THE SHARPSHOOTER
FORT HILL RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB NEWSLETTER
NUMBER 17
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JULY, 2005
3RD ANNUAL RAFFLE OFF AND RUNNING
Ticket sales for the 3rd Annual Great Guns Raffle sponsored by the FHRPC began on Friday,
July 8. We have once again selected a spread of 20 fine firearms for the raffle, including centerfire rifles, rim-fire rifles, muzzleloaders, shotguns, and pistols. The list of firearms is described
on the last page of this newsletter. Ticket sales will continue through early October, ending with
the raffle and associated shooting matches on Sunday, October 9.
The FHRPC needs your help to make this raffle successful. This is a fine
volunteer and sell a few tickets to support your club. Your willingness to sell
tickets is greatly appreciated. All proceeds from this raffle go to improving
facilities. Call Marty Harsh at 301-759-2877, or Frank Snyder at 301-777-1298 if
to sell a few tickets.
opportunity to
2, 3, 5, or 10
your shooting
you would like
A raffle ticket serves as the buyer’s entry into two shooting matches at our Warrior Mountain
ranges.
The center-fire rifle match consists of two sighter shots and ten shots for record, from the prone
position, at a range of 300 yards. Match rules are listed on the next-to-last page of this
newsletter. The rules have not changed from those used in our earlier matches. Ties will be
broken by shoot offs. Competitors eligible for the cash prizes must remain through the end of
the match to defend their score in case of a tie. We have had ties in both of our first two years.
The muzzleloader match consists of five shots for record, from the offhand position, at a range
of 100 yards. Likewise, match rules are listed near the end of this newsletter. The only change
to the printed rules is a correction to the method used to break ties. For the muzzleloader
match, ties will be broken by closest ball to center. So, the competitor need not be present to
break a tie. Any muzzleloader and any sight legal for Maryland deer hunting are allowed in this
match. Your in-line rifle with a telescopic sight is eligible. We are hoping a few good men will
show up and give Terry Mulligan a little competition.
Cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 will be given in both matches for 1 st, 2nd, and 3rd place
finishers.
CLUB OFFICERS
FHRPC officers for the year 2005 are (1) President, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859, (2) VicePresident, Bill Lewis, 301-777-8180, (3) Treasurer, John Dowell, 301-724-5866, (4) Executive
Officer, Dave Thompson, 304-788-1346, (5) Executive Officer, Jim Soulsby, 301-724-0724, and
(6) Secretary, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
The club officers welcome your feedback. If you have any suggestions, comments or concerns
please feel free to contact any of your club officers.
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VOLUNTEERS TURN OUT AT MORNINGSIDE RANGES
Eleven FHRPC members turned out on a cold and windy Saturday, April 23, 2005, for spring
cleaning and maintenance at the Morningside Drive ranges. Bill Bittner, Ken Fuller, Howard
Fezell, Chet Amick, Bill Lewis, Jim Schmidt, Frank Snyder, BC Atkinson, Chris Bennett, and
Barry Fickes formed the work crew. These men gave a few hours of their time to make the
Morningside ranges a nicer place for all members to shoot.
Morningside maintenance continued on Saturday, May 14, when Richard Frye donated his time
and equipment to spread 60 tons of crusher, expanding the parking area.
The volunteer spirit that formed the Fort Hill Rifle and Pistol Club from Maryland Minutemen in
1944 is alive and well today.
FHRPC RANGES CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE
All FHRPC ranges will be closed from 0800 to dusk on Saturday, September 10, for
maintenance. This is a great opportunity for members to support the club with a few hours of
volunteer time. If you are interested in helping, call Ken Fuller at 301-724-5254, or Marty Harsh
at 301-759-2877. The FHRPC will provide lunch and drinks.
NEW MEMBERS WILL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD
The FHRPC will experience a big increase in membership in 2005. A large number (possibly
75) of new shooters will join our ranks as a result of regular members graduating to life
membership, normal membership turnover, and the vote to increase our regular membership
limit by 50 at the last annual meeting. Recall, our regular membership limit now stands at 350.
We do a good job of new member orientation. All new members are required to attend a threehour orientation class to familiarize them with club rules and procedures. They are given an
orientation booklet describing range safety, club activities, and bylaws. They are encouraged to
do “the right thing”. “The right thing” is “the safe thing” on FHRPC ranges.
All these new guys will be watching you old guys. Many will emulate your actions. It is
incumbent upon you, the senior members, to set the safety standard. Always do “the right thing”
– the right target frames in the right place, clearing the firing line before going down range, not
handling yor firearm while someone is down range, signing the log book, locking the gate as you
leave, keeping your muzzle pointed in a safe direction, keeping your finger off the trigger until
ready to shoot, knowing where you bullet will stop.
We encourage the new folks to get to know other members. They may ask to see your
membership card. If you see an unfamiliar face at the range, you should ask to see their
membership card. Please don’t bristle up and get that big testosterone rush when asked to
produce your membership card. New membership cards will be mailed within the next month.
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DEDICATED MEMBERS EARN LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Eleven members were promoted to life membership in 2005. The new life members are shown
in the following list. The FHRPC thanks these men for their dedication and support. We are
fortunate to have 72 life members on our club roster. Life membership is awarded to those
members with 25 years of continuous membership, and is dues free. These senior members
provide much needed continuity and stability to our organization.

