Irish Shooting Tradition

EWQuinn

http://www.longrangebpcr.com/TCFacts.htm

The first Creedmoor match in 1874 was won by the US team in a very narrow victory firing Sharps breechloaders. The Irish had Rigby muzzleloading rifles. An Irishman named Milner fired a bullseye on his first shot, but on the wrong target costing the match. The Irish won the 1,000 yard line. The match was attended by 8,000 spectators.

A week later the NRA held its own match which the Irish won by 6 points with Mr. Rigby individual high. Then there was another impromptu match driven by the fact that the Irish did not clean their barrels between shots. The Americans cleaned their Sharps after every shot (I can relate). The match was fired without cleaning the Sharps between shots, and the Irish won hands down. Then Rigby won an individual match, 5 shots from standing at 1,000 yds against Gen T.S. Dakin, a top US shooter.

The matches generated huge publicity and the Irish became celebrities, touring the nation including Chicago. In Chicago they met President Grant and General Custer. Maj Leech, a member of the Irish team presented a highly finished Rigby Rifle to Custer. Those were the days!

http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/tag/ireland/ Scroll down for some info on places you might find familiar, including an Irish Creedmoor match (F-class style) in 2011. This post was prompted by an excellent article in the November issue of American Rifleman on this topic. Some of you double citizens may have access to it. If I find an online version I'll post it.

Sparks

• History of Creedmoor
• Creedmoor Cup 2011
• Interesting Article on the Back of the Creedmoor Shoot

EWQuinn

http://www.schwandtclassicarms.com/john_rigby_dublin_built_percussi.htm

And here is one of the rifles in person, for sale at Schwandt Classic Arms, only $27,500. Great photo details of the genuine item.


This is apparently just like the one given to Custer. Note in the description: "Perhaps if Custer would have had his Rigby at the Little Big Horn he could have engaged the Indians a much longer distance and changed the outcome?" Nope, he needed to have brung the Gatling guns and listened to his scouts for that to happen.

deeksofdoom

I wonder how much would Rich Wyatt at Gunsmoke give for it.:P

EWQuinn

Careful, last thread on them got terminated. However, despite the cheesiness and overthetop factor, I am developing some appreciation for what they do. Worse would be the lowball express over at Pawn Stars.

This is apparently one of two like it in the world for sale right now. The other one is going for about $23,000. In my humble opinion this thing belongs in an Irish museum, but maybe there already are some. How many people know the Irish were leaders in the field and founding participants in the beginnings of international long range competition? The guns we use are purpose built and aesthetically minimal. These things were 19th century works of art.

juice1304

If it was given to an irish museum they would get the angle grinder out like the have with other historical firearms on display:mad::mad::mad: