CHRISTMAS PARTY SHOOT
Mid-County, Lagrangeville, NY
December 19, 2004

Weatherwise, this shoot is always a gamble as well as a gambol. Last year
we had a pile of snow to deal with. In 2003 it was mild and muddy. In 2000
we had that incredible rainstorm that blew trees across the road and killed
the power at Mid County. We had to cancel that shoot, but were able to
salvage the Christmas feast. The Travelers get their priorities right!

This year the weather gods were kind to us. Temperatures were in the mid
30s and it was overcast and little gusty, but not bad at all. The ground
was frozen hard as evinced by the shin-deep truck ruts in the path, but
many of the 103 shooters present shot without gloves, so you know it wasn’t
so awful. Thanks to the overcast there were none of the usual winter
“low sun” problems.

As usual Mid County’s members volunteered their time and talent to make our
shoot a success. There were a couple of warming bonfires on the course to
keep us thawed out. They even had a tractor pulled wagon to shorten up our
trip on one of the long between stations walks.

In the Christmas spirit, the course was a little friendlier than we usually
get. Not easy, mind you, but somewhat sympathetic. Anytime you get a few
scores in the 90s, you know the course is a bit more forgiving than the
usual self-flagellation. In this case it was the right move. As the first
real shoot of winter, cold weather and the clothing it demands are its own
handicap. A very slightly friendlier course makes sense.

Mid County has possibly the best terrain of any course we shoot. It has
fields, forested gullies, hillsides plus a stream and a lake. You can set
pretty much any target you wish. Just about all of our fifteen stations
were two machine presentations, usually one auto and one manual run by a
well swaddled club volunteer. As happens with almost any winter shoot, the
cold got to a couple of the traps forcing some backups for our 20 squads,
but it wasn’t too bad. You have to expect machinery to get cranky in the
winter. That’s why you wear warm clothing.

There was a pretty good mixture of birds with no one target presentation
dominating. There weren’t any long ones this time, or any ridiculously
short ones. Everything seemed sort of between 20 and 35 yards. You could
screw in your Light Mod and never change. You wouldn’t hit them all, but it
wasn’t the choke’s fault. Wisely, there weren’t any ground rabbits as
winter snow can play havoc with that presentation. In the winter it pays to
keep it in the air and keep it simple.

It also seems that more people shoot their O/Us in the winter, leaving the
gas guns home for warmer days. Winter shooting tends to lower shell
velocities slightly, which lowers recoil. Also winter clothing adds padding
which absorbs recoil. Come warm weather you’ll start to notice how much
those O/Us kick again, but for now their reliability sure is nice.

Mid County really treated us right in the dining department this year.
There was a full breakfast of eggs, ham, sausage, rolls and coffee waiting
for us when we arrived. Returning to the club after 3-1/2 hours on the
course, there were luncheon tables of hors d’oeuvres and hot soup waiting.
This was followed by shrimp cocktail, roast beef and sinful cake for
desert. The Travelers are notorious trenchermen and this feast was fully up
to standard. We’ll leave those six foot submarines for summer.

Big eaters, but big hearts too. Everyone brought gifts for the Toys for
Tots program. They were piled high under the Christmas tree when the
workers from the charity came to pick them up.

Our annual Sporting Sportsman award for those who have done the most to
promote the sport is shared by Bill Donaldson and Peter Wright of the Mid
County Gun Club. These men have worked tirelessly for a number of years
behind the scenes to raise Mid County’s sporting clays program and course
to a premier level.

After giving away presents it was time to receive them. Santa Al
distributed dozens and dozens of door prizes to the assembled multitude.
Prizes ranged from aluminum gun cases and canvas field bags to knives,
thermometers, clothing, knickknacks and even a Weed Eater. It looked like
Cabela’s catalogue.

Al announced the engagement of the popular Traveler’s score keeper Cyndi
Dalena and Jon Welsh. They will promise to love, honor and reload. We wish
them well.

It was also announced that Anthony Battaglia has earned the prestigious
Eagle Scout rank. This is a tremendous achievement. Both Anthony and his
father Vin are long time Travelers.

Raffle tickets for a side by side produced almost $1000 for the Kohler
Society Scholarship. To date the Travelers have collected $5,000 for this
worthy charity. It’s in the Christmas spirit.

HOA BOB REPELLA 92
I-1 John Hyrncewich 91
I-2 Lavert Cypher 90
I-3 Mike Greco 88*
II-1 Ed Davies 81*
II-2 Al Anglace 81
II-3 Lou Greenberg 81
III-1 Richard Burns 73*
III-2 Bruce Buck 73
III-3 Gary Fox 73
IV-1 Bob Foege 69*
IV-2 Ken Lion 69
IV-3 Lynn Narins 69
V-1 Jim Thorsen 63*
V-2 Bob Holtzman 63
V-3 Bob Markarian 62
VI-1 Frank Cucciari 51
VI-2 Kathy Girard 50*
VI-3 Jon Welch 50
Msdm Teresa Frisella 57
Ldy-1 Cyndi Dalena 79
Ldy-2 Kristin Canale 76
Ldy-3 Paula Moore 68
SrVet Don Brenton 88
Vet-1 Ed Moritt 88
Vet-2 Richie Frisella 86
Vet-3 Paul Cahan 82
Jr-1 Ben Slome 72
Jr-2 Luke Sproviero 58
Jr-3 Anthony Battaglia 47
Jr-4 Colby Costa 42
*Ties decided by tie-breaker stations

NEED A NEW NAME TAG?...

If you need a new or replacement Connecticut Travelers brass and cloisonné
name tag, send $10 to:

Barto Engraving & Awards
Six Meadow Drive
Brookfield, CT 06804-3519
email: BartoEngrv@aol.com

Tell them that you are a Connecticut Traveler and want a name tag. Include
your first name (or nick name) and last name, plus your return mailing
address. They will only produce the name tag according to CTSCA specs and
will not change the appearance. The $10 can be deducted from any non
co-sponsored monthly CTSCA shoot registration.

REALLY, REALLY BIG SHOOT…

How about this announcement from ClayShooting USA magazine’s publisher Mike
Brunton:

“It's official - Michael Brunton, publisher of ClayShootingUSA magazine,
www.clayshootingusa.com , has been able to bring together a consortium that
have committed to an investment and sponsorship package of $2.5 million
over the next couple of years. Top line sponsor is Vladimir Lisin,
proprietor of Fox Lodge Shooting School in Russia and current President of
the Russian Shooting Union. Passionate about hunting and sporting clays he
comments, "Heading a consortium of sponsors and investors that are truly
interested in growing the sport world-wide is an exciting project. Several
well-known companies have already committed to join the project and we
expect additional sponsors to be confirmed in the coming months."