Bill Arthur III

Earl H. Harper

Jacob S. Teter

Herbert N. Barmoy

John C. Keller

Larry D. Webb Sr

Wayne F. Belloff

Terry M. Mulligan

William T. Wright

Paul M. Coakley

Richard H. Rice Jr
LETTER FROM THE FRONT
Secretary’s Note – The following article was written by FHRPC member Tom Detrick. Detrick
joined the FHRPC in 1987. He is a 1984 graduate of Fort Hill High School and a 1988 graduate
of Frostburg State University. He is in his 17th year of service to our country, holding the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. His present position is Chief of the General
Support Division for the Test Evaluation Support Activity (TESA) of the United States
Operational Test Command (OTC) at Fort Hood, Texas. Tom Detrick is a veteran of Operation
Desert Shield/Desert Storm, and recently served twelve months in Iraq with the 4th Infantry
Division as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
This weekend I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend the 134 th NRA
Conference in Houston. I came away with confirmation that we are extremely lucky to have the
right to buy, collect, and own firearms. Like the organization or not, the NRA is responsible for
the majority of the freedoms we still have intact. At my wife’s urging, I bellied up to the bar and
did something I had wanted to do for many years and became a Life Member.
While touring five acres of guns and gear I heard a variety of comments about the organization
that ranged from “best thing since sliced bread” to “I’m tired of them always asking for money.”
True, they constantly solicit money to the point of great annoyance. But, in their defense, they
are no worse than the other organizations I currently belong to, including the Masonic Lodge,
Ducks Unlimited, the American Legion, and the VFW, all of whom rely on dues and donations to
remain solvent. The most memorable moment of the event for me was listening to the response
a show attendee gave to a vendor when he asked, “Do you hunt?” The man replied, “No, I don’t
hunt or shoot, I just want to keep my second amendment right to.”
We are all on the front line in protecting our rights to enjoy, use, and own firearms. We need to
do our part. We pay soldiers to protect the nation, police and firefighters to protect us…why not
pay someone with 134 years experience to protect our gun rights? I just want to say we need
the NRA and the NRA needs us. Before you decide to not renew your membership or throw
away the next letter you get from them, please take a minute and give yourself a virtual look into
the future – and ask yourself, “What was it like back when you could own guns?”
Thomas Detrick
Lieutenant Colonel, Unites States Army
NRA Life Member
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GUNPOWDER
Secretary’s Note – The following article was written by FHRPC member Dave Thompson.
Thompson was born in Quantico, Virginia, and grew up bouncing from one Marine base to
another following his Marine father. Home to the Thompson family is West Virginia. So Dave
graduated from high school in 1980 at Shinnston, West Virginia. He went on to study chemical
engineering at West Virginia University, graduating in 1985. After receiving his Bachelor of
Science degree, he went to work for Hercules at Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) in
Radford, Virginia. At RFAAP, he was exposed to smokeless powder manufacturing on a big
scale. In 1987, he transferred to Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL), where he works to this
day. He is presently responsible for manufacturing 5-inch diameter rocket motors for the
SIDEWINDER missile system. Thompson joined the FHRPC in 1990. He is one of our elected
Executive Officers, chairman of the highpower league, and a Director of Civilian Marksmanship
Distinguished Rifleman.
Hi! My name is Dave Thompson and I’m a gunpowderaholic! And like many of you reading this,
I have a great lust and yearning to get my nostrils full of that heady scent that only comes from
burning propulsive dust. As Robert Duvall may have phrased it, “I love the smell of cordite on
Morningside”! I’m lucky having a good job and have the great fortune to be working for one of
the big manufactures of gun propellants, Alliant Techsystems.
Alliant makes several of the reloading powders that many of you may be familiar with: Bullseye,
Red Dot, Herco, Green Dot, Blue Dot, 2400, Reloders 7, 10, 15, 17, 19, 22, and 25. But Alliant
also makes gun propellants for commercial ammo manufacturers and the government, and
these are used in applications from the 22 rim-fires to the 16-inch naval guns! Before moving to
the Cumberland area, I worked for Alliant at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP) in
Radford, Virginia. At that time (late 1980s), RFAAP produced 95% of the gun propellant for the
“free world”. Millions of pounds of propellant were being produced each month! It was in this
production environment that I learned a good deal about the technology associated with gun
propellants, and would like to pass along to you in this article.
A gun propellant is conventionally a solid in nature that combusts inside the gun barrel to
produce gas pressures to propel the projectile down the barrel. Now as you all may remember
from the fire triangle in school, combustion (or fire) needs three elements: an oxidizer, a fuel,
and heat. Since the combustion occurs inside a closed chamber, isolated from the oxygen in
the atmosphere, these propellants must contain internal stores of oxidizers. Oxygen as well as
other strong oxidizers (sulfur and chlorine) are mechanically mixed with, or chemically bound
inside the propellant, and are liberated during combustion. In addition to oxidizers, the
chemistry of propellants contain a combustible material for fuel that when burned must release
heat to complete the triangle.
