Big Fifty - Schuetzen Style

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Poison Slinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 10:59 am
Location: Cody, Wyoming

Big Fifty - Schuetzen Style

Post by Poison Slinger »

I posted this on the BPCR.net site, but since it involves a Shiloh I thought you guys might get a kick out of it too... :wink:


Here is one of my "Big Fifty" stories. I had just received my Shiloh
Business Rifle (a gift). I was an early production one that had sat
in a box in a closet for 10-15 years. The rifle was chambered in 50-
90. I had no idea what that was except that the hole in the end of
the barrel was big.

This was my introduction to BPCR and I got started finding cases, a
mould, information etc. About that time I met SPG at the range here
in Cody and true to form, he invited me to the 1st Annual Wyoming
Schuetzenfest. I guess he didn't realize that the .50 was my
only "legal" rifle for that game (single shot action). I didn't know
any better either. I showed up with a 100 rounds of full house loaded
shells – 675 gr over 95gr FFg. I drew a bench next to a one of the
games better shooters shooting some pip-squeak .25 cal something. SPG
was on my other side. Fancy shooting stuff everywhere, wind flags,
$500 gun rests, etc. I'm there over a stack of sand bags with open
buck-horn sights at 200 yards. My goal was NOT to hit someone else's
target!

I'd pull the trigger and stuff would fall out of the rafters of the
shooting line. Along with a curse from several guys that couldn't see
past ten yards due to the smoke, Garbe was laughing and this other
guy was moaning about the noise and blast. After it was all done, I
realized that the "Big Fifty" is not really a Schuetzen rifle – but I
had fun and lived to tell the story. A hundred rounds of a "buffalo"
load, with that military butt gives an appreciation for the type of
real men the hunters were. Hats off to them.

Rick Patton
Poison Slinger
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JAGG
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Post by JAGG »

Poison Slinger ! You shot 675grs of lead and 95grs of 2f for 100rounds at one sitting ! OUCH ! I'm having a hard time typing here ! You never should have said that you didn't know any better ! You should have showed up with a chaw of tobacco in your mouth , then spit , sat down and fired , and when you were done shooting stood up and said that you would see them all next week ! Bet they would have paid you not to come back ! JAGG :lol: :lol: :lol:
JAGG
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Kelley O.Roos
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Post by Kelley O.Roos »

JAGG:

I have to say that was one of your best posts, chewing tobacco and all. :lol:


Kelley O. 8)
Kelley O.Roos
Rick Crabtree
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Location: Las Vegas, NV

Post by Rick Crabtree »

GREAT STORY!!!
My 45-110 used to do the same thing ( shaking stuff from the rafters) at the Swine ridge shoots when I lived in Kentucky. I sorely miss those matches.
As for your scoring for that day hell I would rather miss with a big 50 than hit with anything 25 caliber. You had a good time and all too often we forget to just have fun.
" I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees"
ironramrod
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Location: Dakota Territory

Post by ironramrod »

Poison Slinger,

That is a really good story. I laughed so hard that I could hardly see the screen on my computer. I re-read it about 4 times and laughed just as hard each time. Now, as a follow-up (even if you get a different rifle for that style of shooting) you have got to go to another shoot and drag out the big 50 again. It will be very entertaining to watch the other shooters stampede to get a shooting position as far away from the big 50 as possible.

I liked your sandbags, too!
Poison Slinger
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 10:59 am
Location: Cody, Wyoming

Post by Poison Slinger »

I thought the same...so for the 2nd Annual match (although I was going to shoot it with a .40-65) I broke out the .50 for the "sight in period". All to "oh no, not again"!

If you want to shoot this Schuetzen stuff with a bunch of guys that like to burn black in large quantities, head to the Jim Gier match in Butte (in the winter). The Montana boys like to stand shoulder to shoulder from the Butte shooting house and use the big bore rifles. Schuetzen “Montana Style”. A great match too.

On a serious note, if you want to practice for chickens the Schuetzen game is great way to do it. The off-hand work really is great practice and the bench work helps make sure your load is working. - and there is no restriction on the caliber (as I found out).

Rick Patton
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Omak Cowboy
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small earthquakes

Post by Omak Cowboy »

Dear Poison,
I too read and re - read the post just for the shear pleasure of laughing till I had tears in my eyes.

I've got a 400 Weatherby Improved Dan Lilja built. Darn thing had a recoil like a very uncivil .50 BMG. Major hurt :twisted: on one side of the muzzel and certain death on the other. Not at all sure which was the better side to be on. :lol: I had a muzzel break put on the gun and now it's a cupcake...but no one wants to be within 5 benches of me. :oops:

I could not help being reminded of the "Dirty Harry" movie scene in which Eastwood is in a gun fight in a gravel quary loading station with the movie's bad guy. Bad guy is shooting I think a P-38 9mm and he the Smith .44. Pop, Pop on the 9mm and he steps out - BOOM! BOOM! Dust flys through the air and it looks like five guys hit the rafters with a 25 lb sledge!
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
RIFLE:
45 - 70 #1 Sporter, shotgun buttplate, bone charcoal, 28 inch heavy octagon, semi fancy wood, pewter tip, MVA soule sights. 11 lbs, 10 1/2 ounces.
Jerry Williams
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Location: Iowa City, IA.

Post by Jerry Williams »

PS, I too laughed long and hard. This is the kind of stuff I like to do just to see what the reaction will be. Call in the altillery. :lol:
Everything I know about BPRC I have forgotten at least three times, Now I write it down. Have you seen my note book?
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Trigger Dr
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Location: Pacific North WET (Port Orchard)

Post by Trigger Dr »

A few years back, I walked into a range that was new to me. (Gig Harbor Sportsman club) I paid my fee, hung my target and when the line was ready, I turned my Farmingdale 45/70 loose. One big BOOM and then silence... No one else was shooting. Several were waving thier arms to clear the smoke and they ALL were looking my direction. The range master came over and asked "What in the hell are you shooting?" All I had to say was " a sharps 45/70" That was the last round I fired out of that gun that day. BUT, 40 rounds later, everyone there had taken a turn or two, or three, and I suspe3ct there were some converts made that day. Just to see the look on their faces and hear the comments was worth the
range fee to shoot just one round.
Trigger Dr
Direct ALL e-Mail to jimrmilner@juno.com



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Poison Slinger
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Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2003 10:59 am
Location: Cody, Wyoming

Post by Poison Slinger »

I kinda had one of those experiences too...

The Bench Rest guys were having a "Turkey Shoot", advertised to be open to all rifles. I brought up a .54 muzzleloader. At the sign in desk you bought a 2"x2" square on a sheeet of them (maybe 6 "targets" to the 12 inch x 12 inch sheet.

I tried to explain that at 100 yards I didn't think I could hold to the square assigned to me with my buckhorns. So after some chatting they finally gave me my own sheet. I just turned it backwards and tried to hit the whole paper.

Needless to say the reaction was about the same when I started shooting, everyone wanted to try the rifle, and about forgot the high dollar race rifles they were shooting. I like to think of it as "expanding their horizons" :lol:

Rick
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