Billy Dixon Range Proposal

            As is described in various articles by this author, no one who has bothered to verify well-documented facts can possibly doubt that Billy Dixon (who was later awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during The Battle of Buffalo Wallow) toppled a hostile rider from a horse at a measured distance of 1538 yards with one shot from a 50-90 Sharps rifle. Dixon stated that he was shooting at "a group of about fifteen riders…" who were huddled, evidently in conference, on a calm morning, following the second day of their siege of the encampment at Adobe Walls, Texas, a battle that had not gone well for them.
            On separate occasions, Mic McPherson (this author) and Bill Falin (then Chief Ballistician for Accurate Arms) and then McPherson, Paul Armbruster and Harvey Watt made significant efforts toward replication of Dixon's feat - these events have been chronicled in several published articles. We concluded that it was certainly feasible for such a known marksman - who was using such an accurate rifle, with good sights, and with good ammunition and who was firing on a target at a known range - to make such a shot. A clear reading of Dixon's biography suggests that he did know how to correctly adjust his sights for that shot! Word of mouth reports hold that Dixon claimed to have used that very area as a target, in the days before the battle had begun.
            On the second Billy Dixon replication shoot, noted above, Watt and Armbruster (who did all the shooting) managed to place 32 of 42 shots into a 7½-foot tall by 15-foot wide target. We used modern Sharps rifles and smokeless loads that were probably not as accurate as the load Dixon used.
            Falin and McPherson performed the initial of these studies. In that, we had demonstrated feasibility of such a shot. Publication of the resulting article (Precision Shooting magazine) sparked so much interest in England that the Billy Dixon event became a regular contest there. We are confident that such an event, held at a world-class facility, will draw significant participation in the U.S. and, importantly, we know how to make this into an interesting spectator sport!
We are particularly confident that if we offer such an event in conjunction with other established events at Whittington Center, where competitors already have the necessary equipment, participation will be significant. Furthermore, the facility we are proposing will offer 7/8 mile and 1-mile Bullseye ranges, which adds further interest, particularly for those owing 50 BMG chambered target rifles.
We see at least four classes of shooters who will find this facility useful:

Those owning 50 BMG target rifles
Those with Sharps and similar Long-Range Target rifles
Those with modern rifles in chamberings capable of accuracy at such ranges
Those who simply must see for themselves if this is possible

            Whittington Center now holds many events with competitors who would naturally be interested in testing their guns at longer ranges. Competitors with potential interest would include some of those involved in NRA highpower, many in Blackpowder Silhouette, some involved in Schuetzenfest, many Shootists, and possibly some from other organizations.
            As original organizers, we, The Founders of the Feast, have established an organization titled: The Friends of Billy Dixon. We have 45 charter members, most of whom are Shootists. Ours is a single goal: To establish a world-class shooting facility where marksmen can test their skills and equipment in an effort to replicate Dixon's feat. (While recognizing that such a facility will have other potential and likely uses, the foregoing is our primary objective.)
            We are also certain that such a facility will increase interest in shooting and shooter participation, which is certainly good for the cause of Freedom.
            Having collectively discussed this matter with hundreds of serious shooters, we are confident that range usage and participation will most assuredly make such a facility one of the most famous and interesting of all the fine facilities at Whittington Center. To this end, we have received permission from Whittington Center Director, Mike Ballew, to proceed with solicitation of funding toward building of such a range. Besides this blessing, Whittington Center has promised to provide machinery, equipment operators, and a range location. We must provide necessary funding to produce all required structures and obtain associated equipment.
            As a general description, we envision, among other events, the following as an event, for blackpowder rifles only - the Billy Dixon Long-Range shoot:
            The shooting line will offer positions for perhaps eight teams. Each team will include a flag person, a spotter, and a shooter. The Range Master will recognize one of the teams that has declared that its shooter is ready to fire (by raising a flag). That shooter will then have fifteen seconds to fire a shot.
            Downrange, spotters (in a pit located about 400 yards from the impact zone) will have full view of a relatively large and unobstructed impact area. Should a spotter witness the impact, he will report (via the loudspeaker system at the shooting line) hit location, according to markers, to identify clock location and impact distance from target center.
            Should that spotter not see the impact, through triangulation, a downrange microphone system will report on a display (located near the shooting line) where bullet went (left or right and high or low). If that shot passed reasonably close to the intended target, this system (through a computer program) will suggest likely sight adjustment corrections, in terms of MOA.
Finally, protected cameras, located behind an armored pole and above the spotters' pit, will simultaneously display the entire impact zone and only the target area on separate large monitors that will be located near the shooting line. These will provide instant replay when a shot hits the target. The entire event will be recorded on videotape including target area and shooting line.
After this shot is recorded, the Range Master will recognize the next team and the process will repeat. After the shooter in each team has fired three shots, the line is cleared, the next set of teams takes their place, and the process begins anew.
            The proposed target, which has been approved by Whittington Center staff, is a stylized representation of 15 riders and about 12 horses as individual pieces. Total target size is approximately nine-feet tall and twenty-seven feet wide. Behind this, we will eventually install a group of protected microphones that are connected to loud speakers at the shooting line through a computer system that will automatically record impact location and will then superimpose this on the monitors near the shooting line. Thus, this system will instantly "announce" a hit, pinpoint the location and ready the spectators to hear the distant clang. As with all shots, whenever a hit occurs, the shot will be permanently recorded on videotape, for record (this record will include shooter, team and relay information, etc.).
            Tentative plans are for judging as follows: The shooter with the most hits on "riders" will be the winner. Any shooter who hits the "horse" target on his first record shot of any relay will be awarded a special plaque and any shooter who hits the "rider" target on his first shot of his first relay on any given day will be awarded a Billy Dixon Medallion and afforded honorary membership as a Billy Dixon Sharpshooter.
            We are excited about this range and intend to have it up and running, as soon as is possible. To this end, we need all the support we can get from the NRA and industry participants alike. Obviously, we will begin more modestly, with only the basics required to make the range functional, but the above represents our basic goals for this facility and we pray that we can soon add more functions.
            To this end, please consider a pledge to The Billy Dixon Range Fund. All such monies and pledges will be held, in escrow, at the First National Bank of Paonia in The Friends of Billy Dixon Association account until we have obtained sufficient funding to get seriously started on range construction. At that time, all such funding will be turned over to the Whittington Center or to necessary suppliers of electronic and other required components for use solely toward constructing this range and establishing associated infrastructure and necessary gear. We are happy to provide details of how this escrow account is set up, upon request.
            If you have any questions, please call Mic McPherson or Dave Torkelson at telephone numbers listed below.