45-70 at 300m

[PJ Hardtack]

Just got back from the range with my Shiloh 'Business Rifle' where I burned up 25 rds I've had on hand for a few years.

Load was 60 grs GOEX Ctg in Remington brass (I normally load 62 in Winchester cases) as the case walls are thicker. Bullet was the Lyman 457125/520 gr.

I cranked in my known setting for the Winchester load at 300m and it took two rds to get dialed in. After that I fired a 3 shot group I may never duplicate again! It measured 2-1/2" x 2" x 1-3/4"! Target was the white side of an IPSC silhouette, so my x-hairs stood out well.

Then I cranked it down to 200m and pounded the gong just for fun. After that I got really brave and took on the 380m gong.
I took my best guestimate on where to set the sight and hit it three out of five! I didn't think to paint it first, so I have no idea where I hit or by how much I missed.

Next time .....

[Blackpowder Burn]

Sounds like a good day at the range! 

[Good Troy]

That 300 M group size is awesome!  I'd be happy with that at 100 yards, or even 100 meters if I was in Canada!

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[PJ Hardtack]

Thanks, gentlemen, but like I said, this is not likely something I can repeat at will. We all have days when the planets coincide and things fall into place as never before.

I'm still adapting to shooting prone with x-stix, but I find it MUCH more conducive to good shooting than sitting which never worked well for me. I always felt unbalanced and awkward with all the paraphernalia around me and could not get a firm grip on the straight stock. Prone gives a more secure and confidence building position.

Now I fire, eject, use the blow tube and lean over to my left to check the shot with my left eye, the long range target shooting the Army taught me as a recruit.

I resisted going prone for years as sitting in the military x-legged position, slung up, has always worked well for me. It doesn't work with a BPCR!

Something that has helped enormously is the fact that I recently had cataract surgery in both eyes  and my new lenses, coupled with new glasses has given me back my long range visual acuity. I can see hits on paper at 100m and hits on painted steel at 200m.

But - I find that using the tang sights and x-hairs on my Sharps very tiring and a string of 25 rds without a break is about what I can tolerate. I recently fired 40 rds with a few breaks to change and/or repaint steel and that worked.

[Gabriel Law]

It's good to read of your success and joy in shooting BPCR.  There are a few of us here in PG that are serious about it too.  Maybe we can organize a Quigley type shoot next summer!

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm game! Bring it on .....

Both of our clubs have excellent facilities. I suggest that we start off humbly, perhaps not shooting past 300m in order to get shooters used to the idea.

Currently, I'm the only resident of Rope Burn City who shoots a BPCR other than at our annual "Mini-Quigley" bucket shoot on 28 oz. tomato cans at 100m off hand. I won that this year with my 50-70 carbine, BTW. Then we over heat our barrels in the "Rope Burn City vs the Rest of the World" team shoot on steel at the end of the match.

Rules? 100% BP, duplex loads, gas checks?, jacketed bullets?

I'm for 100% BP and lead bullets. Could live with duplex. I mean if we're gonna shoot BPCR's, then go large or go home. At the last SASS Champs at Mission this summer, I was the only entrant in the SS Gong Shoot shooting BP! The rest were shooting 4198 or 5744, etc.
This is how I got inspired to work with my Business Rifle as I found the 16" pistol targets a real challenge at 200 and 250m.