“The concept is simple. To be promoted as the 'World Sporting Triple
Classic', a series of three major sporting clays Festivals are planned over
the next 18 months. The first will be held in the UK during June 2005,
followed by similar Festivals at Fox Lodge in Russia during the Fall of
2005 and in the USA during the Spring of 2006. Each Festival that makes up
the series will include a 200 target sporting main event and a 150 target
Parcour de Chasse championship over six layouts, each of 25 targets new
system. 5-Stand, Make-A-Break and end of shoot BBQ will all add to the fun
and games.” “Key to the success of each individual event will be the
impressive venue and facilities for shooters (and spouses), and vendors.
The services of various nationalities of target setters and cash prize
funds that exceed anything seen before in the sport will ensure that
entries for the Festivals fill quickly. Those shooters that compete in all
three Festivals will additionally accumulate points (in each class and
category) with the potential to win further cash and product bonus prizes
at the end of the series.”

”The first series of three 'World Sporting Classic Festivals' has
sponsorship funds of $1.25 million already in place.”And when the first
series of three shoots is complete, we will do it again," says Brunton
"taking the whole package to a $2.5 investment over three years. This truly
is a very exciting project and I'm thrilled to be working with Vladimir to
bring this independent and Open World series to market. As each day passes,
additional private and trade sponsors are stepping forward - and whilst
Vladimir's investment has got the project off to a flying start, the
sponsorship door is closed to no-one."

“Full details of venues, dates, prize funds and entry forms for the first
of the three Festivals will be promoted throughout Europe and North America
in the New Year.”

MISS MANNERS...

Damon Dufus, Dudley's surviving brother, took his turn in the shooting box,
hitched up his vest and spread his feet to a manly width. Squinting his
mean squint, he growled "Buh-urd".

Nothing happened.

"Idiot trapper", he hissed. Lowering his gun, raising it again and
resquinting in his fiercest manner he again called "Buh-urd".

Nothing.

Now very picture of frothing discontent, he snapped his gun open and paced
about the stand opining on the intellectual capacity of the trapper.

About fifty yards away little Tommy Tucker, his fifteenth birthday just
behind him, was sitting on the ProMatic's trapper seat dreaming about sweet
Emily. Did she really like him? Dory had said so. Boy, if he could just do
something to impress her. Save her life or something. "Burrpff" came a
slight noise from the vicinity of the shooter's stand off to the left.
Yeah, that would do it, Tommy thought. Maybe save her from sharks or
muggers. Then she'd notice. "Blurrrp" came the noise again. She'd have
to notice me then. Maybe I could even get a date with her.

Damon Dufus was hopping mad by now. The miserable trapper must be
intentionally ignoring him. He always called "Buh-urd". That was his
trademark call. Everyone knew it was his call. He wasn't going to change
it or raise his voice just for some dumb kid. That boy would have to
learn.

There is a problem with a date, Tommy thought. My mom would have to drive
us. It would be really gross if any of the guys saw that. Emily dates older
guys with cars. "Burrpff" again in the distance. Maybe I should just meet
her somewhere. That's it! I'll tell her I'm busy with my hand to hand
combat training to get ready for the Marines and I'll have to meet her
after school.

Damon, beside himself after his forth sotto voce "Buh-urd", glared at
everyone present to make sure that all were aware of his righteous
displeasure and tromped off in a cloud of steam.

Miss Manners was the next shooter in line. Slight of frame and wiry, her
grey hair piled into a bun made her look taller than her actual 5'3". She
faced in the direction of the trap, which was far off and obscured by
bushes. In a clear voice with flawless diction she firmly announced "New
shooter". After waiting a moment to let that sink in, she crisply called
"Pull". The bird was immediately launched. Her twenty-eight gauge
Spaghettini Porcini with the marble cake walnut eased into her shoulder and
the target vaporized.

What had happened? Why was our Miss M so much better received than Damon?
What woke Tommy out of his lustful teenage reverie?

The answer is simple. Damon's call was indistinct and the word that he
used was not one that the trapper was waiting to hear. Miss Manners was
considerably smarter than Damon. She first announced her presence by
calling "New Shooter". This not only alerted Tommy and got him ready for
the next command, but it familiarized him with her voice. There were other
traps in the vicinity and it was sometimes hard for him to tell one voice
from another. Miss Manners had made it easy for him.

When Miss Manners was ready for the bird, she crisply called "Pull!". The
word started with a hard consonant and carried distance well. This is the
exact word that Tommy was waiting to hear. He was not expecting to hear
"Uh!" or "Boid!" or "Tra-la-la". He waited to hear "Pull!". With his hand
on the trap trigger, he reacted instinctively and instantly.

At the awards ceremony after the shoot Miss Manners walked to the front of
the room and crisply said "Thank you" as she received her trophy. Proper
diction also has its social uses.

Moral: Although many long stations have call buzzers, some don't and you
have to speak loudly. Stick up for yourself and learn to call effectively.
You are the only loser if you don't. A slow pull or no pull at all isn't
going to ruin the trapper's day, but it may ruin yours. First, let the
trapper know that there is a "New Shooter!". Then use the unambiguous word
"Pull!" and nothing else if you want a prompt response. Leave the rugged
individualism to other critical areas of life, such as selecting neckties
or bathroom wallpaper.

THE TECHNOID PERFORMS A BALANCING ACT...

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
just on 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 moment of inertia as measured about its point of
balance. You can hang a brick on each end of a broom stick 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 broom stick 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 hard to swing about due to having the weight at the ends. This
demonstrates high moment of inertia.

That same broom stick, 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.

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. Reduce nose weight by shortening the
existing barrels, substituting shorter or lighter barrels, or by backboring
the barrels. Backboring can remove a surprising amount of weight (see
Technoid, July 1994 RELOAD!) and is the best approach. Removing wood from
the forend may help for an extremely subtle change.

Adding weight to the butt may also reduce the muzzle heavy feel, but too
much can drastically alter the moment of inertia. It is best to add weight
to the stock by stringing it out along the inside of the stock, rather than
just adding a clump at the rear. Unfortunately, the former approach often
requires the assistance of a stockmaker. 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.

If your gun is too light up front, like many small gauge Continental 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. Secondly, you can cut
hollow pockets inside the forend and fill them with lead. Thirdly, and of
limited application, you can install a set of sub-gauge tubes. Do not
clamp a skeet shooter's weight onto the barrel. It adds the weight all in
one spot.

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 is wiser to trade the gun if a more extreme alteration is
required.

