Silverdale Pistol Club Est 1996
Black Magic - Black Powder Club
Black Powder Matches
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The Black Magic - Black Powder club , meets on the 1st Saturday of every month and meets for practice on the 3rd Saturday after the Pistol Club is finished for the day usually around 2pm.
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Black Magic is part of the Silverdale Pistol club, may of our members have black powder revolvers and single shot pistols. In addition we shoot Black Powder rifle matches and Cannon matches monthly.
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The term "Black Powder" refers to muzzle-loading pistols and revolvers, which employ a black-powder propellant, round or conical lead projectiles and percussion caps. These are the type of pistols that existed in the 19th Century and many people find great fascination and satisfaction in this type of historically-based shooting.
Modern black powder pistols are well made replicas of the original pistol type or can be of modern design made for black powder. A relatively large number of accessories are necessary for this type of shooting eg powder measures, starter rods, ram rods, cappers, nipple wrenches, cleaning equipment and ball/bullet removal equipment.
Fortunately all of these items are now readily available at gun dealers who handle this type of shooting. If you are a person who loves lots of gadgets and accoutrements in your sport, don't mind getting a bit dirty and would like to get the feel of shooting 100 years ago, then black powder may well be the shooting sport for you.
Black Powder Pistol
There are three different Black Powder matches shot under the auspices of
Pistol Australia.
Black Powder 50 Metres
As per the title, this match is shot over a distance of 50 metres. It consists of four
series of ten shots in 30 minutes (including loading time)/ Calibres used must not
exceed 0.46".
Black Powder 25 Metres
Once again, the distance shot is as in the title. This match is shot in two parts:
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Precision-four series of five shots in 12 minutes(including loading time)
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Rapid Fire Stage-four series of five shots on turning targets, with one shot fired on each exposure of the targets.
Black Powder International Match
There are four classes for this match, covering four different types of Black Powder pistols:
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Replica Single Shot
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Fixed Sight Revolver
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Adjustable Sight Revolver
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Modern Single Shot.
The match is shot over 25 metres, consisting of 13 shots to be loaded and fired in 30 minutes, with the top ten valued shots only to be scored
Black Powder Rifle
MUZZLELOADING RIFLES
These are divided into four classes, with separate events for each class. The classes are as follows:
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CLASS 1: MILITARY. Original and replica military issue rifles. Minie or round balls only. Minimum calibre .5333. Sights as issued, with minor modifications permitted. No windage adjustments or set triggers.
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CLASS 2: TRADITIONAL. Other original and replica rifles of traditional types. Round balls only, original style open sights. Class 1 rifles using round balls only are not permitted. As some modern traditional style rifles are made with click adjustable rear sights, these are permitted on rifles issued with them, no adjustments are allowed once a competition has started.
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CLASS 3: OPEN. Any original or replica muzzleloading rifle, any non-optical sights, any bullet type.
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CLASS 4: FIRELOCK. (Matchlock, Wheellock, Flintlock permitted). Any original or replica muzzleloading military or civilian musket or rifle. Original style pre 1850 peep sights permitted. Any calibre, round balls only.
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MUZZLELOADING MUSKETS
These are divided into two classes, with separate events for each class. The classes are as follows:
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FIRELOCK MUSKET. (Matchlock, Wheellock, Flintlock permitted). Any original or replica muzzleloading smoothbore long arm without rear sights. Any calibre, round ball only.
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OPEN MUSKET. Any original or replica muzzleloading smoothbore long arm, non adjustable rear sights. Any calibre, round ball only.
Competitions with class 1, 2 and 4 rifles are conducted at 50 and 100 metres using the 50 metre international slow fire target. Shooting positions are standing and kneeling for 50 metres. Prone, sitting and bench rest for the 100 metres . Class 3 rifle competitions are conducted at 100 and 200 metres using international slow fire target and the larger musket target. Prone and bench rest at 100, bench rest only at 200 metres.
Competitions with all muskets are conducted at 50 metres, standing unsupported and using a large musket target.
Most events are 13 shots in 30 minutes. Exceptions are class 3 rifle where 45 minutes is allowed for the 13 shots. The snap events with class 1 and 2 rifles have a 5 second exposure to fire a loaded and ready firearm at the 50 metre target. All events the best 10 shots of the 13 fired to be scored. Bullet holes cutting a line must be at least half way through the line to score the higher value, a rule that is necessary as widely different calibres compete against each other - such as .31 cal to .58 cal.
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SHOTGUN
Original and replica muzzleloading percussion shotgun competition is conducted from 5 stations which are 8 metres from a non oscillating trap. 25 clays with 2 eye openers being the course of fire. Shotguns to be loaded single barrel only.
Only genuine, commercially manufactured sporting black powder shall be used and loaded from pre-measured single charge containers in all competitions.
Black Powder Cannon
Cannons are placed into 2 categories according to the size of the bore. All must use black
powder and be muzzle-loaded; at least 75cm in length and barrels must not exceed 120cm
in length. Each cannon is to depict a scale model of an historical artillery piece or naval
gun.
Demi-Cannon is up to 19mm (.75inch) and shoot over distances from 50 meters to a
maximum of 100 metres for State Championships.
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Open Cannon is over 19mm (.75inch) and shoot over distances of 100 metres (minimum) out
to 200 metres for State Championships.
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Both Demi and Open cannon can be shot to a maximum distance of 200 metres.
The cannon target is 2.4 metres wide and 1.2 metres high.
Coehorn mortar 'lob' the projectiles at a target consisting of a single pole with a flag. Distance and accuracy is achieved by altering the amount of black powder used. The barrel is set at 45 degrees. 7 shots are taken at the state championships Of the 7 shots taken, 5 of the projectiles under 15 metres from the flag are scored. The closer to the flag the higher the score. The highest score is the winner. Distance to target is between 100 and 200 metres.