Since the goal of the propellant is to produce gas for pressure development, the chemistry of
propellants is geared toward making the maximum amount of gas possible. Many elements will
react with oxidizers and generate heat but only two will produce gaseous products, hydrogen
and carbon. Therefore, the fuel part of the propellant is usually carbon, hydrogen or chemicals
containing carbon and hydrogen. Fortunately, in nature there are an abundance of chemicals
that contain both carbon and hydrogen and as a group are in a chemical category known as
“organic” compounds. Virtually all the combustible materials we are familiar with in everyday life
are carbon-hydrogen rich organic chemicals (petroleum, coal, charcoal, wood, paper, rubber
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and plastic). Many of these common everyday materials are used directly or in a modified state
in the production of solid propellants. Chemicals that do not contain carbon are classified as
“inorganic” compounds, and many of the oxidizers used in propellants are inorganic.
Just as with the fuel, the oxidizers for propellants are geared toward producing gaseous
products when reacted. For solid propellants, this limits the field to only three suitable
candidates, sulfur and the oxy-acids of the gases nitrogen and chlorine.
Sulfur isn’t on the drug store shelves anymore, but at one time it was used like iodine, isopropyl
alcohol or hydrogen peroxide as a sterilization agent to kill (oxidize) germs on skin cuts. With
one notable exception, the use of sulfur in solid propellants is uncommon. When burned, sulfur
can produce many non-gaseous chemicals that hurt propulsive performance. Additionally,
many combustion products of sulfur are caustic and can attack the metals comprising gun
barrels. The only substantial use of sulfur is in the oldest of gun propellants, black powder
(original called gun powder!). Black powder is an ancient formulation comprised of a
mechanical mixture of sulfur, charcoal (carbon) and saltpeter. Saltpeter, is the archaic common
name given to what is known today as potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is a chemical
produced from an oxy-acid of nitrogen called nitric acid. Therefore, black powder, makes use of
two oxidizers, sulfur and saltpeter, and one fuel, charcoal.
The most wide spread oxidizers used in solid propellants today are chemicals derived from the
oxy-acids of nitrogen and chlorine. The chlorine-based oxidizers are usually not used in gun
applications, due to the production of hydrochloric acid during combustion. Hydrochloric acid
strongly attacks metal (such as gun barrels) and the use of chlorinated oxidizers is generally
limited to single-use applications such as rocket motors and fireworks. The only large scale use
of a chlorine base oxidizer for gun application was the use of potassium chlorate in the corrosive
priming of United States military ammunition between 1900 and the mid 1950s. The corrosive
priming used in earlier military and commercial ammunition and by most foreign countries made
use of mercury fulminate, which is generally termed as “mildly corrosive” by comparison to the
chlorate priming compounds.
Far and away the principal oxidizers for gun applications are the compounds derived from the
oxy-acids of nitrogen. They produce a lot of gas and heat, which make them ideal as pressure
generators. In addition, the nitrogen base of the compounds, produce chemically inert nitrogen
gas and thus minimizes the caustic (corrosive and erosive) effects on the gun barrel. Oxy-acids
of nitrogen in their raw state are highly corrosive and would not be compatible with the metals of
the cartridge case and bullet. Therefore, the acid is “neutralized” by a chemical reaction with an
alkali (basic) compound to produce a relatively inert salt and water (which is removed). As
discussed previously, black powder makes use of potassium nitrate, which is the salt formed by
the reaction of nitric acid (oxy-acid) and the alkali chemical - potassium hydroxide (potash from
wood ashes).
Black powder, as well as many of the commercial substitutes (Pyrodex, Black Magic, Black
Canyon, Pinnacle, etc.) is classified in a group of propellants called composite propellants.
Composite propellant, as its name implies, is a composite matrix of distinct particles of inorganic
oxidizers dispersed in an organic fuel. The matrix is just a mechanical mixture where the two
chemicals exist in two discrete phases, not unlike the asphalt covering road surfaces (oxidizer is
like gravel, and asphalt is like the organic fuel). The use of inorganic oxidizers in this class of
propellant makes them quite stable. The chemical bonds in the inorganic salts are very strong
and the reverse reaction (in the presence of water) to form the original acid does not occur.
These strong bonds give these propellants very good safety properties. They possess virtually
Page 5
indefinite shelf-life and are relatively unsusceptible to reactions precipitated by shock waves or
impacts (non-detonable). The high strength of the oxidizer chemical bonds however, takes a lot
of energy to break when combustion occurs. This reduces the amount of energy available to
propel the bullet, which make composite propellants relatively low in performance. Additionally,
inorganic oxidizers often contain some metal salt content and have nitrogen contents that are
relatively low. The metals in the propellant are expelled from the gun in solid form, which hurts
performance by reduced gas volume and creates primary smoke. The low nitrogen content
generally makes the combustion gases richer in moisture, which under certain atmospheric
conditions, will condense to form a visible steam in the exhaust cloud. This steam is what is
termed as “secondary smoke”. In short, composite propellants are relatively safe but low in
performance and have more smoke signature.
The weaknesses of composite propellants prompted development of higher energy less smoky
formulations. Improvement was achieved by reacting the oxy-acids of nitrogen directly with the
organic fuel. These compounds have names that normally contain the phrase “nitro”. Examples
are nitroglycerine (nitric acid reacted with glycerine), TNT (trinitrotoluene, nitric acid reacted with
toluene), and nitrocellulose (nitric acid reacted with cellulose such as cotton or wood pulp). The
direct addition of the oxy-acid to the organic fuel relatively increased the nitrogen content of the
chemistry, and the chemical bonds in the molecules are weaker than in the inorganic oxidizers.