*** 2005 CTSCA SHOOTING CALENDAR ***

JAN 16 MID WINTER MARTYDOM- EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, NY
FEB 20 ANNUAL MEETING- EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, NY
MAR 20 MARCH MADNESS - MID HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
APR 8~10 NORTH SOUTH SKIRMISH-SPRING TRIP TO MARYLAND
APR 17 TAX TIME REVOLT- OLD NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT
MAY tba COURTING CLAYS- venue tba
MAY 15 MAY MINUET- TAMARACK PRESERVE, NY
JUN 12 RUDY PASSERO CLUB CH- MID-HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
JUL 17 SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME- ORVIS/SANDANONA, NY
AUG 12~14 GREAT EASTERN LOBSTER CLASSIC- ADDIEVILLE EAST FARM, RI
SEP 18 SEPTEMBERSHUTZENFEST-MILLBROOK ROD & GUN CLUB, NY
OCT 1~3 ANNUAL FALL TRIP- PA & NY WEEKEND TOUR
OCT 16 SMALL GAUGE CLUB CH- FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH AND GAME, CT
NOV 13 monthly shoot- tba
NOV 27 KOEHLER SOCIETY FUNDRAISER-venue tba
DEC 18 DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL SHOOT /CHRISTMAS PARTY- MID COUNTY, NY
tba- to be announced

NOTE THAT SEVERAL SHOOTS AND VENUES ARE BEING CHANGED FOR THE COMING YEAR.
* Shoot schedules are subject to last minute change. Always consult the current edition of “Reload!” Therein lies the truth. At least as we see it at this particular time…

*** OTHER 2005 SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

NO LISTINGS YET. PLEASE LET US KNOW OF ANY MAJOR UPCOMING LOCAL SHOOTS SO
THAT WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD

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 860-582-3142 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Or Email
<shotguncyndi@prodigy.net>.

Guide Book questions, contact Dick Orenstein <oren@umich.edu> or call
203-226-5251.

To place an ad, post a shoot date in Reload! or simply heap abuse on the
editor, contact Bruce Buck at tel: 203-454-1080, or email:
<bcb23@columbia.edu>.

***FOR SALE*** CLASSIFIED ADS
***WANTED***

For Sale: PONSNESS WARREN model 800B 12ga. reloader in very good condition
with owner’s manual and some shot and powder bushings. $275. Please contact
Vince Salvo at (845) 629-3832 or vsalvo@att.net.

*NOTE: There is no fee for placing an ad in Reload! Ads are run solely as
a service to our members. It is the responsibility of the buyer and seller
to see that all relevant laws are obeyed. Advertised items must be related
to sporting clays.

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

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2005
MID-WINTER MARTYRDOM
EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
DOVER PLAINS, NY

Start 2005 in the sensible way. Come shoot your gun up in the air and
freeze your fanny off! Yessiree, mid-winter is when the tough shooters
become flaky, snowflaky that is. No hunkering down on the divan, petting
the poodle and nibbling sugarplums for us. Besides, football season is over
and there is nothing left to do but watch people in their underwear heave
some stupid ball through a hoop. It makes ever so much more sense to stand
out in the freezing cold, dressed like the Michelin man, whupping up on
some defenseless piece of clay.

As always, arrive at nine to consult the stars and see which squad you are
on. Then you can have some high test Java, Dunkin’s fat pills and schmooze
a bit until Simon Lagree forces you and Little Eliza out into the cruel
winter snows. Actually, looking over past records, we usually have pretty
good weather for our January shoot. Usually. Well, sometimes…

Winter Rules: Everyone will appreciate it if you shoot with all deliberate
speed. Fidgeting and dawdling around on the stand keeps everyone out on the
course a bit longer. Even though the days are getting longer, they are also
getting colder. You might consider wearing ice creepers with metal cleats,
as the trails can be slippery. A little Thermos filled with warm bouillon
might be nice to bring along also.

After the shoot, there will be a nice warm fire and a delicious hot meal.
We promise that there will be hot brown food and plenty of it.

The entry fee for this shoot is $60 and GUESTS ARE WELCOME. Invite
everyone. More bodies equal more warmth!

DIRECTIONS to East Mountain Preserve, Dover Plains, NY:

At the junction of Interstate Rte 84 and NY Rte 22, take NY Rte 22 North
for about 27 miles to the town of Dover Plains, NY. Turn Right at the first
traffic light in Dover Plains (a few hundred yards after the McDonalds on
the right) and go straight for one mile directly into the East Mountain
driveway. If lost, call East Mountain at 914-877-6274.

FRAN DUIGAN…

It is with profound sadness that I inform you of the passing of
longtime Traveler and good friend, Francis Duigan. Fran was an avid
sportsman and supporter of the NRA.

This quiet gentlemen lost his battle with cancer on January 1, 2005.
His trademark, the Shamrock, and fond memories of this fine gentleman
will be with us forever.

Respectfully,

Al Anglace

MID WINTER SHOOT
East Mountain Preserve, Dover Plains, NY
January 16, 2005

Here are the choices: it’s well below freezing on a January Sunday.
The NFL is deep into the playoffs, with two good games on the tube. On
the kiddie channel there’s a riveting, must-see Sponge Bob, Square
Pants morning marathon. What’s to stop sane people from spending the
day sitting on the couch, petting the poodle and noshing on that
secret cache of kettle cooked potato chips and toothpick wieners
sautéed in Coca Cola?

Well, six squads and 53 guns forsook the sofa for what turned out to
be not such a bad day at all. It was in the mid 20s with little wind.
The previous rain had washed away most of the snow, but did leave
sheets of ice on the upper part of the course. No one showed up for
lunch with the telltale smears of mud from a fall, so people were
either smart enough to wear their “Stabilicers” ice cleats or agile
enough to grab on to someone else as they fell.

George Holomakoff and his staff at East Mountain gave us 12 stations
instead of the usual 15. Considering the potential winter weather, it
makes sense to reduce the stations a bit and shoot a few more birds at
each station to limit the exposure time.

The course was fairly forgiving with no one station being overly
difficult. The pair of rabbits shot from the podium on station two was
probably the most difficult. Hard frozen ground makes any wintertime
rabbit difficult and this erratic pair certainly put the “chance” into
the phrase “fat chance”. The shot was quartering away starting at
about 20 yards. It was probably best to use very open chokes and get
it over with fast. Those who tried to wait the rabbits out and pot
them at distance were often victimized.

It was fairly cloudy, so there was no difficulty with “sun shots”. In
fact, there was no reason why you couldn’t get a pretty good score on
the course. Well, no reason except that we only had six scores of 80
or better. It was jus one of those things where birds kept slipping
away. Winter will do that to you.

That didn’t bother Lavert Cypher though. He’s been shooting a
Winchester Model 21 12 ga SxS for the past year or so and is really
starting to score with it. He came in second at this shoot last year,
but outdid himself this year with a handicapped 96. He would have won
it with a 91 even without his SxS 5 bird handicap. This was
superlative shooting by a superlative shooter.

So too was Phil Steinkraus’ performance of a handicapped 90 with a SxS
tubed 410. I shot on Phil’s squad and was simply amazed at what he
could do with the pipsqueak pipe. His raw score of 65 would be
impressive under any conditions, but winter made it even more so.

