problem of forward lead, the subtler obstacle of
finding the correct line caused many misses over or below the
rabbits. When preparing for presentations such as these, note the
beginning and end points of the rabbit’s path. Draw this line in the
air (others won’t think you are crazy since they will be doing the
same thing). When you get in the box, practice a swing or two
duplicating the lines. This then narrows the problems down to just
forward lead. When in doubt always increase. I watched many
shooters at this station, and I was surprised to see so many of the
far rabbits broken with small gauge guns. Most remarkable!

Thanks go out to John Guay, John Lawlor, and Fran Soltes for setting
a good course in what must have been very trying circumstances.

Walking back to my car after the shoot, I overheard two people
discussing the pure white dove that closely circled our group earlier
in the morning. No one from the local club had seen this bird
before, and one person was saying how miraculous this really was.
The other person suggested that it was pure chance, maybe "one in a
million!" Whether you feel that this was an extremely "lucky" day or
a "miraculous" one, there is no denying that this shoot ended with
more than the usual number of winners. It seemed like everyone had a
satisfying time and a successful first step back to normalcy.

In regards to the Twin Tower tragedy, I would like to say on behalf
of all the Travelers that we will remember the dead, pray for the
injured, support in any way we can the families and friends of the
victims, and wonder not for the last time about what has gone so
horribly wrong with the world.


HOA Jeremy Willinger(28ga) 90
I-1 Steve Dalena(410) 89
I-2 Bruce Galotto(28ga) 85
I-3 Joe Maresca(28ga) 83
II-1 Peter Wicker(28ga) 87
II-2 Preston Moore(28gaSxS) 85
II-3 George Ostrander(28ga) 84
III-1 John Nicoletti(28ga) 85
III-2 Kurt Willinger(28ga) 81
III-3 Bill Bretschager(20ga) 80
IV-1 Cyndi Dalena(28ga) 75
IV-2 Dom Russello(28ga) 73*
IV-3 Joe Sproviero(20ga) 73
V-1 Joe Puglielli(28ga) 65
V-2 John Steenbock(28ga) 64
V-3 Andy McEvoy(20ga) 57
VI-1 Carol Roesslein(20ga) 57
VI-2 Rose Kichline(20ga) 47
VI-3 Kathy Tracy(20ga) 44
Ldy-1 Sue Foster(20g) 77
Ldy-2 Ginny Tennison(28g) 73
Ldy-3 Ellie Levy 52
Mdm1 Fran Gallogly(20g) 68
Mdm2 Olive Lawler(20g) 62
Mdm3 Jan Trulan 47
Vet-1 Ted Fedun(20g) 86*
Vet-2 John Lawlor(410) 86
Vet-3 Al Anglace(410) 82
SrVet1 John Levy(28g) 71
SrVet2 Gil Kenrick(28g) 68
SrVet3 Emile Dorizzi(20g) 59
Jr-1 Eli Hariton(28g) 69
Jr-2 James Nicoletti(28g) 64
Jr-3 Jonathan Tessier(20g) 55
Robert Quartarone(20g) 51
Adam Sansoucie(20g) 50
Luke Sproviero(20g) 44
Julie Marwell(20g) 18
Guest Frank Turner(20g) 77

GAUGE CHAMPIONS
20gCh Godfrey Shelton 88
28gCh Lavert Cypher 87
410Ch George Parsons 89
*ties are decided by tie-breaker station

GAUGE HANDICAPS…

It looks as though our gauge handicap system works pretty well. Note
the very close scores of the three different subgauge champions. The
tremendous popularity of the 28 gauge is just because it’s such a
neat gauge. The lack of popularity of the 410 reminds us that it
isn’t called the "Idiot Stick" for nothing.

We’ve been using this handicap system for about ten years now and it
has never needed adjusting. Talk about blind luck! With the advent of
bird season, many of you may choose to try your bird guns at the
upcoming Millbrook R&G Club shoot. It’s an ideal spot.