This provided reduced potential for smoke generation and more energy for propulsive action.
Gun propellants that make use of these nitro-organic compounds are generally referred to as
“smokeless powder”.
Smokeless powders do have a down side though. The weaker chemical bonds in these
chemicals make them more susceptible to shock induced reactions. This is a long hand way of
saying “detonation”. Any of this class of chemicals can detonate if hit with a sufficiently strong
shock. This characteristic is desirable for explosive applications (mining and military) where a
violent explosive event is desired to fracture or destroy adjacent materials. However, in a gun, a
detonation would be catastrophic and would destroy the gun and potentially hurt anyone near it.
Alfred Nobel (of Nobel Prize fame) studied this character of nitro-organic compounds. Nobel
experimented with mixtures of two nitro-organic compounds, nitroglycerine (NG) and
nitrocellulose (NC). He mixed the two chemicals in different ratios and exposed them to shocks
from a number-8 blasting cap (standard detonation device used to initiate mining explosives).
He found that when the mixture contained less than 40% NG, the mixture would burn but not
detonate. Above 40%, the mixture would detonate. He classified those mixtures below 40%
NG as “cordites” and those detonable mixtures above 40% NG as “dynamites”. Thus, Nobel
originated the term “dynamite”. Today, the term “cordite” is not familiar to many people except
to those familiar with the loading of 303-British military ammunition. The long stick of propellant
that was used in that cartridge was known as cordite, and was a mixture near that 40% cut-off
that Nobel determined. Nobel’s work established the upper NG concentration limit for “cordites”
(gun propellants) that allows for safe operation in a gun. However, even the lowest level
mixtures will detonate if hit by sufficiently hard shock waves.
The research invested by Nobel provided the supporting data that allowed the successful design
and use of NC and NG in gun propellants. To this day, these two compounds form the base for
most gun propellants. In fact, smokeless powders are divided into two classes. Propellants with
only NC as the energetic ingredient are referred to as “single-base”. Those that use both NC
and NG are referred to as “double-base”. Single-base propellants are cooler burning (but less
energetic) propellants designed to enhance barrel life by reduced erosion due to propellant
heating. The double-base propellants achieve higher performance by the added energy
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provided by NG, but higher barrel erosion results from the higher flame temperatures of the
propellant.
During the Second World War, a third class of smokeless propellant was developed. It made
use of the traditional NC and NG ingredients, but also incorporated a third nitro-organic
compound called nitroguanidine (NQ). NQ originally was formed by reacting nitric acid with bat
manure (also called guana, which lends to the name guanidine). NQ is very high in hydrogen
content but is relatively low in carbon. Combustion products from hydrogen are extremely low in
molecular weight and the lack of carbon reduces the amount of heat liberated during
combustion. This combination results in the production of a relatively large quantity of gas (with
low molecular weight) offsetting the performance loss due to the relatively cool combustion
temperature. Thus, NQ enables performance comparable to double-base systems but with the
lower bore erosion properties of single-base propellants. This third class of smokeless
propellant was given the name “triple-base” in recognition of its use of three energetic
ingredients NC, NG, and NQ.
The cost of NQ is quite high and its addition to propellant probably at least doubles its cost.
This higher cost must be weighed against the cost of barrel replacement. The only application
where the cost trade appeared favorable was in the large artillery and tank gun systems. Its use
allowed barrel life to be extended from 100-to-200 rounds to 400-to-500 rounds. And with barrel
replacements on these systems costing $100,000 or more, it more than justified the cost of the
increased ammunition. In small arms however, the barrel life is on the order of 10,000 rounds
and the barrel cost is around $100, thus cheaper ammo is more prudent and triple-base
systems are not used.
Reloaders can currently buy either single-base or double-base propellants. In general, those
powders that have an IMR (Improved Military Rifle) designation are single-base propellants.
Examples are IMR (H or XMR) 4227, 4198, 3031, 4895, 4064, 4320, 4350, 4831, and 7828. In
addition, I believe that the Vihta Vuori propellants in the 100 series of numbers are also singlebase. Virtually all other smokeless powders available to reloaders are double-base, including
the various pistol and shotgun flake powders and ball powders.
Smokeless powders have a second, and probably less well-known, bad trait. The weak
chemical bonds between the nitro group and organic fuel allows for the reverse reaction to occur
that will generate the original nitric acid. This reverse reaction requires the presence of water.
Unfortunately, the friction and spark sensitivity of these propellants require that some small
amount of water be incorporated into the formulation. The propellant formulation contains
chemicals called stabilizers, which are alkali chemicals that neutralize these acids as they are
formed. These stabilizers, however, can only handle a fraction of the potential acids that can be
generated. The concentration of these stabilizers are set to provide protection from the formed
acids for a period of approximately 20 years at a hot storage condition (100 F). At cooler room
temperatures, the reaction rates that form the acids are slower and thus a longer shelf life will
result.
Once the stabilizer is depleted, the acid generation in the propellant will go unchecked.