At the awards, el jefe supremo Al Anglace turned MC duties over to
John Hryncewich (harder to say than Mr. Gun Glove) who hid behind his
winter beard and made sure that Eddie Moritt didn’t spend too much
time on the podium. Al was hors d’ combat because a winter cold had
robbed him of his voice. Of course, it didn’t stop him from shooting
in the ice and snow. Travelers are like that.

HOA LAVERT CYPHER 96 12 SxS
I-1 Phil Steinkraus 90 410 SxS
I-2 Ted Burke 83
II-1 Mark Marache 89
II-2 Mike Steiner 78
III-1 Peter Klein 74
III-2 George Parsons 73
IV-1 Marti Marache 72
IV-2 Fred Roesslein 66
V-1 Bob Foege 63
V-2 Tim Tice 57 12 SxS
VI-1 Gwyn Grant 46
VI-2 Bill Hawley 38
Msdm Carol Roesslein 48
Ldy-1 Stefanie Steinkraus 71
Ldy-2 Cyndi Dalena 69
SrVet Frank Horodyski 72
Vet-1 John Mohler 81
Vet-2 Ed Moritt 79
Jr-1 Colby Costa 49
Jr-2 Amber Kirylak 33
Guest Roy Rohel 79

NINETEEN YEAR AND COUNTING…

2005 marks the 19th year of your Connecticut Travelers. We’ve come a
long way since those first shoots in 1987.

At the Mid-Winter Martyrdom January shoot, a list of previous winners
was posted. For those wishing a trip down memory lane, here it is:

2004 Paul Elia 92
2003 George Ostrander 86
2002 Zaid Siddig 83
2001 John Mohler 83
2000 Al Anglace 90
1999 Al Anglace 80
1998 Gene Csicsak 92
1997 John Lawlor 84
1996 Gene Csicsak 84
1995 Mike Luppino 79
1994 Bill Losty 87 (-8F !)

Look at the temperature for that 1994 shoot. In the shoot report, one
of the contestants commented, “Look Phoebe, those ice sculptures seem
almost alive.” The sculptures were, of course, the long suffering
trappers sitting outside for three hours in that weather.

Still, in spite of the occasional frigid shoot or monsoon that
uprooted trees (Christmas Party shoot 2000), very little seems to stop
your Travelers from shooting their appointed rounds.

Membership in our club remains very strong. With the 45 new members we
just enrolled for 2005, we have 320 shooting families, or just under
700 individuals. If everyone decided to come at once, that would be
one heck of a shoot. Fortunately, things tend to get spaced out pretty
well. Our smallest shoot is the January one with between 50 and 70
participants. Our largest shoots are normally the July Orvis/Sandanona
shoot and the Christmas Party shoot at Mid-County. Our August Great
Eastern Classic at Addieville is also quite large, but the shoot is
open to the public, not just the Travelers.

The bottom line is that the Travelers are doing very well indeed. That
said, we are always looking for new ideas and new people to help us
run the club. The “if it ain’t broke…” philosophy is very nice, but
the Travelers are always on the lookout for new ideas and innovation.

If you have any suggestions, you can email them to Al Anglace at
ctsca@email.com or come in person to the annual meeting next month.

What changes would you like to see the Travelers make? How can we make
the club better?

Finally, do any of you have repressed literary talent? We could sure
use a co-editor here at “Reload!” You’d get your own corner office in
the massive “Reload!” complex overlooking the quaint little
Connecticut seaport town.

THE TECHNOID GETS THE LEAD OUT…

The most important single ingredient in a good shotgun pattern is high
quality shot. No matter what modern refinements the shotgun and
ammunition manufacturers come up with, high quality shot has more to
do with reducing flyers and filling out a pattern than any other
ingredient in the ballistic equation. Shot can differ tremendously in
quality in both factory shells and bagged shot. You want the good
stuff. What should you look for? Let the Technoid escort you down
the garden path while he explains everything in the usual excruciating
detail.

The quality of shot can be measured in four areas: 1) hardness 2)
roundness 3) size uniformity and 4) surface texture. Each one of
these qualities is important, although hardness is the one most
commonly discussed.

Hardness:

When reloaders buy shot, they are often confronted with a choice
between two grades of shot, commonly called "Chilled" and "Magnum".
The names do not have much meaning in themselves, but they are
supposed to indicate the relative hardness of the shot. "Magnum" shot
is claimed to be harder than "Chilled" and thus produce better
patterns. It normally does.

"Chilled" shot usually has the minimum amount of the hardening element
antimony (about 2%) required to facilitate the manufacturing process.
"Magnum" shot usually contains somewhere between 2% and 6% antimony,
depending on shot size and the scruples of the manufacturer. There
are no real industry standards and no list of ingredients, so you are
taking the contents on faith unless you test for yourself (read on
McDuff). In factory shells, you can be relatively confident that
major brand target grade shotshells in trap sizes #7.5 and #8 contain
the practical maximum of 5.5% to 6% antimony. You can also be pretty
sure that the promotional "dove and quail" 1 ounce, 3.25 dram loads from
the same makers contains the absolute minimum. At current world market
prices antimony costs about $1.42/pound today (up from 55¢/pound three
years ago) and lead costs 42¢/pound (up from 20¢/pound in 1993).
Usually the larger a pellet is, the less antimony is needed to
maintain its shape. #7.5s and #8s are best at around 6%, hard #9s are
usually around 4% as are hard #6s, #5s and #4s. Larger shot, even the
hard grade, often has less.

How do you test shot hardness? First obtain some known high quality
shot to serve as your control sample. The control and test shot must
be exactly the same measured size. The most expensive handicap trap
loads from a major manufacturer are quite reliable and would make a
good control sample. The Technoid uses shot taken from Federal
Handicap Trap loads which were specially made for the Grand American
trap shoot. Winchester silver bullets also have good shot as do most
competition pigeon loads, especially the Italian ones using Aguila
shot.

To test hardness, you will need to build a delightfully complicated
little machine. Junior Technoids to the fore! From case hardened
steel construct a pair of levers pivoting about a central trunion pin.
The forepart of each lever should be formed into a gradual 11 degree
pointed taper, flattened on the inside. The rear part should be
spatulate in form and coated in a tactility enhancing polymer. If this
sounds like a medium sized pair of needle nose pliers available from
K-mart, so be it. The Technoid never does it the easy way, but you
can.

Take a pellet from your high quality control sample and give it a
little squeeze with the tip of the pliers. Repeat with a pellet from
the test sample. Do this a dozen or so times and you will develop a
surprisingly accurate feel for the comparative hardness.

Hardness can also be guesstimated by weighing equal volumes of each
shot on your powder scale. Antimony is lighter than lead.

If the samples weigh the same, they probably contain about the same
amount of antimony. If one sample is lighter than the other, the
lighter sample contains more antimony and is harder. This should
confirm the results of your pliers test. You must make sure that your
sample pellets are exactly the same size for this test to work
properly.

