The Satuit Nimrod
The Newsletter of the Scituate Rod & Gun Club
November 2024 — V31N07
News Around The Club
We will be holding our annual Turkey Shoot 🦃 on Sunday, November 24th, starting at noon and running until 4:00 pm.
All the usual games will be in action: Hanging Targets, Swinging Targets, Trap, Lucky 22s and Kids Archery. We'll need volunteers to help run the games, particularly if it's a cold, or damp, day so that those running games can warm-up in the clubhouse. Add your name to the roster on the chalk board in the clubhouse if you would like to help at the shoot.
We'll have some lawn signs available soon, so check at the club to see when they have been printed — first come, first served. There's also a few poster size and letter size flyers if you know businesses that will display them.
We will hold a Cleanup Day to get our grounds and clubhouse spick and span on Saturday, November 16th from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm — rain date is Saturday, November 23rd.
This year's Pumpkin Drop saw a marked decline in the number of kids attending😞; only 15, or so, little darlings, but they had a good time which is the main thing. Next year's drop will happen later in the afternoon to give the kids time to get home from soccer, etc.
Dave Glancy brought a taller crane this year and the WHUMP! when the pumpkins hit the ground was magnificent.
Pistol
The Pistol Committee held a Center Fire Pistol Plate Match on Saturday, October 19th that attracted 10 shooters. The course of fire was shot twice with the first relay producing a five-way tie for first place between Ron Rice, Ed Hunnefeld, Alex Koines, Paul Fig and Bill Berry. The second relay was won by Paul Fig. The next time we shoot this match, ties will be decided by the Quick Draw target.
The next Pistol Match will be a Thanksgiving Themed, .22RF Pistol Fun Shoot on on Saturday, November 16th, starting at High Noon. The course of fire includes a crossword puzzle for which you will draw your word from a paper bag then proceed to drill the letters of that word on the crossword at 10ft.
Skeet and Trap
Skeet is shooting on Wednesday evenings — 5 pm to 7 pm — in addition to Sundays. Trap will continue shooting on Saturday mornings only at this time as they have lost a couple of committee members and are looking to replace them before reviving Tuesday evenings.
The Skeet Committee will hold a pre-Thanksgiving soiree on Wednesday, November 20th before Skeet starting at 5:00 pm. Appetizers will be supplied; bring your own libation.
Cowboy Action Shooting
The next matches are a Cowboy Action Match on Sunday, November 10th followed the next week by a Wild Bunch Match on Sunday, November 17th. Both matches start a 9:00 am.
Yankee (Ron Rice) and Boston Lady (Jean Alexander) recently shot in the North Carolina State Shoot. Jean came home with a First Place buckle in her category, while Ron took Second Place in his category.
Quotes of the Month
"A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be your constant companion of your walks "
– Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 19, 1785
"I do not believe in people owning guns. Guns should be owned only by the police and military. I am going to do everything I can to disarm this state.."
– Michael Dukakis
“Gun bans don't disarm criminals, gun bans attract them .”
– Walter F. Mondale
Winchester's New .21 Sharp Cartridge
by Kelly Young, Senior Executive Editor, in the NRA American Rifleman. Posted on September 19, 2024.
It can feel like new centerfire cartridges are a dime a dozen, with one or two seemingly coming along each and every year. But new rimfire chamberings? Not so much, which makes it a noteworthy occasion any time an ammunition manufacturer brings a new rimfire cartridge to market. Well, Winchester Ammunition did just that this week with the introduction of the .21 Sharp, an evolution of the .22 Long Rifle that promises higher velocities and far superior bullet selection.
The .22 Long Rifle occupies a sweet spot in regards to cost, power, recoil, availability and utility, but it’s far from perfect from an engineering standpoint, and the .21 Sharp was designed around rectifying the .22 LR’s main inherent design flaw. The glaring issue with the .22 is that the bearing surface of its projectile and the exterior diameter of its case are identical, meaning that the rear of the bullets must be necked-down (or heeled) to a smaller diameter in order to seat properly in their case—hugely limiting their exterior ballistics while reducing case capacity.
Winchester has designed .21 Sharp to utilize the exact same 0.613”-long, 0.226”-diameter case as the .22 Long Rifle—while operating at an identical 24,000-p.s.i. Maximum Average Pressure—but firing smaller .21-cal. bullets. This allowed the company to develop a variety of non-heeled .21 Sharp projectiles made using modern bullet-designing techniques like jacketed hollow points, spitzer points, lead-free monolithic construction and more aerodynamic boattails. The use of standard .22 LR cases is also a manufacturing expedient, which will allow Winchester to keep its .21 Sharp production costs down—and should hopefully help keep consumers’ prices down as well.
At launch, four loads are being offered, with bullets ranging from 25 to 42 grains in weight and advertised velocities between 1,300 and 1,750 f.p.s.—slightly faster and slightly more energetic than comparable .22 Long Rifle loads. They include a 34-grain Super X JHP and three additions to the Game & Target line: a 42-grain FMJ; a 25-grain lead-free Copper Matrix; and a 37-grain Black Copper Plated.
“The .21 Sharp cartridge offers significant advantages in the rimfire category, which is one of the more popular types of firearms and ammunition used by millions of people throughout the world,” said Kyle Masinelli, senior director of product innovation and strategy for Winchester Ammunition. “Winchester leadership in cartridge development spans more than 100 years, and, as the global leader in ammunition design and manufacturing, it’s our job to serve our customers with innovative products that fit their needs now and into the future. That is what has been done with .21 Sharp.”
From left to right: 42-grain FMJ; 37-grain Black Copper Plated; 25-grain lead-free Copper Matrix; and 34-grain Super X JHP.
While the .21 Sharp will chamber in a .22 LR rifle barrel, due to its sub-caliber projectile, it cannot be fired with any degree of accuracy or precision. Additionally, .22 LR cartridges will not fit into a .21 Sharp chamber due to its heeled projectile. All that should be necessary for most .22 Long Rifle-chambered firearms to shoot the new cartridge is a .21 Sharp barrel. For more information on Winchester’s new .21 Sharp, visit winchester.com.
Club Calendar.
TURKEY SHOOT
Sunday, November 24th: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
CLEANUP DAY FOR TURKEY SHOOT
Saturday, November 16th 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
CLEANUP DAY RAIN DATE
Saturday, November 23rd 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING
Monday, December 4th – 7:00 pm.
MONTHLY MEETING
Monday, December 4th – 8:00 pm.
SKEET
Sundays: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Wednesday: 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
TRAP
Saturdays: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm.
PISTOL
Saturday, November 16th, 12:00 pm – Thanksgiving Themed .22RF Fun Pistol Shoot.
COWBOY
Sunday, November 10th, 9:00 am – Cowboy Action Match.
Sunday, November 17th, 9:00 am – Wild Bunch Match.
SAFETY COURSE
Tuesday, December 3rd – 7:00 pm & Thursday December 5th – 7:00 pm Register here.
RANGE ORIENTATION CLASS
Sunday, November 10th – 9:00 am Register here.
…And Finally
