News and Resources for Current and Potential Volunteer Instructors
If you're a 4-H Western Heritage Project volunteer or are interested in becoming a volunteer, please check this page periodically for information regarding training workshops, new resources, special events, and state, regional, or national competitions.
National Level 4-H Western Heritage Cancelled Training Cancelled
April 13-16, 2020!!!
Cancelled: The national level 4-H Western Heritage training scheduled for April 13-16, 2020 in Winton, California is cancelled due to health concerns. We will work to reschedule next season.
Montana State Level 4-H Western Heritage Training
Become a certified Montana 4-H Western Heritage instructor! To start the 4-H Western Heritage Project in your county, please attend the spring training offered near Bozeman on May 29-30th. The Friday night portion of the program (6:00-9:00 p.m.) covers general need-to-know 4-H information and Saturday is spent entirely on project specific training (8:00-5:00). Both sessions are required to successfully complete the training. For a detailed registration form, please click here.
Attention Instructors! Please see the video below.
Please Watch
A dangerous occurrence of an out-of-battery discharge with an 1860 Henry, 1866 or 1873 Model Winchester, or reproduction. |
The video to the left was filmed by Rod Zeller and Lon Hemmen of Missouri 4-H Western Heritage. It's a great depiction of what can happen if a cartridge case won't chamber in an 1860 Henry or 1866 and 1873 Winchester and the shooter tries to hammer the case in by slamming the lever.
To safely demonstrate the issue, Ron and Lon took an empty case, seated a live primer only, and drilled a hole in an empty case large enough to insert a nail punch. The nail punch didn't allow the case to chamber and thus recreated a bulged and stuck case. The firing pin in an 1860 Henry or 1866 and 1873 model is held back by a spring in the bolt and is driven forward by the strike of the hammer. In the instance of a struck case, the momentum of the bolt slamming forward is enough for the firing pin to overcome the tension of the spring and discharge the primer without the hammer dropping. Imagine if the case is a live round and it discharges only half way into the chamber! An out-of-battery discharge happens so seldom, we only recently heard of it. But is does happen. So, if you ever experience a case that won't chamber, please extract the case and do not try to force it in by slamming the lever shut! |
Becoming a Certified 4-H Western Heritage Project Leader

Project Founders Todd Kesner (l)
and Will Abbot (r).
Like all 4-H Shooting Sports disciplines, volunteers wanting to lead a 4-H Western Heritage Project group must attend a recognized leader training workshop with the permission and encouragement of their state 4-H shooting sports coordinator. State 4-H shooting sports coordinators may be contacted through the state 4-H office within the state's Land Grant University Extension Service.
Trainings are usually weekend events beginning on a Friday afternoon and concluding on the following Sunday afternoon. Instruction is focused on both range/shooting safety and historical interpretation. Training workshops lean heavily toward hands-on experience, so plan on becoming familiar with Old West firearms and burning a lot of powder. By the end of the weekend, you will have a full understanding of how to begin and sustain a 4-H Western Heritage Project group. You will also receive an instructor's guide and have the opportunity to purchase further resources.
If your state does not currently offer the 4-H Western Heritage Project, contact your state 4-H shooting sports coordinator and express your interest. Once the request has been approved through all appropriate channels, contact Todd Kesner at the Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development to discuss the possibility of scheduling a training with the national 4-H Western Heritage Project training team.
Training Contact Information:
Scott Francis
Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development
206 Taylor Hall, MSU
P.O. Box 173580
Bozeman, MT 59717-3580
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 406-994-3501
Trainings are usually weekend events beginning on a Friday afternoon and concluding on the following Sunday afternoon. Instruction is focused on both range/shooting safety and historical interpretation. Training workshops lean heavily toward hands-on experience, so plan on becoming familiar with Old West firearms and burning a lot of powder. By the end of the weekend, you will have a full understanding of how to begin and sustain a 4-H Western Heritage Project group. You will also receive an instructor's guide and have the opportunity to purchase further resources.
If your state does not currently offer the 4-H Western Heritage Project, contact your state 4-H shooting sports coordinator and express your interest. Once the request has been approved through all appropriate channels, contact Todd Kesner at the Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development to discuss the possibility of scheduling a training with the national 4-H Western Heritage Project training team.
Training Contact Information:
Scott Francis
Montana 4-H Center for Youth Development
206 Taylor Hall, MSU
P.O. Box 173580
Bozeman, MT 59717-3580
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 406-994-3501
Rules

4-h_western_heritage_rules_2017.pdf | |
File Size: | 1031 kb |
File Type: |
Sample Forms
Permission to Fire a Handgun:
Sample form for receiving authorization from a parent or guardian for their child to fire a handgun while under direct supervision of a trained 4-H Western Heritage instructor. May be edited for your state or county.
Sample form for receiving authorization from a parent or guardian for their child to fire a handgun while under direct supervision of a trained 4-H Western Heritage instructor. May be edited for your state or county.

western_heritage_pistol_release_form.pdf | |
File Size: | 89 kb |
File Type: |
Project Eligilibity Checklist:
Sample checklist to determine the eligibility level of a 4-H member wishing to participate in the 4-H Western Heritage Project. May be edited for your state of county. Note: Minimum age requirement may be raised but not lowered.

project_eligilibity_assessment.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |