The Manteca Sportsmen Inc (MSI) black powder group shoots and competes under the name Long Rifles of San Joaquin.  We meet and shoot at MSI on the second Saturday of each month, except for the months of January and August, when we host rendezvous at MSI.  During winter hours we start at 10:00 a.m. to avoid the morning cold.  Once the time changes to daylight savings, we start at 9:00 a.m. to beat the heat.   The cost per shoot is $10 for MSI members and $15 for non-members.  We shoot rifles, smoothbores, and  pistols based on pre-1840 designs.  This means a patched round ball—no conicals, they beat up our targets too much.  Liquid patch lube is required—grease patches are a fire hazard.   If you wish to compete for yearly aggregate awards, described below, sights must be open; no aperture sights or scopes.

Our usual course of fire is 5 shots with rifle or smoothbore at 4 targets, for a total of 20 shots.  We shoot 5 shots with the pistol.

Beginning in 2018, we have conducted a yearly aggregate awards program.  When we shoot paper there is a potential for 10 points per shot, for a total of 250 possible points per shoot.  If we have shoots with other than 25 shots the scores will be converted to a 250 point scale.  To qualify for awards at the end of the year a shooter must participate in at least 6 club shoots.  The top six scores for each shooter will count.

The Long Rifles of San Joaquin host the Freezearse Rendezvous at MSI from Friday to Sunday of the first weekend in January.  In August we host the Durham Ferry Rendezvous at the same location.  The two rendezvous include opportunities for camping (primitive and RV), rifle trail walk, squirrel rifle trail walk (.40 caliber and under), pistol trail walk, and archery competition.  For the past several years we have had a roast pig pot-luck dinner on Saturday night.