HEAVY METAL EDITION

  
On the Mark

Scouts setting their sights on learning to use and care for firearms have long found great opportunities at many camps of the Boy Scouts of America.

At the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, Scouts took positions behind the firing line, their high performance air rifles loaded with paint balls.

When the command was given to commence firing, bright colors blossoming on targets were a measure of the Jamboree marksmen's accuracy of aim.

Along with bicycles, uniforms, and pocketknives, advertisements in older editions of the Boy Scout Handbook featured air rifles, pellet guns, and firearms for target shooting.

Carrying his black powder rifle in a buckskin scabbard, an interpretive program staffer at Philmont Scout Ranch brings to life the traditions of early fur trappers in the mountains of northern New Mexico.

Scouts trekking the Philmont backcountry can load and shoot black powder rifles. The range officer insures that everyone wears protection for eyes and ears.

Many adult Scouters enjoy collecting firearms. A special Centennial Edition rifle licensed by the Boy Scouts of America features engravings of the Scout Oath and Law on the metal receiver, and a gold-filled Centennial emblem etched into the walnut stock.

Safety First and Always

From adult supervision and appropriate training to the correct handling and storage of firearms, the Boy Scouts of America strives to instill knowledge and responsibility in every Scout interested in marksmanship. Tremendous pathways for learning are the merit badges in Rifle Shooting and Shotgun Shooting.

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BLACKSMITHING

Make a horseshoe and use it to shoe a horse. Shape the metal rim for a wagon wheel. Temper steel and weld an iron rod. Those were the basic requirements for the 1911 merit badge in blacksmithing, an award Scouts could earn during the next 40 years.

The art of blacksmithing is now an option for the Metalwork merit badge with requirements asking Scouts to complete a project demonstrating twisting steel, bending metal, riveting a joint, and forging a taper.

Heated metal held against an anvil is shaped with blows from a blacksmith's hammer. As the metal cools, it is returned to the forge to be heated again.

Work completed by today's Scout blacksmiths often looks much like that of a century ago. The techniques of shaping iron are the same, too.

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CAST IRON COOKING

Blacksmiths don't make Dutch ovens - the iron pots are cast by pouring molten metal into molds - but you can use one to make meals that will be the highlight of any campout.

Key to cooking with a Dutch oven is a good bed of coals. Hardwood such as oak burns down to perfect embers. Charcoal briquettes are very good too, and easy to manage. Since heat rises, cooks preparing meals for large groups can stack one Dutch oven atop another to make the most of the least number of coals.

As a rule of thumb, a Dutch oven needs to have three times as many coals on the lid as underneath. That insures plenty of heat to cook the oven's contents evenly.

Want to make a Dutch oven stew? First, pour a little cooking oil into a hot oven and brown the meat. Add chopped onions, vegetables, potatoes, and other ingredients, spice to taste, then cover and let simmer. When the dinner bell rings, you'll have a delicious feast to satisfy any hungry Scout patrol!

Ranger Cobbler
Dutch ovens are famous for their use in baking biscuits and bread. In camps where open fires are appropriate, ranger cobbler in a Dutch oven has long been a favorite at Philmont Scout Ranch. Here's the recipe.

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AIMS OF SCOUTING

Just as a marksman selects targets with care and fires with accuracy, you can choose your goals for success and decide how you want to lead your life. Character development, citizenship training, and personal fitness - the Aims of Scouting - are forged by outdoor adventures and tempered by the Scout Oath and Law. They will always show you the way.

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