Shooting Campout 2002

October 25-27, 2002

Once again Troop 57 holds its annual shooting campout. After spending several weeks teaching the scouts about safety rules and range procedures, we embarked on our annual Shooting Merit Badge campout. We left FUMC Friday evening and arrived at the campsite in Oklahoma late Friday night. We set up camp, got a good nights sleep, then awoke the next morning to a big breakfast and then went about the business of setting up three shooting ranges. One for .22 rifle, one for shotgun and one for black powder muzzle loaders. We were fortunate on this campout. Usually Troop 57's fall campouts are a testament to our rain gear preparedness. However this campout was "precipitation-free". Although it was cool, windy & overcast the entire weekend we didn't get one drop of rain until we started back Sunday morning.

The Three Rules of Firearm Safety

ALWAYS keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

ALWAYS keep the firearm unloaded until ready to shoot.

The Campsite
Setting up a dining fly.	OK guys, who's turn is it for KP?	The adults kitchen.	Building a firepit.

The Rifle Range

Setting up the rifle range
Putting up paper targets.	Getting the rifles ready.		Spinner targets.		Reviewing the safety rules.


Shooting at the .22 rifle range
Ready ... Aim ... FIRE!!!		Scout getting some pointers.		Hey !!! I think I got a Bulls-Eye !!!



Shooting at the black powder rifle range
Reviewing safety rules.	Loading a Muzzle-Loader	Ramming.	KA-BOOM !!!



Scout firing a Muzzle-Loader.	Scout firing with a bipod.	Adult with a missfire. (percussion cap fired but powder didn't light)	Try again with another cap.
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Fishing
Some of the guys took time out from shooting to try their luck in the stock pond next to our campsite. Several of the boys managed to catch some pretty good sized fish.

The Shotgun Range

Setting up the Shotgun range

Shooting at the shotgun range
Adults trying their luck on the shotgun range.



Scouts trying their luck on the shotgun range.





Leader trying his luck	Scout trying his luck	Leader trying his luck	Scout trying to hit doubles
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Scout trying to hit doubles	Scout hitting the clay target	Leader trying his luck	Scout shooting doubles
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Of course after we ran out of clay targets the boys decided to "improvise" some targets.
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Flag Ceremony
Suday morning we packed our gear, policed the area, and then had our flag ceremony and Chapel service. (Of course no Troop 57 Flag Ceremony is complete without the Troop Cannon!)

Loading the Cannon


	Firing the Troop Cannon (795 KB mpeg)