Unfortunately, the acids will catalyze further acid formation progressively increasing the rate of
acid generation with time. Eventually, a rapid chain reaction will develop to provide sufficient
heat to cause auto-combustion. The explosives industry and the military have lost many
magazines due to this condition. In response they have imposed very strict guidelines on
handling of smokeless powders and conduct annual chemical analysis of each lot in inventory to
verify the usable shelf life remaining. The military will consume or destroy all ammunition that
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leaves the temperature-controlled inventory in magazines. This is why you see the surplus
powders available on the market today. They are from ammunition that the military was
unwilling to place back in their magazines and couldn’t rapidly consume in training or exercises.
A warning I would like to convey to anyone (like myself) who buys surplus ammo and
components, is that you should plan to consume it. Don’t expect to save it for a rainy day years
from now, or to pass it on to future generations. Store it in as cool an environment as you can
away from direct sunlight. Smokeless powder can become unstable and auto-ignite. Cartridge
collectors are especially at risk in my opinion in that they have no intentions of firing the ammo
they possess and may well have very old ammunition. Please, if you want to collect a cartridge,
pull the bullet, dispose of the powder, and reinstall the bullet. It’s simply not worth burning down
your house over. Warning signs that the stabilizer in the propellant is depleted is that the
propellant is clumping together or is soft, has strong pungent (ammonia-like) smell or the
cartridge case cracks or develops spots of corrosion that originate from the inside. This
cracking and corrosion is the direct result of the acids being generated. Think of it this way, you
wouldn’t keep canned foods forever due to the eventual spoilage, so why would you keep
ammunition indefinitely because it can go “boom” when it turns bad!
The information that I’m presenting here is not being conveyed to scare anyone out of the sport.
I’m just trying to enlighten any interested reader about the hazards that are potential with these
materials that we are handling. There has been a hundred and fifty years of success using
smokeless powders and if you heed proper handling procedures for these materials you will
have a satisfying experience in the shooting sports. Ew, ew that smell, how I love that smell, the
smell of cordite on Morningside!
LAND ACQUISITION DEAL DROPS DEAD
The sellor of the property adjacent to the Morningside Drive rifle range removed the property
from the real estate market. He was unable to resolve a lien against the property and has now
leased the trailer to a new tenant. We lost approximately $400 in loan application fees.
We are hoping to have another opportunity to buy this land in the not-too-distant future.
ALCO SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT USING
WARRIOR MOUNTAIN 100-METER RANGE
The Warrior Mountain 100-meter range will be closed September 12 through September 16
from 1700 to 2300. The Allegany County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting low-light
firearm training.
MORNINGSIDE RANGE HOURS
Just a reminder… Range hours at Morningside Drive are 9 AM to dusk, Monday through Friday,
and 10 AM to dusk on Saturday and Sunday.
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NEW FIRING LINE COVER COMPLETE
Thanks to Terry Barnes, the new firing line cover for the 100-meter range at Warrior Mountain is
now complete. Barnes designed the structure, developed the bill of materials, ordered the
materials, solicited help from members, and scheduled the construction in an orchestrated
fashion that rivaled a NASA space shuttle launch. The following pictures show the construction
activity on May 15, near the completion of the project.
Barnes’ construction crew included Ron Lohr, John Morton, Tom Dunlap, Floyd Johnson, Al
Paxton, Dusty Paxton, Dave Thompson, Dave Starr, John Dowell, Wayne Stott, Wayne Belloff,
and Gary Dawson. These fellows donated a considerable amount of their time, as well as the
use of their equipment, to make this a nice place for all FHRPC members to shoot.
Some activity remains to complete the range, including the addition of shooting benches and
permanent standards for target frames. With a little more work, these improvements will be
complete prior to the start of deer season in the fall.
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LONACONING TRAP CLUB AND MDOE AT ODDS
The Lonaconing Trap Club (LTC) is challenging the Maryland Department of the Environment
(MDOE) attempt to close their trap range due to excessive noise. The LTC problem has been
featured on the front page of the Cumberland Times on three separate occasions in the past
year.
The LTC needs local shooter support. They are holding a shotgun raffle to raise money for legal
support. Raffle tickets are $10 each and may be purchased by calling John Keller at 301-7228067.
The LTC problem stimulated local sport shooting clubs to promote range protection legislation in
the 2005 Maryland General Assembly. Senate bill 685 and House bill 756 were sponsored by
our local legislators to exempt sport shooting ranges from noise regulations in Washington,
Allegany, and Garrett counties between the hours of 9 AM and dusk. Other Maryland counties
already had the exemption. The legislation passed, was signed into law by Governor Ehrlich,
and went into effect in July, 2005. According to the MDOE, the LTC is in a gray area and not
protected by the new law.
The LTC folks took a blow on the chin for the rest of us with ranges in western Maryland. They
now need our support. $10 for support is not much to ask. Plus, you are getting a 1-in-1000
chance to win a German made, $5000 trap gun.
YOUNG MARINES AT MORNINGSIDE
The Morningside Drive rifle range will be closed on Saturday, August 20, from 0900 to 1500
(9AM to 3PM for you civilians). The Mountainside Young Marines will be using the range for
firearm safety and marksmanship training.
We need three FHRPC Marines to step forward and support this training exercise. If you can
help, please call Marty Harsh at 301-759-2877.
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WANTED TO BUY, SELL OR TRADE
This section of the FHRPC newsletter is reserved for membership advertising. You can
advertise your surplus sporting gear for sale (WTS, want to sell) or trade (WTT, want to trade).
