How many of you ?

[Marshal Deadwood]

Who all shoots NRA Blackpowder Cartridge competition ?

I never have, mostly enjoying my rifles for hunting. Besides,,we don't hardly have the type of open range out here to shoot 1000 yds,,,and hard to find any even to shoot 500 yds.

Still, in any event, ya gotta love buffalo rifles.

[Ranch 13]

Haven't shot any NRA competition, but shoot lots of buffalo matches.
How far is it for you to go to Quantico and shoot the matches there? There's several midrange and silloutte matches in your region

[Marshal Deadwood]

Ranch,,Didnt know there was any matches down in the east part of the state. I'd guess,,about a 5 hour drive.  The pickle is,,there's no wheres here to practice even shooting 500 yds.  I did go to one match to 'spot' for a friend,, some-wheres east of Roanoke,,but the range was closer to vertical than horizontal. They may have escaped my notice, but I don't know of a range any-wheres in my immediate area that offers more than 200yds. Our SASS club does have some side matches using 100yds. They purchased more land and said in the future we would be shooting the buffalo rifles 400 yds if there is enough interest. Last I talkd to the head RO,,he told me that hardly anyone seems interested. Guess he and I and maybe a couple more,,, will do some 'informal' shooting in the future,,,

I've deer hunted with a Sharps of one kind or another for a few years now.

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[Ranch 13]

5 hours? that's nothing. Many of us here travel more than that  to get to a match.. Matter of fact the closest match I can get to is 150 miles one way.. So it just depends on if a person wants to go shoot a match or not I suppose.
If you go to the NRA's shooting sports page you can locate clubs and matches.

[Pitspitr]

5 hours? that's nothing. Many of us here travel more than that  to get to a match.. Matter of fact the closest match I can get to is 150 miles one way.. So it just depends on if a person wants to go shoot a match or not I suppose.
If you go to the NRA's shooting sports page you can locate clubs and matches.

Yeah, Ranch and I are practicly neighbors and we're about 4 hours apart! 

[wildman1]

I shoot out to 300 yds probably twice a month summertime and twice a week winter time. In competition probably 3 times a summer. I also shoot out to 650 yds in the winter months, probably average once a week, this is not in competition.  I shoot both BP and smokiless at these ranges.  Next summer we are supposed to have out to 1000 yds to shoot BPCR. WM

[Ranch 13]

Probably 5 Pitspitr, I think Nebr DOT is still fiddlin around with the bridge on 26 on the west end of McConoughy.... So you get to take the scenic route on the northside and over the dam.....

[Pitspitr]

Oh, You're at Ogalala? I thought you were at Alliance. We're even closer than I thought. It's only about 3 or so then.

[Ranch 13]

No I'm at Ft. Laramie, but I shoot at Alliance quite a bit, and travel on occasion to points east and so that's how I come to know about the bridge.. Friend of mine from Mississippi was here hunting a couple weeks ago and he headed home down 26 and the bridge is still out...

 I do howsomever have some family in your neck of the woods and my maternal grandparents are buried at Anselmo..

[Pitspitr]

Ok, Didn't know that. You know Sam Walker?
I have lots of friends in the Merna-Anslemo area

[Ranch 13]

 I've met Sam , but don't really know him.

[cpt dan blodgett]

The intent is to eventually shoot NRA BP matches.  Think I might like punching paper better than Chickens, pigs and rams but one never knows.  The short term goal is to find a round that will stay inside of 12 inches at 300 yards.

I have a varget load that shoots about 8 inches at 200 from both my 45/70s.  Will test a 70 grain BP load under desparado .458 415 grainers tomorrow.  If I cannot get them to shoot right may well go with .460s or someone else's .459

May use a Marbles tang sight for 300 yard matches vs the stock ladder.  Have the sight just need the screws.  Next Midway order will fix that.

Step 1 SASS Long range Single Shot, Buffalo Rifle and quigley matches.
Step 2.  MVA sight for sharps and maybe a Kelly extended front site for the Armi Sports Sharps.

Then look for BPCR matches.

[Ranch 13]

Blodget you best learn to load black powder,  there is NO smokeless powder of any kind in ANY amount allowed in NRA sanctioned matches.

[wildman1]

Also more accurate than what yer describin. WM

[cpt dan blodgett]

Ranch, with your help I am really trying to learn the bp thing and do understand BPCR matches are just that the emphasis on the BP.

While trying to discover the magic: bullet, load, lube, wad, case, powder, FFg, FFFg, amount of or no compression, neck tension, lack thereof, crimp, or lack there of, full length resize, neck size or no size, in the lands, on the lands, off the lands and primer combo I do have something I can shoot come winter range for single shot and quigley.  Seriously think with the right sized bullet, things might fall into place rather rapidly, for now I am learning some things.  OMG forgot about the paper or news print over primer wad and aloy between 20 and 30 to one or maybe even paper patched bullets.  Just a whole lot of variables but is fun as well as frustrating.

High power was pretty easy somewhere near but under published max load of 2520, varget, 4895, 4064 or 748, stick a 155 - 190 sierra bullet on top, seat deep enough to fit in the mag and my gas gun would shoot between 1 & 2 min all day long, I could not hold it that well but that is another story.   The Rem 40XBR was sub 1 min and had a pretty long leade.  

Actually the smokeless thing was more of a test to see if the rifles had any potential at all.  Know an 8 inch group at 200 is nothing to write home to momma about, but it was on paper vs every where but.

Once I discover the combo that works with the holy black, will probably stick to it as it really cleans up nicely with a ballistol based moose milk concoction and is rather more authentic.

[wildman1]

Lot of variables, don't change more than one thing at a time or ya never will know what works. WM