Long Range vs Silhouette

[Pink Panther]

I'd like to get into some black powder competition and am debating on my 1st rifle. I was thinking that silhouette might be the place to start vs long range shoots. It 'seems' silhouette would be a bit easier to start in although I'm sure they both they both have their own unique challenges. Probably getting my 1st rifle at 12.2 lbs would allow me to shoot both assuming I will get another rifle @ 15 lbs AND I get good enough to compete which is a lot to assume .. .

[BFD]

Silhouette is actually a little harder, because it has more shooters on average. But get yourself a silhouette rifle and prepare to win at long range with it. There is no reason why a silhouette rifle cannot be just as competitive at long range. Many of us do quite well that way

[Dan O]

There are two rifles on the rack that would fit your needs very well. Both meet weight and are 45-70's. If your ready to get started here is a good opportunity with no waiting time.
Dan

[Kurt]

I been mostly a Gong and long range shooter and just recently started shooting the silhouettes. The .45-70 is a good chambering but I favor the .45-90/2.4 because it is a little more versable for both types of matches. The .45-70 can be loaded up to the .45-90 if your using a PP bullet and the .45-2.4 can be loaded down to the .45-70. When I stated shooting silhouettes I used the .45-90 because it makes weight and it put me in the AAA before the end of the second season. Granted it's more power than needed for silhouettes but it's a good caliber for both games. I just had a .40-65 build for the silhouettes and midrange matches. One rifle is never enough

[Glen Ring]

Pink Panther
I have only been shooting BPCR silhouette for two years. I am a veteran at many competitions, and decided to try BPCR Silhouette at 62 before I got too old. Here is what I'd have changed if I could go back.

I should have tried it YEARS ago. I shot Run and Gun stuff..I like BPCR MUCH better.

I took a lot of " advice" from many different sources that were in conflict with each other.
I bought everything I could find authored By Mike Venturino and Steve Garbe. That cleared things up and helped a bunch. I'd start with reading more of their articles plus Wayne Mclerran's great book on the Japanese made 1885. There are some great loading and maintenance tips in that book also.

I bought a 38-55 ...that was a mistake for me. I thought a 38-55 would be easy on my old shoulders and it was...but so is my rifle now . It's a 45-70.
My 45-70 is easy to shoot, accurate, and components are very easy to find. I want to find a good long range match someday and shoot it...I think my 45-70 will do fine..and it does really well on the silhouette range when my eyes are clear.

I have no idea where you live, but one of the friendliest and helpful guys I have ever met is Brian chilson from Pennsylvania. There are other really good folks that read here on this forum that will read you need help and then send you a message.

Last and certainly not least are the " debbie downer" folks that post. This happens on bird watching forums, cheese making forums ...and there seems to always be that ONE..ignore them, block them whatever . The vast majority of folks on here are GREAT people that want to grow the sport and help you.

I am still learning everyday . My 60 year old wife shot her first BPCR silhouette match a few weeks ago with My 40-65, shot into AAA class and the experience was so positive she has ordered a new 40-65 for herself!

Lord Willing, I'll be at Raton New Mexico shooting the Nationals....that's where I shot my second ever match . It was FUN !!
I wish you luck and hope to see you at Raton this summer. Come introduce yourself. Me and my young bride of 42 years will be the giggling folks having fun shooting.

[BFD]

What Kurt said.

[ian45662]

A shiloh #1 is a great option. 30” heavy barre. 18 or 16 twist. Great thing about the ole 45/70 is that she can be loaded down for off hand shooting or stoked up with paper patch bullets to 45-90 levels. The 45-70 is externally versatile and for me has been pretty forgiving. Components are also super easy to get. You have a 45-70 built for silhouette and it will do you good at long range also.

[Don McDowell]

A 12 lb 45-70 will be a good place to start. It will work very well in BPTR midgrange and Silhouette, and loaded right will do the job in Creedmoor.
Living where you do, you have a very good selection of mathes nearby, with silhouette at Watkins, and Carpenter. Mid and long range matches the CRC north east of Byers, and midrange at Cheyenne. There are also monthly silhouette matches at the Whittington, and over the mountain at Grand Junction.
Gong matches at Alliance Ne.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Kurt gave you the best advice, get a 45-90.

Unless you’re willing to shoot PP in your 45-70 for long range matches. A standard GG load in a 45-70 won’t cut the mustard at 900-1000 yards. Saw this again at Byers BPTRA Nationals, 45-70 shot the best score at 800 yards, with a GG bullet, barely held paper at 900 and by a 1000 was 1 or 2 hits. Shooter was loaned my old Borchardt in 45-110 by Don McDowell, to save his weekend. Shooter sent his rifle home with Lucinda, it is now a 45-90. I know because I have been helping him with his load development. The plus with the 90 is with Paper Patch you can easily turn it into a 45-100.

Silhouette is fun and fast paced. Target rifle is a slower game with more time to shoot your record shots. Both...especially Silhouette requires a Spotter, and a good one. Many top long range shooters pretty much spot for themselves.

Kenny W.

[stevewhr]

I'm that shooter that Kenny speaks of, my load did well enough to 800 in good conditions but beyond that things went south. The beloved 45-70 just didn't have the gas for long range. This by the way with 73gr of 2f and a 525 gr bullet. So yes it's now a 45-90. First impressions are recoil is no change with the recoil shield that I already wore. Plus with my first loads I got about 2 moa or less at a rock laying some 600 yards away and then the same load hammered a friends gong at 1000 yards. His hits were more of an exercise in chasing bullet strikes. He shoots a 45-70. I easily got consecutive hits of 5 or 6 in tougher winds. (20-25mph at 2:00) So I endorse the 45-90, it's probably the most versatile cartridge out there. Yes a 45-70 can reach 1000 but it'll take more effort with your loads. Why fight it, just go the 45-90 route.

[gunlaker]

Pink Panther, all of the BPCR games are a lot of fun. Probably the fastest way to learn is via shooting mid-range BPTR events. With BPTR you get very accurate feedback on your wind call error. It will also show you how good your load and shooting abilities are. Silhouette can be a little trickier because a less than excellent spotter can cause some confusion as to what to do when you miss .

You are lucky being in Colorado. I highly recommend checking out the BPTRA events at Byers if possible.

I am not a fan of using just one rifle for all purposes, but if I did it would be a .45-70 I guess. I have seen some .45-70's do very well at long range, but have seen more of them with excessive vertical dispersion at 1000 yards. I've not used a .45-70 with grease grooved bullets at further than 880 yards and when I did that it was with a bullet with 3 reduced driving bands to allow nearly the same load as my .45-90's. It seemed to work pretty well.

Chris.

[Glen Ring]

Chris
Was that a Lyman Bullet you were referring to in shooting your 45-70 ? I'm headed to the range in the morning to try it Lyman 457677.. It seats out far enough for the driving bands to engage the rifling and increases the powder capacity. I suspect it will be faster, but I only shoot silhouette.

[gunlaker]

Glen it is a BACO 530 or 535gr money bullet with 3 bore diameter driving bands. It sits around 1/4” in the case from what I remember. It’s not quite as accurate as a full diameter bullet in my rifles though.

Chris

[mdeland]

Good stuff posted by all with lots of experience to back it. I would advise finding out what the top national place holders use and doing like wise. You will not go wrong with either cartridge.

[mdeland]

What cartridge does Gullo use might be a good place to start as he usually wins the long range stuff or finishes near the top.