Likewise, if you are looking for something to buy (WTB, want to buy), you can advertise here.
Sporting gear can be any type of shooting, archery, hunting, fishing, or camping equipment.
Examples include firearms, ammo, reloading equipment and components, scopes, bows, boots,
portable tree stands, and tents. Forward your advertisements to Marty Harsh at 313 Sunset
Drive, LaVale, Maryland, 21502, for the next newsletter.
The FHRPC is not responsible for any sales, lack thereof, or compliance with any federal, ATF,
state, or local regulations.
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WTS, Walther, 22-cal pistol, model KSP200, molded righthand grip, with 100 rounds Eley
ammo, like new, $650, Pete Walsh, 301-724-0841.
WTS, Iver Johnson, revolver, break action, 5-shot, 32 cal, antique, $125, Carol Lennox,
301-729-0461.
WTS, Remington, semi-auto shotgun, model 1100, 12 GA, 2 ¾-inch chamber, skeet barrel,
$265, Carol Lennox, 301-729-0461.
WTS, trigger shoe for handgun, $5 each, Ken Fuller, 301-724-5254.
WTS, Remington, model 700BDL, 270WIN, left hand, like new, $400, Ken Fuller, 301-7245254.
WTS, 22X13 arrows, model XX75, 27.5-inch long, with knocks, inserts and vanes, $3
each, Ken Fuller, 301-724-5254.
WTS, Remington, model 700BDL, bolt action rifle, heavy barrel, 222 REM, beautiful stock,
9-18X Simmons scope with 40-mm objective, Lee & RCBS reloading dies, 1350+ rounds
ammo loaded with 50-grain Hornady bullets, 25-grain VARGET powder, Federal 205
primers, in two 50-cal cans, all for $700, George Sneathen, 301-759-1323.
WTS, Savage model 93 bolt action rifle, 17HMR, bull barrel, match trigger, 2 magazines,
40-mm 3-9X Burris mil-dot scope, 22+ boxes Hornady and CCI ammo, 50-mm 20X Burris
spotting scope, cleaning rod, cleaning snake, cleaning rod guide, cleaning brushes,
cleaning patches, gun case, all for $600, George Sneathen, 301-759-1323.
WTS, 30-06 brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, LC69 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500,
Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
WTS, 30-06 brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, WCC56 head stamp, $6/100, $25/500,
Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
WTS, 303 British brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, HXP73 head stamp, $6/100,
$25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
WTS, 303 British brass, once fired, de-primed, polished, HXP76 head stamp, $6/100,
$25/500, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
WTS, 30 carbine brass, once fired, polished, mixed head stamps, all USGI, 2000+ pieces,
$25, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
WTS, Winchester, model 1890, pump action repeater, 22 rimfire, fair condition, $400, Cliff
Bennett, 304-788-3890.
WTS, Clark target pistol, 45ACP, M1911 frame, 6-inch barrel, smithed by Jim Clark,
Shreveport, LA, $1000, Harry Twigg, 814-634-1516.
WTS, Pardini target pistol, 45 cal, 6-inch barrel, red-dot sight, $1000, Harry Twigg, 814634-1516.
WTS, Remington, model 700 Varmint Synthetic, 223 REM, left hand, new in box, never
fired, price reduced to $580, Barry Miller, 301-777-3532.
Page 11
(18) WTS, McMillan fiberglass stock for M14/M1A, model M1A, green/woodland camo, new in
box, reduced to $300, Barry Miller, leave message at 301-777-3532.
(19) WTS, Winchester, model 67, 22 rimfire, single shot, bolt action, $125, Wayne Belloff, 301722-6859.
(20) WTS, Enfield No. 1 MK III*, 303 British, somewhat sporterized, $150, Wayne Belloff, 301722-6859.
(21) WTS, US model 1896 Krag-Jorgensen bolt action service rifle, 30-40 KRAG, sporterized,
beautiful bluing, $300, Wayne Belloff, 301-722-6859.
(22) WTS, Lee Pacesetter reloading dies, 7MM REM MAG, decapper, resizer, bullet seater,
factory crimp, all in plastic case, like new, $15, Russ Lease, 301-729-0365.
(23) WTS, linotype metal for casting your own bullets, 50 cents/lb, Jim Gift, 301-359-3639.
(24) WTS, 6.5MM Jap brass, new, unfired, Norma manufactured, box of 20 pieces, $10, Jim
Gift, 301-359-3639.
(25) WTS, Winchester model 69 22-rimfire barrel, can also be used on model 75, new, $25, Jim
Gift, 301-359-3639.
(26) WTS, gun books, Complete Guide to Handloading by Phil Sharpe, The Rifle in America by
Phil Sharpe, The Amateur Gun Craftsman by James Howe, Modern Gunsmith by James
Howe, Custom Rifles by Dick Simmons, Reprinted Old Gun Catalogs by L. D. Saterlee,
Identifying Old Muskets, Rifles and Carbines by Colonel Gluckman, Americans and Their
Guns by NRA Publications, Treasury of the Gun by Harold Peterson, $180 for all, Jim Gift,
301-359-3639.
(27) WTS, 308 WIN blanks, Austrian manufacture, $1.50 per box of 20, have 5 boxes, Jack
Parrill, 304-738-9270.
