Barrel Weight

[schofieldbob]

Thanks for all of your responses, I ended up not going with the 34" one. I talked to Lucinda and she steered me away from it. Her response was no one shooting BPCR uses a std weight barrel. I was unsure about the 34" for my use and in the mean time one came up on Gunsinternational that checked all my boxes, shotgun butt stock,30" heavy barrel,cheek pad, pewter fore end and it came with globe front and vernier rear sights, price was reasonable. It'll be here Monday and after I get it sorted out I'll be selling my Pedersoli.

[Maj. Forrest Smith]

"Way back when" (sometime in the 90's) I first ordered my Shiloh, I wasn't sure what model/caliber to get. I just knew I wanted one! There was ten of us friends here locally that all ordered a Shiloh rifles at the same time. Wolfgang was still there at the time. I decided to call to get some advice and by chance Wolfgang answered the phone. Bless his heart, he was very patience with me. I told him I would probably never shoot BPCR, but I wanted the rifle to be legal for the game if I should get that desire all stirred up in me. His suggestion was go with the Sporter #1, .45-70, heavy half OCT./half round 30" barrel and I would be OK on the height limitation for the game. I added pewter tip and up graded a bit on the stock. The rifle still came under the height limit of 12# 2 oz. Oh, btw, been shooting BPCR since 2005, so his advice worked out well for me. I did have it re-barrel (same caliber) by the Bryan's about 5 years ago. I do think the new barrels the Bryan's are making are some of the best barrels out there today! I do know my 1885 Winchester hiwall with a 32" straight Oct. "Winchester taper" barrel sets right on the bubble of 12# 2oz.

[John Bly]

I shoot standard weight barrels in BPCR silhouette and target. I've won a few matches and generally am in the top few at a match. I'm not a good chicken shooter or I would be in the winner's circle a lot more. My stick scores are right in there with the winners but they get me on chickens most of the time. At 73 years old I'm not going to get much better on the chickens. My high score in midrange, 200,300 and 600 is 294 out of 300 with a standard barrel. I just shot a long range match to 1000 yards with a standard weight barrel. I had 2 misses at 1000 but they were my fault not the rifle's. I don't like a heavy rifle and standard barrels on Shilohs suit me fine and work well for me.

[august west]

What is the purpose of a 12# 2 oz weight limit? Why not 12 even? Or 13? Or 12 1/2#? What is the purpose of that extra 2 oz? Is there some other rifle out there that weighs this much that they're making an allowance for?

[powderburnt]

The weight limit, other limitations and rules were set forth by the 3 guys that made the proposal for this sport to be an NRA sanctioned match back in 1984. They didn't want an arms race and supposedly this was the weight of one of the gentleman's rifles.

HG

[Jim Kidwell]

Sounds good to me........... ............

[Woody]

"They didn't want an arms race." True. I've met and talked to some of those early individuals. They were wise. We still have control. You can still shoot a "cheap" knock-off" or shoot a "high-dollar" modern re-creation, and in the end have equal scores. After all these years both rifles can be competitive.

Woody

[Ray Newman]

From the Fall 1999, Issue 27, “The Black Powder Cartridge News”:

“a limited equipment” sport…

“Thanks Al and Doc for BPCR," by Bill Pace

“When Carlsen and I conceived of BPCRS, we thought in terms of a very simple game without a lot of gadgetry, especially one that would avoid the usual equipment race you see in so many other shooting competitions. You know just basically a rifle – a Sharps or a Rolling Block – and the stuff a Buffalo Hunter would have had.

“Al Hill, NRA Silhouette Committee member and one of the co-founders of BPCRS, was speaking to another shooter at the 1996 NRA BPCRS Championship. I listened as Al talked about their early shooting experiments, how they arrived at the n models allowed and dimensions, etc. This was my first national BPCRS match at Raton and over the next three days I had an opportunity to consider and remember Al’s comments.”

The rest of the article is a tongue in cheek discussion of what equipment/gadgets are needed.

[Woody]

99 was my first national. Shot my trapdoor in mid-range and my Shiloh Business Rifle in Silhouette. A few of you will remember my Model A PU on the firing line. I met Al and Bill and Mike and Doc. We had several hundred on the line I watched Steve G. and Brian C. in a shoot-off for National Champion. I had coffee every morning with Lee Shaver at my camp table. Each year, i've returned to Raton since. I'm no longer as competitive as I once was, but you never know. Hope springs eternal. I love this game.

Woody

[BFD]

My only regret is that it took me so long to go the first time. Woe to those that never went. What you missed you will never know.

[Jim Kidwell]

Sheriff Woody,
I started in 2000. Since I got into this sport for the nostalgia and saw what you were driving in those days and reading the Duke's scribblings, I knew i was in the right sport. Those were the days.....I miss them........... ............

[BFD]

They are coming back! One way or another Jim. I've been hearing things in the wind. We are all going to shoot together again.

[Jim Kidwell]

I'll support whatever is coming. .................