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How many here still shoot black powder cartridge rifles?

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09 May 2020, 22:36
RJM.@Jax.FL
How many here still shoot black powder cartridge rifles?
HiWall 45-70
Ballard 32 Long
Stevens 44 1/2 - 35-40 Maynard & 38-55 Ballard



quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
This forum is pretty quiet, and my sense is that the BPCR game hit its high water mark sometime in the recent past. But I still love the smoke rings and the thundering booms and all the little nuances that make shooting a Sharps or rolling block or High-wall or Ballard such a unique pleasure among the shooting sports.
I hope to get busy with my plain-vanilla Pedersoli Sharps in .45-70 here real soon.
If you are shooting, what are you shooting?

Cool

12 May 2020, 04:31
Bill/Oregon
Very nice collection sir! That Ballard .32 Long intrigues.
Are your 44 1/2 barrels from CPA?

beer


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
19 May 2020, 18:54
sharpsguy
Still do, always have. 45-70--three Shilohs-- a couple of Shiloh 45-110s, a 40-70 Sharps straight, and a 40-65. A couple of the 45-70s and one of the 45-110s have been to Africa, and I have taken game with all of them with ladder barrel sights and cast lead paper patched bullets. Distances have ranged from 50 to 547 yards and the bullets almost always give complete pass through. About a dozen have been taken in excess of 300 yards. These rifles WORK if you learn how to use them, and I frankly have no desire to hunt with any rifle other than a Sharps.
30 May 2020, 15:42
jerry mcdonald
quote:
Originally posted by degoins:
quote:
Originally posted by jerry mcdonald:
quote:
Originally posted by degoins:
LOL....good on you Jerry! I've often wondered what that 8 bore had been up to. Glad to hear you're using it the way it was meant to be used.


You bet degoins, the buck mentioned earlier was facing West when I hit him though the shoulders firing dew North, one would think when he fell I'd be looking at his hooves, I was looking at his backline, that 8 Bore ball bowled him over, not a twitch.

The doe was hit at 15 yards through the shoulder on a hard quartering in angle, ball exited right ham out back, again, drop, not a twitch, the pig got knocked over at 30 yards with a through and through double shoulder hit, his back legs bicycled 100 mph for a few seconds, he never got up.

I really need to take that thing up North for a Bull Moose hunt, I don't believe even an 1800 lb Bullwinkle could contain one of those balls. Cool


Great stories Jerry!! By all means go kill a moose with that bad boy.....and of course give us report with pictures.

When I had that rifle, I found it easy to carry and not bad at all to shoot...even from the bench.


That would indeed be a hunt of a lifetime to 8 Bore a bull Moose, and yes sir, a full report would be provided, pics and video would cap a great adventure afield.
16 June 2020, 03:29
450 Fuller
Have used an 1885 Winchester HW in 45-60 for many years that was made in 1887. Still accurate 30 in full octagon. Last serious shot a 400 GR FP silenced a coyote permanently at about 60 yds. Something very unusual about this 45-60, as it will chamber and shoot 45-70s. Someone decided to slightly lengthen
the chamber.

Also have a 30 inch Shiloh Sharps-45 2.1- with Axtell Mid-range Vernier sight. Great rifles.

PS-If you want to read more activity about SS rifles, look up the Shiloh Forums and the ASSRA forum. Good shootin.


Avatar
12 September 2020, 16:40
jerry mcdonald
Hunting season is rapidly approaching, with that in mind and the weeks work caught up and done, yesterday evening I grabbed my 45 3-1/4 Shiloh Sharps, went to the bench, set the slider on the ladder barrel sight to the 700 yard correlation mark, let loose five rounds without wiping or blowtubing, the 500gr gov grease groove bullets leave at 1488 fps, they landed in a 14.5 inch group on the 700 yard 36 inch gong with a 13 inch black bullseye, too big for deer at that range, but that's 5 dead Buffalo, and after all, these are Buffalo rifles.

Blow tubed the bore, pushed a dry patch through it, and hammered the 300 yard gong with a 4 inch 3 shot group, there's some 300 yard dead elk, moose, bear, deer and pigs, what a hell of a fun sport we have here.
14 September 2020, 17:08
Bill/Oregon
Jerry, you are set bro! That is some fine shooting with the big Sharps .45.


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
15 September 2020, 21:24
jerry mcdonald
Thanks Bill, more fun cant be had with pants on ; ]
16 September 2020, 08:27
coues
I do,
#1 is a Shiloh .45-3 1/4(120)
#2 is a c sharps .45-3 1/4(120)
#3 is a Shiloh sharps .45-110
#4 is a .45 single sot pistol
#5 is .45 Kentucky rifle
#6 is a .50 hawken rifle
#7 is a single action .44 cal percussion revolver
Coues
DS
20 September 2020, 03:20
Dutch44
Taking an original Remington Roller#1 Sporter in 50-70 and 45-70 to Montana for Elk in October. Get 4 inch group at 200 yards with the 50-70. Trying paper-patch next. Just bought another 44-77 #1 Sporter at auction with poor bore. Going to reline and chamber. Should be a great elk/deer rifle.
20 September 2020, 17:30
Bill/Oregon
Great stuff, Dutch. What bullet have you chosen for the .50-70? Are you going to reline and rechamber to .44-77? The bottlenecks had a reputation for throat fouling but it seems some of the boys over on the Sharps forum have worked past this and shoot some very fine scores with this early Remington chambering, which surely did kill a lot of buffalo.


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
23 September 2020, 04:30
Dutch44
Bill, had Tom at Accurate Molds make a 450 grain .512 mold with fat meplat. Also found some 435 grain PP .512's I'm trying next week. Will have Bob Hoyt reline back to 44-77. Bought brass from Dave Gullo and have the RCBS 44-405 mold. Dies are CH-4D and will play with those loads. The 45-70 is getting my 500 grain and 550 grain PP bullets from Tom's molds. 65 gr. Swiss 1 1/2 with vegetable wad. Elk hunt with these at the end of October.
26 September 2020, 07:01
Bill/Oregon
Dutch, I am so glad to hear that Bobby Hoyt is still working his barrel magic at the Freischutz Shop. I know you will be pleased with his work.
Sure like Tom's molds.
If you need a geezer-in-training to keep the campfire going while you kill an elk with a .45-70 BPCR, please send application ...

hilbily


There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.
– John Green, author
27 September 2020, 03:17
Dutch44
It would be one geezer to another Bill! Wink
18 November 2020, 13:58
RJM.@Jax.FL
Thanks for the compliment
Sorry I have been off line for a while..

Ahh yes they were fitted by CPA, One is a Douglas and the other is a Badger...

RE: 32 Long
It currently is a Rimfire. However I plan on getting a reamer and converting it to a 32 S&W center fire. I plan on passing this along to my grandson with the hope that he will gain an appreciation for its historic value. Even if it has been slightly modified.

quote:
Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
Very nice collection sir! That Ballard .32 Long intrigues.
Are your 44 1/2 barrels from CPA?

beer