Just to refresh your memories, the Travelers subgauge handicaps are
as follows: 12ga=0, 16ga=+3, 20ga=+5, 28ga=+10, 410 bore=+20, pumps
and SxS get an additional +5.

Note that loads are restricted as follows: 12 ga=1-1/8 oz, 16ga=1oz,
20ga=7/8oz, 28ga=3/4oz, 410bore=1/2 oz.

FROM THE HEART by Sue Foster…

It was 5 days after the 'Attack on America' when the Travelers
gathered for the sub gauge shoot in Fairfield, CT. As we stood around
before the shoot drinking coffee and eating cake, we tried to forget,
if even for a few hours what was on all our minds and weighed heavy
in our hearts. A white bird flew around the clubhouse and landed on
the roof, conjuring up thoughts of hope, love and peace.

Because of the tragedy that had occurred it was arranged for a lovely
young lady to sing the 'Star Spangled Banner' before we began the
day. This song has always had a profound effect on me and especially
that morning. To see grown men cry, to remember past wars and the
heartbreak of so many men, women and children all flood back in
memories that are rarely allowed to surface.

I needed to be there---it didn't occur to me that the shoot would
perhaps be postponed or canceled. I am grateful to Al Anglace who
felt as most did that to be able to go do our thing out on the course
on a beautiful Sunday was important to us. In the grand scheme of
things it seems so trivial---but it meant a lot to me. It was the
freedom to enjoy life.

It's as if things will never be quite the same since the events of
September 11, 2001. However we come together as a small group of
people, who otherwise never would have met in this world because we
love the shooting sports we share and respect each other even through
our differences.

Thank you Al for opening your heart and sharing with us this
wonderful organization of which I am proud to be a part.

SOMETHING YOU CAN DO…

At the Fairfield shoot the Connecticut Travelers raised funds for the
Daily News Charities to support those injured in the World Trade
Center attack. The following letter was enclosed with our
contribution:

"I am a representative of the Connecticut Travelers Sporting Clays
Association. Yesterday we held our monthly sporting clays tournament
at the Fairfield County Fish & Game club in Monroe, Ct. We had over
150 Travelers in attendance. I made an announcement about your fund
to aid the families of police, fire and EMS heroes who perished in
the tragedy.

"The members reached into their pockets and made donations totaling
about $900. The association brought up the total to $1000. One member
contributed a $100 bill. Please accept this $1000 Contribution on
behalf of the members of the Connecticut Travelers Sporting Clays
Association. ­ Robert W. Solinski"

For those of you who were unable to attend the Fairfield shoot, you
can still participate. Every contribution counts so send your check
or money order today to: Daily News Charities, Inc., PO Box 3307 New
York, N.Y. 10001. Or, to use your credit card, call 212-210-2244
between the hours of 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and between
6 a.m. and noon on Saturday and Sunday. Tell them you are a
Connecticut Traveler.

At the conclusion of the shoot the Travelers raffled off a Beretta
391 that was won by Cato Ealy. He has declined the gun and asked the
Travelers to donate an additional $500 to the Daily News Charity.
Thanks Cato. Class will tell.

THE TECHNOID PERFORMS A BALANCING ACT...

(This was originally published in Reload! in 1994, but the Technoid
has changed his mind about some things and simply forgotten other
stuff, so here’s an update.)

Norbert Nimrod hovers glassy eyed in front of the shotgun display at
the local gunshop. The proprietor enthusiastically touts the benefits
of the latest London "best" Smythington Chutneygout sidelock or
pigeon pounding Spaghettini Porcini over and under. The spiel
invariably includes the seductive, "Just feel how this fine gun
handles. See- the balance point is right over the hinge pin."

