We try the Cabin Fever Challenge

Learn more about the challenge at RifleChair.com

Today I'm out with my friend Barry and my father Mike and we're shooting the Cabin Fever Challenge. For those of you unfamiliar, the cabin fever challenge was started by “rifle chair” as a way for shooting sports enthusiasts to get out in mid winter/early spring to have some fun with marksmen from around the globe.

This is some of the most fun I’ve had with my muzzleloaders in a while and offers a great challenge to newcomers and verterans of blackpowder alike.

I’m shooting my .40 cal Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle

Barry is shooting his original .69 cal Kammerlader

Mike is shooting his homemade .50 cal Isaac Haines-inspired flintlock rifle.

Ethan taking his shot in the prone position, after losing his flint.

Since the start, the competition has grown and now includes 6 division, most recently .22 rimfire. Today my group is participating in the muzzleloader division, division 5.

In the muzzle loader division, we are tasked with shooting 1 shot standing, kneeling, prone, and sitting as fast as we can. Our target is an 8” bull set at 50 yards. Shots cutting the black bull, or in the black bull count as “hits” regardless of location in the bull. Scores are calculated by (Number of Hits) x5/ Time in seconds x 100.

Group Scores:

Barry: 3.875

Ethan: 4.70

Mike: 5.83

As a bit of a match recap, I think I could have improved by making sure my gear was in order before started. You’ll notice I left my ball block on the bench out of arm’s reach. And then going into my 3rd shot, I lost my flint. Both of these errors really cut into the time portion of my score, but I’m pleased with the 3 hits out of 4 for my first attempt at this challenge. Shooting 50 yards in the cold wind like we were was a welcome challenge.

I tried to streamline my set up for a second run, but was only able to shave off a few seconds and had several less successful shots. Speed is fine, but accuracy is final.

As of publishing, there is still time to try this challenge for yourself and I hope that you do, even if you don’t submit for score. This was a lot of fun and gives me a lot of ideas for future muzzleloading matches. Do you think it’s possible to do a 3-Gun muzzleloading match?

RULES: http://riflechair.com/viewer/CFC/RULES.pdf

WEBSITE: http://www.riflechair.com/cabin-fever-challenge

EMAIL: cfcdivisions@gmail.com