Roundness:

Shot must start off round if it is to end up round. The shell that
repairs shot in flight has not yet been invented. To test for initial
roundness, simply put a pellet on a pane of glass or a large dinner
plate and roll it around under strong light. If it is not round, it
will wobble. Repeat several times. Visually check in a larger sample
for any obviously distorted pellets. Good shot is round- all of it.

Size uniformity:

You will need a micrometer. No, do not try to build one. You’ll have
to buy this. Measure a couple of dozen pellets from your test batch
to see if they are the size they claim to be. Shot sizes are based on
the Rule of Seventeen. This states that subtracting the shot size
from seventeen will give the measured diameter omitting the decimal.
Example: 17-#8=.009" measured size, i.e. 17-8=9. A #8 pellet is thus
.009" in diameter, #9 is .008" and #7.5 is .0095". A normal sample of
shot will contain pellets of _ a size variance either way. More than
that is bad, less variance is good. High quality shot is carefully
graded.

Surface Texture:

High quality shot is usually mirror bright. It almost has the
appearance of perfect shiny little ball bearings. Lower quality shot
does not have this polished appearance and appears dull. The outer
surface, being less smooth, has less lubricity as it moves down the
barrel and through the air. The result is more deformation in the
barrel and more drag in the air, hence a lower quality pattern. This
is why the highest possible quality shot is nickel plated. A few
makers graphite coat their shot, hoping to improve lubricity without
going to the expense of a polished finish. This is not as good. At
the lowest end of surface quality is grey shot. As lead shot ages, it
oxidizes and becomes coated with a powdery, pale grey "rust". This
makes for a rough surface and subsequently poorer patterns. High
quality shot should not have any grey pellets mixed in.

That is all there is to it. If you know that you are using high
quality shot, you have eliminated the greatest cause of poor patterns.
Get the lead out and test for the best. It absolutely can be worth a
bird or two.

THE JUDGE GOES TWO BY TWO...

The most frequently asked rules questions concern "no birds" within
pairs. The Judge tries to address this at least once per year. He
hopes that he is not courting your displeasure by cross examining it
yet again, but our newer members must be briefed.

The Connecticut Travelers shoot under NSCA rules. The NSCA rules and
rule book have remained essentially unchanged for the past couple of
years. NSCA rules on "no-birds" within pairs are as follows:

True Pair (both birds thrown at the same time): if either bird is a
"no-bird" (a broken or irregular target), the pair must be repeated
and the results of any previous attempt do not count. Example: If a
true pair is thrown and one hits a tree or comes out broken, but you
shoot at the remaining good one, nothing is established and the pair
must be thrown again.

Following Pair (the second bird is thrown immediately after the first)
is treated the same as a true pair. If either bird is a "no-bird" for
any reason, nothing is established, whether you shoot or not, and the
pair must be thrown again.

Report Pair (the second bird is thrown when the trapper hears the
sound of the shot at the first bird) has a different rule. If the
first bird of a report pair comes out broken or is irregular, no bird
in the pair can be scored and the pair is repeated. If the first bird
is good and the second bird is a "no-bird", the results of the shot at
the first bird are established and the pair is then repeated to
establish the second bird. The repeat pair must be shot in the normal
sequence (first shot at first bird, second shot at the second bird),
but only the shot at the second target counts.

To recap the NSCA rules: True or Following pair- nothing established
if either bird is broken or irregular. Report pair- first bird
established if the first bird is good and the second is not.

This case is closed. Jury dismissed.

CHEF MARK…

One of the highlights of Travelers shoots at East Mountain is the fact
that Chef Mark D’Andrea of “Chef on Call” prepares our delicious
breakfast and luncheon. Yes, it’s true that the Travelers are
generally easy targets, being as ravenous as Egyptian locusts, but the
Chef’s cooking has always been spot on. His tomato soup with smoked
bacon followed by turkey tetrazzini, the comfort food of our
childhoods, were absolutely first rate at this last shoot.

Chef Mark is available for private parties and catering. Contact him
at Tel: 203-866-1699, Cell: 203-921-7334, Email:
Chefcall@optonline.net.

“RELOAD!” ON THE INTERNET…

If you find that you have worn out your paper copy of “Reload!” by
constantly reading it, dispair not! You’ll find the current issue as
well as the last ten years worth posted at www.ShotgunReport.com .
Great literature never goes away. It just sort of festers in the
background.

RECOIL…

Draw your own conclusions:

9# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1150 fps 16.2 ft/lb
8# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1150 fps 18.2 ft/lb
7# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1150 fps 20.8 ft/lb

9# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1200 fps 18.1 ft/lb
8# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1200 fps 20.4 ft/lb
7# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1200 fps 23.3 ft/lb

9# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1300 fps 22.4 ft/lb
8# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1300 fps 25.2 ft/lb
7# gun, 1-1/8 oz @ 1300 fps 28.8 ft/lb

9# gun, 1 oz @ 1150 fps 12.8 ft/lb
8# gun, 1 oz @ 1150 fps 14.4 ft/lb
7# gun, 1 oz @ 1150 fps 16.5 ft/lb

9# gun, 1 oz @ 1200 fps 14.3 ft/lb
8# gun, 1 oz @ 1200 fps 16.1 ft/lb
7# gun, 1 oz @ 1200 fps 18.4 ft/lb

9# gun, 1 oz @ 1300 fps 17.7 ft/lb
8# gun, 1 oz @ 1300 fps 19.9 ft/lb
7# gun, 1 oz @ 1300 fps 22.7 ft/lb

9# gun, 1 oz @ 1400 fps 21.6 ft/lb
8# gun, 1 oz @ 1400 fps 24.3 ft/lb
7# gun, 1 oz @ 1400 fps 27.7 ft/lb

9# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1200 fps 11.0 ft/lb
8# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1200 fps 12.3 ft/lb
7# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1200 fps 14.1 ft/lb

9# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1350 fps 15.0 ft/lb
8# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1350 fps 16.9 ft/lb
7# gun, 7/8 oz @ 1350 fps 19.3 ft/lb

FAMOUS LAST WORDS: “Hey, hold my beer and watch this!”