(28) WTS, 223 REM blanks, M200, USGI, $3.65 per box of 20, have 50 boxes, Jack Parrill,
304-738-9270.
(29) WTS, Thompson Center muzzleloading rifle, percussion lock, White Mountain model, very
good condition, $125, Chuck Laurie, 301-777-1383.
(30) WTS, Federal Ordnance M1A, 308 WIN, new Barnett match barrel, fired less than 100
rounds, $800, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.
(31) WTS, Norinco M1A, 308 WIN, fired less than 50 rounds, $800, Tom Langley, 301-6896869.
(32) WTS, handmade hunting knives, made to order, some in stock, call for prices, Mike
Carney, 301-777-0997.
(33) WTS, Savage, M110, left hand, 7MM REM MAG, like new, with 3-9X scope, $370, Darrel
Bailey, 301-777-0551.
(1) WTB, Smith & Wesson model 625 revolver, 45ACP, Jim Sherman, 304-738-9443.
(2) WTB, IMR 1-pound powder cans, empty, $1 each, Marty Harsh, 301-759-2877.
(3) WTB, 12-gauge shotgun shell reloader, Roger Winebrenner, 301-689-6426.
(4) WTB, Smith&Wesson, model 686, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.
Page 12
PLACES TO SHOOT
This section of the FHRPC newsletter is reserved for information describing shooting matches
outside the FHRPC and in the not-to-distant surroundings. If you know of other places holding
shooting matches that might be of interest to the FHRPC membership, forward the information
to Marty Harsh at 313 Sunset Drive, LaVale, Maryland, 21502, for the next newsletter.
Action Pistol
(1) Frostburg, MD, Longview Pistol Range & Sportsmen’s Club, 200-shot defensive pistol
matches, similar to IDPA, start at 10 AM, $10 per match, Nov 14, George Gallagher, 301463-6264, Tom Thrasher, 301-689-2868, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.
(2) Frostburg, MD, Longview Pistol Range & Sportsmen’s Club, yearly memberships, January
through December, $50 per year, George Gallagher, 301-463-6264, Tom Thrasher, 301689-2868, Tom Langley, 301-689-6869.
Bench Rest
(1) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen’s Club, 22 rimfire, any power scope, start at
7 PM, Aug 4, 11, 18, 25, Sep 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, Oct 6, 13, 20, 27, Terry Mulligan, 304-7383219.
(2) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen’s Club, center fire, factory rifle, 12-power
scope limit, start at 1 PM, Sep 10, 24, Oct 1, 15, 29, Nov 5, 19, Terry Mulligan, 304-7383219.
Muzzleloader
(1) Maysville, WV, first Sunday of each month, $10 per match, starts at 1 PM, Terry Mulligan
at 304-738-3219.
Highpower Rifle
(1) Hagerstown, MD, North American Rod & Gun Club, 100-yard match, 10 sighters, 50
record shots, $20 per match, $40 per match with ammo provided, $50 per match for CMP
M1 qualification, $10 for club membership, Aug 27, Norris E. Diefenderfer, 301-797-4282,
barbara.norris@erols.com.
(2) Thurmont, MD, Thurmont Conservation & Sportsman’s Club, Garand matches, 100 yards,
$20 per match, Aug 28, Kevin Lippold, 301-293-0105, Steven Naylor, 301-631-6980,
WWW.TCANDSC.ORG.
(3) Fort Meade, MD, 600-yard match, three 20-shot strings plus sighters, Nov 6, $30, Paul
Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston, MD, 21047.
(4) Fort Meade, MD, Maryland state championship, 80-shot regional course, 200, 300, 600
yards, Aug 20, $30, Paul Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston, MD, 21047.
(5) Fort Meade, CMP EIC (LEG) match, Aug 21, $15, Paul Hudson, P. O. Box 691, Fallston,
MD, 21047.
(6) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 50-shot National Match course, 200, 300, 600 yards, Aug
21, Sep 25, Oct 23, Nov 13, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-3520234, WWW.READERANGE.ORG.
(7) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yard match, two 20-shot strings plus sighters, Aug 20,
Oct 22, Nov 12, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234,
WWW.READERANGE.ORG.
(8) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yard Pennsylvania state championship, two 20-shot
strings plus sighters, Sep 24, $15 plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-3520234, WWW.READERANGE.ORG.
(9) Allemans, PA, Reade Range, 1000-yd F-class match, Aug 28, Sep 18, Oct 9, Nov 6, $15
plus one-time $25 league fee, Tom Ferraro, 724-352-0234, WWW.READERANGE.ORG.
(10) Bridgeport, WV, White Horse Range, 80-shot regional course, 200, 300, 600 yards, Aug
13, Sep 10, Oct 8, $10 per match, plus one-time $15 league fee, Dick Whiting, 304-6236093, dwhiting@wvsrpa.org.
Page 13
(11) Bridgeport, WV, White Horse Range, 1000-yd match, two 20-shot strings plus sighters
each day (day #1, any sight, iron sight, day #2, any sight, any sight), Sep 17, 18, $40, Dick
Whiting, 304-623-6093, dwhiting@wvsrpa.org.