Friends, trust the Technoid when he tells you that there is more to
gun balance than Nimrod is being shown. Drawing heavily on the
assistance of G.T. Garwood (the Technoid's patron saint), the effort
required to swing a gun depends upon its weight plus its moment of
inertia as measured about its point of balance. You can hang a brick
on each end of a broomstick and make it seesaw where you will, but
you could not call it properly balanced. Good gun balance is dynamic,
not static.

Look at the broomstick and brick example. If a brick were tied onto
each end of the broom stick, it would balance right in the middle,
but would be very hardto swing about due to having the weight at the
ends. This demonstrates high moment of inertia.

That same broomstick, with the bricks moved close together in the
center, would weigh exactly the same and balance in the same place.
However, due to the center weighting, the stick would have a very low
moment of inertia and would swing about with abandon. Same central
balance point, but very different handling.

Traditionally, the British game gun places the balance point and most
of the weight between the hands. This gives the gun a low moment of
inertia resulting in good speed and maneuverability, especially
suited for field shooting. Americans have usually opted for a
somewhat more muzzle heavy bias. This increases steadiness and is
generally thought better for clay targets, which do not change
direction suddenly.

Balance is quite subjective, but there is a range of general
preference. If you like the way that your gun feels, consider
yourself thrice blessed and stop here. If you have found the
dynamics of other guns preferable to yours, you might consider some
modest changes.

If your gun feels a little muzzle heavy and sluggish, like many of
the long barreled O/Us with screw chokes do, you can either add
weight to the rear or eliminate some from the front.

Adding weight to the butt may reduce the muzzle heavy feel, but too
much can be just as bad and can drastically alter handling. You
don’t want to end up with that broomstick with a brick on each end.
If you do not need too much weight at the rear, some lead plumbers
wool in the stock cavity would be worth a try. It does not take much
weight addition to subtly change the feel of the gun.

The addition of a recoil reducer in the stock can add as much as half
a pound of weight. This affects handling considerably on a gun used
from the low gun position, though it is often acceptable for mounted
gun games.

Other than add a bit of weight to the stock, there isn’t much you can
do other than backbore. That gets complicated on guns with factory
screw chokes, particularly those with already large bores like
Browning. On solid choke guns it is a good option.

If your gun is too light up front, like many small gauge guns, it is
difficult to aesthetically add weight to the barrels. You can take
one of three basic approaches.

First, you can remove a small amount of weight from the stock by
enlarging the stock cavity. That will shift a bit of weight forward,
but be aware that wood isn’t very heavy, so you can’t make too much
of a change. Also, weigh your recoil pad. Some (like Kickeez) are
surprisingly heavy. You could substitute a lighter one or a "pad" of
leather-covered wood.

Secondly, you can cut hollow pockets inside the forend and fill them
with lead. You could also use stick-on tire or golf club weights
stuck between the barrels under the forend. That works pretty well,
but the forend isn’t very far up the barrels, so you will have to add
a good bit of weight to shift the balance forward enough to notice.
You could also try clamping a skeet shooter’s weight onto the barrel.
Some people get along with them pretty well, but I’ve never liked the
feel that they give to the gun.

Thirdly, and of some real use, is a set of extended chokes compared
to the factory flush chokes. Extended chokes put extra weight right
up front where it is most noticeable. The custom choke guys could
also make you a set of extra heavy extended chokes if you wanted. An
ounce of extra weight under the front bead will be far, far more
noticeable than the same ounce under the forend.

Generally, be forewarned that the balance and feel of a gun are built
in, not added on. Subtle changes in balance and moment of inertia
are practical, but it may be wiser to trade the gun if a more extreme
alteration is required.

WORK PARTY ON OCTOBER 6-7…

East Mountain is making many changes to improve our November Club
Championship course. They have a new double tier tower, new shooting
stands, manicured trails, etc.

They are having a Travelers work party day on Saturday, October 6 and
Sunday October 7 starting at 8 AM or any time thereafter. Workers
should bring any yard tools, chain saws and whatever you have to cut
and move brush. Also, we need to build shooting platforms so hammers
for those who know how to use them would be in order.