*** 2005 CTSCA SHOOTING CALENDAR ***

FEB 20 ANNUAL MEETING- EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE, NY
MAR 20 MARCH MADNESS - MID HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
APR 8~10 NORTH SOUTH SKIRMISH-SPRING TRIP TO MARYLAND
APR 17 TAX TIME REVOLT- OLD NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT
MAY tba COURTING CLAYS- venue to be announced
MAY 15 MAY MINUET- TAMARACK PRESERVE, NY
JUN 12 RUDY PASSERO CLUB CH- MID-HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
JUL 17 SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME- ORVIS/SANDANONA, NY
AUG 12~14 GREAT EASTERN LOBSTER CLASSIC- ADDIEVILLE EAST FARM, RI
SEP 18 SEPTEMBERSHUTZENFEST-MILLBROOK ROD & GUN CLUB, NY
OCT 1~3 ANNUAL FALL TRIP- PA & NY WEEKEND TOUR
OCT 16 SMALL GAUGE CLUB CH- FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH AND GAME, CT
NOV 13 monthly shoot- to be announced
NOV 27 KOEHLER SOCIETY FUNDRAISER-venue to be announced
DEC 18 DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL SHOOT /CHRISTMAS PARTY- MID COUNTY, NY

*** OTHER 2005 SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

FEB 6 FROSTBITE STEAK & CLAYS, NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT, 860-738-3619
MAR 25 GOOD FRIDAY SHOOT, NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT, 860-738-3619
MAY 29 3 SHOT PIG ROAST- 180 BIRDS, NEWGATE COONCLUB, CT, 860-738-3619
APR 15~17 BIG SEAFOOD BLAST, M&M SHOOTING PRESERVE, NJ, 856-935-1230
APR 24 GATOR SHOOT, FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH & GAME, CT, 203 426-8508
MAY 17~22 U.S. OPEN, M&M SHOOTING PRESERVE, NJ, 856-935-1230

LET US KNOW OF UPCOMING LOCAL SHOOTS SO THAT WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD

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
860-582-3142 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Or Email
<shotguncyndi@prodigy.net>. Guide Book questions, Dick Orenstein
<oren@umich.edu> or call 203-226-5251. To place an ad, post a shoot
date in Reload! or simply heap abuse on the editor, contact Bruce Buck
at tel: 203-454-1080, or email: <bcb23@columbia.edu>.

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

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2005
ANNUAL MEETING AND FUN SHOOT
EAST MOUNTAIN PRESERVE
DOVER PLAINS, NY

Our Annual Meeting, always held in February, is not really a shoot,
but naturally, being Travelers, when the meeting is over you’ll have
the chance to yank the trigger and watch 'em smoke. The Annual Meeting
will start in the East Mountain clubhouse at 9:00 AM sharp. Please be
on time or come a little early to lobby for your favorite projects and
scarf up some of the delicious breakfast. The meeting will last until
about noon. We will hear from President Anglace about how
magnificently the Travelers did in 2004, elect the usual suspects into
office and then discuss where we will go in 2005. Member participation
is highly encouraged. If you don’t attend, don’t complain later. Well,
actually, whiners automatically become committee chairmen. It’s the
rule of the jungle.

At mid-day we’ll have a catered luncheon. Thereafter we will break up
into squads, roll out onto the course and shoot a friendly round of
casual sporting. If you would like some coaching, we will squad you
with other shooters of equal ability and send along an experienced
Travelers Mentor coach to help you out with the usual bad advice. It
is a nice chance to get in a little shooting and perhaps improve your
game.

The fee for luncheon and the shooting (formal course, informal
scorekeeping) is $50. If you just want to come to the meeting and skip
the luncheon and shooting, there is no charge. Please consider
attending and send in your paid reservation so that it arrives by
Wednesday, February 16th. That’s just two days after Valentine’s Day
guys. Buy flowers for her first and then mail in that reservation. She
deserves the flowers. You deserve a day’s shooting.

As a member-run club the Travelers have been very, very successful.
We want to make sure that we continue to do what you want us to do.
We can’t do that unless you come and share your thoughts. THE ANNUAL
MEETING AND SHOOTING IS FOR MEMBERS ONLY. Please, no guests this
month. NEW MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND.

Directions to East Mountain Preserve, Dover Plains, NY:

At the junction of Rte 84 and NY Rte 22, take Rte 22 North for about
27 miles to the town of Dover Plains. Turn Right at the first traffic
light in Dover Plains and go straight for one mile directly into the
East Mountain driveway. If lost call East Mountain Preserve at
914-877-6274.

ANNUAL MEETING
East Mountain Preserve
February 20, 2005

One of the nice things about editing the Travelers’ newsletter is that
some things never change. That allows me to shirk my escritorial
(computatorial?) duty and rely on moldy boilerplate from the same
event a year previous.

In the case of the CTSCA annual meeting, that’s not all bad either.
2005 starts our 19th year. We have a successful machine that is pretty
much on auto pilot. “If it ain’t broke…” Still, the odd adjustment is
always appropriate and our leadership is very much aware of that. As
any good fish knows, you drown if you don’t keep swimming forward.

Out of engineering and piscatorial analogies, on to bidness. The
bottom line is that your Connecticut Travelers are in good shape.
President, el jefe supremo, Al Anglace, our resident benevolent
dictator, told us that we are fiscally sound, but we could use more
input from the members. As in any organization, 5% of the people do
95% of the work. This works fine as long as it isn’t always the same
5%. Then it gets old fast. Al urged that more of the members,
especially the new ones, get involved in the running of a couple of
the club’s events. You wouldn’t be on the hook in perpetuity either. A
simple call or email to Al volunteering to help as needed would be
very much appreciated.

Membership chairwoman Cyndi Dalena said that we have grown to 490
members from fifteen states. Like Topsy, we keep on growing. Imagine
what it would be like if everyone came to the same shoot. Connecticut
202, New York 192, New Jersey 42, Rhode Island 12, Massachusetts 12,
Pennsylvania 8, Florida 4, New Hampshire 4, Vermont 3, Canada 4,
Tennessee 2, South Carolina 2, Texas 1, Maryland 1, Minnesota 1.

Special recognition was given to George Parsons for running our very
successful Video Rental Program. He has over 30 videos on how to shoot
for rent to members.

Our Board of Directors (Al Anglace, President, Don Brenton, secretary,
Cyndi Dalena, membership, John Lawlor, Bill Drake and Lans
Christensen, was re-elected by acclamation. Some things are a life
sentence.

Al mentioned our continuing support of the Harold Koehler Society. We
recently raised over $5,000 for scholarships in conservation and the
trades. We have contributed $20,000 over the years.

New members present were introduced and then everyone tucked into Chef
Mark’s roast beef luncheon. Properly fortified, we shot an informal
round of sporting clays on George Holomakoff’s challenging East
Mountain course.

There has been some talk about going back to the original Traveler’s
idea of the “International Sporting” format. On a typical two machine
station, you’d a single from one machine, then from the other. Then
you’d get a report pair and finally a true pair. That gives the most
variety possible from two machines. It takes very little more time,
but it can be confusing for trappers who don’t have good communication
with the shooting stand. If you like, or dislike, the idea, let Al
know at CTSCA@email.com .

HELP AT “RELOAD!”…

Want a corner office in the massive “Reload!” complex that hovers over
the quaint Connecticut seaport town like a benevolent colossus? We
could sure use some help at the newsletter. You deserve a fresh point
of view.