Smallbore Rifle
(1)
Sporting Clays
(1) Everett, PA, Everett Sportsmen’s Club, P. O. Box 312, Everett, PA, 15537, 50-bird rounds,
shooting from 10 AM to 3:30 PM, food & ammo available, Ed Sponsler, 814-652-5562.
Trap
(1) Lonaconing, MD, Lonaconing Trap Club, Tuesday & Thursday evenings starting at 4 PM,
Saturday mornings starting at 10 AM, $2.50 per round (25 birds), Gary Dawson, 814-3563688.
(2) Bedford, PA, Bedford Sportsmen’s Club, every Wednesday at 4 PM, $2.50 per round (25
birds), Gary Dawson, 814-356-3688.
(3) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen, $2.50 per round (25 birds), Gary Dawson,
814-356-3688.
(4) Grantsville, MD, Casselman Valley Sportsmen, Calcutta and Lewis Events, practice starts
at 12 PM, match starts at 1 PM, Aug 13, Sep 17, Oct 8, Nov 12, Gary Dawson, 814-3563688.
Page 14
FORT HILL RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB
RAFFLE DAY MATCH RULES
OCTOBER 9, 2005
MUZZLELOADING RIFLE
(1) 5 shots for record, no sighters.
(2) Offhand position.
(3) 100-yard range.
(4) Standard A25 NRA smallbore rifle target.
(5) 20-minute time limit.
(6) Any muzzleloading rifle legal for Maryland deer hunting.
(7) Any sights legal for Maryland deer hunting.
(8) Ties broken by closest ball to center.
(9) Multiple re-entries allowed. Competitor can post only one score.
(10) Raffle ticket stubs are non-transferable for match entry.
(11) 120 maximum entries.
(12) First relay starts at 9 AM. Additional relays start every 30 minutes.
Final relay starts at 2:30 PM.
(13) Match director may alter course of fire due to weather conditions.
(14) Competitor may be disqualified for unsafe actions on shooting range.
(15) No alcoholic beverages allowed on shooting range.
(16) First, second and third prizes are $100, $75 and $50, respectively.
MODERN RIFLE
(1) 10 shots for record, 2 sighters.
(2) Prone position.
(3) Any support, including sand bags, bipod and/or sling.
(4) 300-yard range.
(5) Standard MR-63 NRA highpower rifle target.
(6) 20-minute time limit.
(7) Any centerfire rifle of 45 caliber or less.
(8) Any sights.
(9) Ties broken by shoot off.
(10) Multiple re-entries allowed. Competitor can post only one score.
(11) Raffle ticket stubs are non-transferable for match entry.
(12) 120 maximum entries.
(17) First relay starts at 9 AM. Additional relays start every 30 minutes.
Final relay starts at 2:30 PM.
(13) Match director may alter course of fire due to weather conditions.
(14) Competitor may be disqualified for unsafe actions on shooting range.
(15) No alcoholic beverages allowed on shooting range.
(16) First, second and third prizes are $100, $75 and $50, respectively.
Page 15
3rd Annual Great Guns Raffle, October 9, 2005
Sponsored by Fort Hill Rifle & Pistol Club
at Warrior Mountain Range on Cresap Mill Road
 $20 Donation includes Chances to Win
Great Firearms & Participate in Two Shooting Matches
(Muzzleloading Rifle & Modern Rifle)

 Only 1000 Tickets Sold
 Need Not Be Present to Win
 All Firearms Will Be Raffled to Ticket Buyers
 All Winners Subject to Federal & State Checks
Match Schedule May Change Due to Weather & Number of Participants
 Raffle Ticket Replaces Match Entrance Fee ($10)
 Prizes Awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd Place Shooters
 No Alcoholic Beverages Allowed on Shooting Range!
Firearms on Display, Tickets Available at
Mulligan’s Gun Shop
69 Potomac Street, Ridgeley, WV
To purchase ticket: Contact any FHRPC member,
Or call: 301-759-2877 or 301-777-1298
Or mail request to FHRPC, 313 Sunset Drive, LaVale, MD, 21502
(include $20 check payable to FHRPC)
TIME
10 AM
10:15
10:30
10:45
11:00
11:15
11:30
11:45
12:00
12:15
12:30
12:45
1:00
1:15
1:30
1:45
2:00
2:15
2:30
2:45
FIREARM
Remington M700DBM Rifle
Springfield Armory M1911A1 Pistol
Remington M700BDL Rifle
Winchester 1300 NWTF Short Turkey Shotgun
Ruger M77R-MKII Rifle
Knight Revolution Muzzleloader
Remington M504-T Rifle
Ruger M77R-MK II Rifle
Ruger 10/22-T Rifle
Remington M870 Classic Trap Shotgun
Winchester M70 Coyote Rifle
Ruger MK3 Target Pistol
CVA Optima Pro Muzzleloader
Remington M700 VLS Rifle
Ruger MK77/17 Rifle
Knight Disc Extreme Muzzleloader
Savage 12BVSS Rifle
Remington M1100 Classic Field Shotgun
Springfield Armory M1911A1 Pistol
Ruger M77R-MKII Target Rifle
Page 16
CALIBER
30-06
45ACP
280
12 GA
270
50 CAL
22 Rimfire
260
22 Rimfire
12 GA
243WSSM
22 Rimfire
50 CAL
22-250
17 Mach 2
45 CAL
223
20 GA
45ACP
204