An Old-Time Challenge Match
We ran across an interesting notice in the January 9th edition of Shooting And Fishing magazine and thought to share it with our readers. After the excellent article by Leo Remiger on the muzzleloaders versus breechloaders match at Vernon, Vermont, in which was 1886 featured in BPCN No. 99 (Fall 2017), we have heard from several riflemen who have had their curiosity piqued by this type of competition.
Our present-day riflemen, for the most part, do not realize how seriously the old-timers took their shooting. Many engaged in “challenge matches” that were shot for significant amounts of money. The prestige that went with winning a challenge match – especially between gunsmiths – was considerable, and often this was the way an up-and-coming ‘smith gathered clientele.
We also wanted to provide a yardstick for measuring what the money wagered back then would be worth in 2017. Some research revealed, using the Historic Standard of Living value, that the calculated worth of one dollar in 1890 would be $27.20 in 2017. The definition of Historic Standard of Living according to the website www. measuringworth.com is “the purchasing power of an income or wealth in its relative ability to purchase a bundle of goods and services such as food, shelter, clothing, etc., that an average household would buy.” Multiply the amounts mentioned in the challenge from Mr. Warner to Mr. Perry and you will get some idea of what these gentlemen were willing to wager on their rifles and shooting skills.
MR. WARNER CHALLENGES MR. PERRY Williamsport, PA., Jan.1, 1890
This story is from the Winter 2017 edition of The Black Powder Cartridge News.
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This story is from the Winter 2017 edition of The Black Powder Cartridge News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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