I’m very grateful for new member John Hachmann volunteering to do a
little piece on the history of our club for some issues. Lans
Christensen has always been there for “Reload!” to do a shoot report
when needed.

Bob Schraeger has volunteered to take some photos of club events. If
we can’t work them into the newsletter, maybe we’ll do a blog. Anyone
know how to set one of those up?

EASTERN SHORE SPRING TRIP 2005

(Connecticut Travelers members and their guests)

PARTICIPATE IN ANY OR ALL PARTS OF THE WEEKEND. SELECT BELOW. ALL
MEALS MUST BE PAID IN ADVANCE NOT LATER THAN MARCH 26, 2005.

Mail this form with the appropriate boxes marked and your check made
out to “CTSCA” in advance for the meals to 91 Park Lane Road, New
Milford, CT 06776. It’s OK to use one check for all the different
meals. For additional information please contact Al Anglace at
aaa738@aol.com or cell phone 203 417-6295.

HOTELS: The Travelers have reserved 25 rooms at the Comfort Inn, Kent
Narrows, 3101 Main St., Grasonville, MD, tel: 410-827-6767, within
walking distance of the restaurants, for $99 per night. There is also
a Holiday Inn Express nearby at $139.95. For other hotels in the area,
search www.hotels.com and www.travelocity.com .

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2005

12:30 PM, HOPKINS GAME FARM, 13003 Turners Creek Road, Kennedyville,
MD –tel: 410-348-5287. DIRECTIONS: Travel South on I-95 to Route 13
South. Take Route 13 South to Odessa, Delaware. Make a right on Route
299 (Middletown). Follow to Route 301 South. Exit 301 at Route 290
(Chestertown/Galena). Make right off the exit ramp and follow into
Galena. At traffic light in Galena go straight. You will then be on
Route 213. Follow for 7 miles to Route 298 (Vonnie's Restaurant on
left). Make a right on Route 298. Travel 1.5 miles and make a right on
Turners Creek Road. Hopkins Game Farm is 1/2 mile on right.

7:30PM, HARRIS’S CRAB HOUSE – 433 Northway Kent Narrows, Grasonville,
MD. Tel: 410-827-9500. DIRECTIONS: Routes 301/50 to Kent Narrows. Exit
42. Follow signs to restaurant. Cocktail Party/Buffet Dinner with all
the fixins featuring Crab Imperial and Top Round of Beef (cash bar).

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2005

9:30 AM, PINTAIL POINT, 511 Pintail Point Lane, Queenstown, MD, Tel:
410-827-7029. DIRECTIONS: Go south on I-95 to Route 896 East, Exit 1A,
Middletown, Delaware. Turn right at Route 301 intersection - South and
follow for approximately 45 miles. At intersection 301/213 take Route
213 South to Route 50 West. Follow 50 West for approximately 2.5
miles, turn left on Carmichael Road. Pintail Point is located 1.5
miles on the right.

1:30PM, OWEN’S STATION SPORTING CLAYS, 12613 Hunter’s Cove Road,
Greenwood, DE, Tel: 302- 349-4334 DIRECTIONS: Located 30 minutes South
of Dover, Delaware just off Route 16 between Ellendale and Greenwood.
Owens Station is located 2.5 miles east of the Route 13 and 16
junction at Greenwood. From Route 13, drive east on Route 16 and turn
right on Hunters Cove Road to Owens Station.

7:30PM, HARRIS’S CRAB HOUSE – 433 Northway Kent Narrows, Grasonville,
MD Dinner and cocktails (cash bar.) Make selection(s):New York Strip
Steak- Broiled Flounder- Steamed Shrimp Platter- Grilled Tuna-BBQ
Chicken and-Rack of Ribs-All are served with baked potato, vegetable,
corn muffin, tossed salad, dessert and coffee, tea or soda.

SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2005

10:30 AM, M&M HUNTING PRESERVE, Two Winslow Road, Pennsville, NJ
08070, Tel: 856- 935-1230. DIRECTIONS: From South--95 North to Wilm,
DE over Del Mem Bridge. Take 295 North for 1/4 Mile, 3rd Exit
1C---Hook Rd. Follow Hook Rd to Winslow Rd on Left (Our Driveway).

THE SCHOLASTIC CLAY TARGET PROGRAM

contributed by Cyndi Dalena

The declining numbers of youth participating in the shooting sports is
a popular topic at sportsmen’s clubs around the country, and the
National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and its partners have
created a program that is successfully reversing this trend. The
Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP), developed and administered by
the NSSF, is a youth development program focused on providing young
people with a positive experience in shooting sports and to emphasize
the values of sportsmanship, responsibility, self-discipline, and
commitment.

SCTP participants learn the safe and responsible handling and use of
firearms. They discover the joy of contributing to a shared team goal
and the commitment that goes along with it. During this self-discovery
process, team members develop proficiency in a sport that can be
shared and enjoyed with family and friends for a lifetime.

Youth from the elementary grades through high school are eligible to
participate in these safe, sanctioned, and nationally recognized clay
target sports which provide competitive opportunities for SCTP Teams
at the local, state, regional, and national levels. In addition to
state and national recognition, the program provides the nation’s
young adult skeet, trap and sporting clays shooters an opportunity to
compete for over $80,000 in scholarship funds.

SCTP began in 2001 as the Scholastic Trapshooting Program with a
partnership the Amateur Trapshooting Association (ATA). Trapshooting
was chosen for the pilot program because trap is oldest and largest of
the three major clay target disciplines. After a great first year the
program was expanded to its current format, which includes skeet and
sporting clays. By 2004, SCTP grew to nearly 4,000 participants
nationwide in 37 states. The 2004 SCTP Trap Championships at the
Grand American attracted over 1000 competitors.

For a quick overview of SCTP I listed some Fast Facts:

Program Goals:

• SAFE and Responsible Handling and Use of Firearms

• Character and Citizenship Development through Teamwork

• Introduction to a Lifetime Sport that families do together

Program Sponsorship:

The National Shooting Sports Foundation along with its partners the
Amateur Trapshooting Association, the National Skeet Shooting
Association, and the National Sporting Clays Association.

Program Disciplines:

Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays.

Program Focus:

TEAMS! Participation requires team membership. Each team must
register with the SCTP National Program Office.

Registration Cost:

FREE! Team Supervision:

An adult Coach leads each team.

Participant Eligibility:

Students enrolled in Elementary, Middle, Junior, or Senior High
School

Basic Competitive Unit:

The SQUAD. The minimum squad size is five (5) for Trap and three (3)
for both Skeet & Sporting Clays. Teams must have at least one full
squad to become an officially recognized SCTP team. There is no upper
limit to the number of members on a team or to the number of squads a
team may field.