Luncheon is served. Reservations aren’t required. Just show up. Your
help would be appreciated and you’ll have fun.




*** 2001 CONNECTICUT TRAVELERS SHOOT SCHEDULE ***

OCT 21 MILLBROOK ROD & GUN-OKTOBERSCHUTZENFEST
NOV 18 EAST MOUNTAIN-CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOV 25 EAST MOUNTAIN-KOEHLER SOCIETY FUNDRAISER
DEC 16 MID-COUNTY-CHRISTMAS PARTY SHOOT


*** OTHER SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

The 2001 NSCA National Championship has been postponed and will be
held Wednesday-Sunday, October 24-28. Even though the Championship
will be held after the 2001 shoot year has officially ended, the
targets will be recorded as 2001 targets and will be considered as
being shot in 2001 for all honors and target requirements.

OCT 24~28 NSCA, TX (210-688-3371) NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
NOV 9~11 PEACE DALE, RI (401-789-3730) FALL FITASC CH
DEC 2 NEWGATE COON CLUB (860-738-3619) CHRISTMAS SHOOT


CONTACTING THE TRAVELERS...

CTSCA Home Office: Email <CTSCA@email.com> (by far the best way) or
telephone 860-354-9351 if you absolutely must.

Membership, Address Changes and Shooting Class status: Contact Cyndi
Dalena at 860-584-1083 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Leave message.
Or Email shotguncyndi@prodigy.net

To place an ad or post a shoot date in Reload!, contact Bruce Buck at
tel: 203-454-1080 (worst way), fax to 707-215-0668 (pretty good way)
or <bcb23@columbia.edu> (marvelous way!). The current and previous
issues of Reload! are posted on the internet at
<www.ShotgunReport.com>. You will also find megs and megs of other
useless Technoidal stuff there. Great literature never dies. It just
sort of lurks around.





**** THE UPCOMING TRAVELERS MONTHLY SHOOT ****

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2001
OKTOBERSCHUTZENFEST
MILLBROOK ROD AND GUN CLUB
MILLBROOK, NY


This year’s Connecticut Travelers’ Oktoberschutzenfest is going to
have even more Gemütlichkeit than ever. We’ll have barrels of fun.
While our Münchenbewohner German cousins enjoy their barrels of foamy
fun, we will derive equal pleasure from barrels of a different sort.

It’s all the usual drill(ing). Show up at 9:00 AM and check in at
regristration. Enjoy some high test kaffe und strudel while you cinch
up your lederhausen and get your bockdoppelflinte ready to shoot.
The tab for the day is US$55 and your paid reservations must be in
our hands no later than Thursday, October 18 or you will be kaput.
Subgauge guns get the usual handicaps. Drillings get an extra
handicap if you use the rifle barrel on the longer shots.

Millbrook has a great course, somewhat in the style of Fairfield. A
"woodsy" course is absolutely appropriate for fall with its helles
Oktoberlaub (bright October foliage). Gäste sind willkommen. (Guests
are welcome.)

Directions to Millbrook Rod and Gun Club, Millbrook, NY:

From Taconic parkway, take the NY Rte 44 (Millbrook) exit. Take Rte
44 heading East for about 1.6 miles to Rte 44-A. Bear Left onto Rte
44-A. Go 2.1 miles (you will pass Sandanona’s driveway) to Stamford
Road on the left immediately after the bridge. Turn Left on Stamford
Road and go 1.5 miles to Woodstock Road. Turn Left on Woodstock Road
and go .8 miles to Millbrook R&G Club sign on right.

If lost, strayed or stolen, the Millbrook R&G Club telephone number
is 914-677-0029.

REMEMBER, EYE PROTECTION IS MANDATORY AT ALL TRAVELERS SHOOTS.

INTERNET READERS… This is a private shoot, but you are welcome to
come as a guest if you have a friend who is a member.