Competitive Divisions:

• Rookie Division — 5th graders and below

• Junior Division — 6th, 7th and 8th graders

• Senior Division — 9th – 12th graders

Balanced Skill Levels:

Novice and Experienced Categories in the Junior and Senior Divisions.
Competitive Levels:

Competition is conducted at local, regional, state, and national
levels. Special Team Awards:

SCTP awards to the starting members of the top three squads in each
Division and Category at the SCTP State and National Championships in
Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. Program Materials:

Each team member receives a FREE SCTP hat and T-shirt.

Program Assistance:

A limited number of Program Support Packages are available to help
qualifying new teams. Packages include: ammunition, targets, eye and
ear protection, and shell pouches.

Complete information on eligibility, registration procedures, awards
and more are available in the Scholastic Clay Target Program’s
OFFICIAL HANDBOOK -2005.

To find out more about SCTP and how you become involved, or to order a
DVD and handbook, please visit the website www.nssf.org/sctp, or
contact Zach Snow zsnow@nssf.org, 203-426-1320.

*** 2005 CTSCA SHOOTING CALENDAR ***

MAR 20 MARCH MADNESS - MID HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
APR 8~10 TRAVELERS SPRING TRIP- SUNSHINE, HERE WE COME!
APR 17 TAX TIME REVOLT- OLD NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT
MAY tba COURTING CLAYS- venue to be announced
MAY 15 MAY MINUET- TAMARACK PRESERVE, NY
JUN 12 RUDY PASSERO CLUB CH- MID-HUDSON SHOOTING GROUNDS, NY
JUL 17 SUMMERTIME, SUMMERTIME- ORVIS/SANDANONA, NY
AUG 12~14 GREAT EASTERN LOBSTER CLASSIC- ADDIEVILLE EAST FARM, RI
SEP 18 SEPTEMBERSHUTZENFEST-MILLBROOK ROD & GUN CLUB, NY
SEP 30-OCT 2ANNUAL FALL TRIP- PA & NY WEEKEND TOUR
OCT 16 SMALL GAUGE CLUB CH- FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH AND GAME, CT
NOV 13 monthly shoot- to be announced
NOV 27 KOEHLER SOCIETY FUNDRAISER-venue to be announced
DEC 18 DICK LOSEE MEMORIAL SHOOT /CHRISTMAS PARTY- MID COUNTY, NY

*** OTHER 2005 SHOOTS OF INTEREST ***
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM

MAR 25 GOOD FRIDAY SHOOT, NEWGATE COON CLUB, CT, 860-738-3619
MAY 29 3 SHOT PIG ROAST- 180 BIRDS, NEWGATE COONCLUB, CT, 860-738-3619
APR 15~17 BIG SEAFOOD BLAST, M&M SHOOTING PRESERVE, NJ, 856-935-1230
APR 24 GATOR SHOOT, FAIRFIELD COUNTY FISH & GAME, CT, 203 426-8508
MAY 17~22 U.S. OPEN, M&M SHOOTING PRESERVE, NJ, 856-935-1230

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 860-582-3142 between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Or Email
<shotguncyndi@prodigy.net>.

Guide Book questions, Dick Orenstein <oren@umich.edu> or call
203-226-5251.

To place an ad, post a shoot date in Reload! or simply heap abuse on
the editor, contact Bruce Buck at tel: 203-454-1080, or email:
<bcb23@columbia.edu>.

***FOR SALE***
CLASSIFIED ADS
***WANTED***

Nuthin this month. It’s just plain not natural to be so satisfied with
what you already have.

CLUB HISTORY by John Hachmann

As the newly appointed “Club Historian” it is my job to write a short
piece for each of our monthly newsletters. Inasmuch as I am a new
member of this fine organization, I honestly have very little
knowledge of Connecticut Travelers’ history. During the next few
weeks I will be reviewing as many of the past “RELOAD” newsletters as
possible in an attempt to familiarize myself with the Club and the
Newsletter format. Anyone having suggestions as to what they feel
this column should include, please e-mail me at obuc@optonline.net.

After reviewing only a few past “RELOAD” newsletters, the following
“Historical Information” was available… “NA” is not available

New members in ‘05 are NA

Non-Renewals in ’05 are NA

New members in ‘04 were 54

Non-Renewals in ‘04 were 28

New members in ‘03 were 50

Non-Renewals in ‘03 were 30

New members in ‘02 were NA

Non-Renewals in ‘02 were NA

New members in ‘01 were 45

Non-Renewals in ’01 were NA

New members in ’00 were 56

Non-Renewals in ’00 were NA

Average annual membership growth of the CTSCA, based on VERY limited
input, is approximately 23 members.

In closing I would like to thank Ron Leonardi for sponsoring my
membership in the CTSCA and for being a great “Friend” and valued
“Mentor”, not only on the Sporting Clays field, but more importantly
in everyday life.

Looking forward to meeting you all at the March Madness Shoot at
Mid-Hudson.

SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2005
MARCH MADNESS SHOOT
MID-HUDSON GUN CLUB
NEW PALTZ, NY

You have all heard the phrase "mad as a March hare". Well, it is
March, we are dealing with some rabbits and besides, a little
eccentricity is good for the soul. As Montaigne essayed four hundred
years ago- "A man must be a little mad if he does not want to be even
more stupid." The Frenchman poses a Hobson's choice if ever there
was one.

Mad or not, March is always an interesting time to hold a shoot.
Those of you who have become bored shooting hundred straights may rest
assured that Mid-Hudson’s Mike Maglio will keep you entertained. If
you don’t think so, you satisfy both of Monsieur Montaigne's
requirements.

The cost is $65 and will include a continental breakfast, delightfully
sadistic targets, sumptuous lunch plus the usual lavish prizes from
Tiffany, Cartier and Wal-Mart. Suchadeal! Naturally, you have to get
your prepaid reservation in to the home office no later than
Wednesday, March 16. Same with cancellations. No-show’s entry fees
are donated to our children’s charity. GUESTS ARE WELCOME AT THIS
SHOOT.

For those so inclined, our usual Connecticut Travelers subgauge
handicaps will apply. 12 ga = 0, 16 ga = 3, 20 ga = 5, 28 ga = 10, 410
bore = 20, pump or SxS gets an additional 5. So, if you shoot a 410
pump, you’ll get 25 birds. In the March wind and chill, that may be
all you get with the idiot stick. The Technoid reminds us that
shooting in March winds in the NorthEast is the time for big guns, big
shells, big pellets, small egos—and high boots! Remember the mud.

Directions to Mid-Hudson Trap and Skeet Club, New Paltz, NY: Take the
New York State Thruway to Exit 18 “New Paltz”. After the tollbooth go
100 yards to the traffic light on Rte 299. Turn Right onto Rte 299.
Go about _ mile on Rte 299 to the next traffic light. Turn Left at
that traffic light onto N. Ohioville Road. Go 2.7 miles on N.
Ohioville Road to the Mid-Hudson club entrance on your left. If lost,
strayed or stolen call the club at 845-255-7460.