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Best rifle for Plainsman


Chili Pepper Pete 11917

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Posted

I'm thinking about shooting Plainsman at Winter Range and I'm curious what rifle do the faster shooters use and what caliber?

Is 38-40 a competitive cartridge for Plainsman? I have some options and want to get the wires opinion.

 

38-55 Target Classic with ejector

38-40 Handi Rifle with ejector

38-55 Browning High Wall

 

What would be your choice and why?

 

Also does anyone have the stages from last years Plainsman event at Winter Range that they could send me?

 

Thank you all in advance

 

Chili

Posted

The obvious choice would be a 34" Sharps or a Musket stocked Rolling Block..........I think thats what the hot dog plainsman are using.

 

Don't forget to get either one chambered in .45-70...full load of BP under 405gr bullet.

^_^

 

Although my Sharps only has a 30" barrel (.40-70)...and the full-stock RB is an original 1879 Argentine in .43 Spanish.

I usually use a .45-70 Remington RB with "Plainswoman Lite" loads for serial competition.

:P

Posted

 

Don't forget to get either one chambered in .45-70...full load of BP under 405gr bullet.

^_^

 

That's almost the exact setup I was planning to go with, though make the barrel only 30". I may not win, but I like to think I look like Tom Selleck doing it, minus the mustache and good looks

Posted

I'm thinking about shooting Plainsman at Winter Range and I'm curious what rifle do the faster shooters use and what caliber?

Is 38-40 a competitive cartridge for Plainsman? I have some options and want to get the wires opinion.

 

38-55 Target Classic with ejector

38-40 Handi Rifle with ejector

38-55 Browning High Wall

 

What would be your choice and why?

 

Also does anyone have the stages from last years Plainsman event at Winter Range that they could send me?

 

Thank you all in advance

 

Chili

I find rifle cartridges are easier to manipulate than the shorter handgun cartridges. I sometimes shoot a rolling block using 38 Specials. Those small cartridges are slow to load (but plenty of fun).

Posted

I prefer not to shoot the ejector allowed category. But if I did a handi-rifle in 38-55 would be my choice. As mentioned above, pistol cartridges are harder for me to load.

I shoot a Springfield Trapdoor Carbine 45-70, lots of fun and even more style points.

 

Happy trails,

Lightfoot

Posted

Don't limit yourself. You could join a small group of shooters that feel that use of caps are not limited only to our revolvers. I'm talking about the Civil War era carbines. I shoot either my wife's repro Maynard or my original Burnside. I know they do not follow the strictest sense of the rules, but can you blame the original cartridge manufacture for not incorperating a rim. Yea, it's slow, but when you get everyone asking, "What is that?" or that look when you ask them if they want to shoot it is unmeasurable. You can also boast about being a good foundation for all the other shooters to build from.

Posted

I've shot Clueless Bobs Maynard. It was a treat. I've seen him shoot the Burnside, worth the watch! CB is a great cowboy.

Posted

Yep, Bob hears a little different music - but it's a right fine tune ! :P:P

Posted

At our Tusco 3 day this year I shot my 1859 Sharps paper cartridge carbine. Dazzled them with my capping and decapping technique. Wasn't fast but had a blast !

 

I think I just started a poem !

Posted

I prefer not to shoot the ejector allowed category. But if I did a handi-rifle in 38-55 would be my choice. As mentioned above, pistol cartridges are harder for me to load.

I shoot a Springfield Trapdoor Carbine 45-70, lots of fun and even more style points.

 

Happy trails,

Lightfoot

Lightfoot, my H&R trapdoor carbine ejects the cases. Does your trapdoor eject or is it not functioning? Just curious.

Dustin

Posted

The 1871 Handi rifles come with & without ejectors.

Posted

The 1871 Handi rifles come with & without ejectors.

Get the one with ejectors. It is not hard to temporarily disable them so that they function as extractors.

Posted

I always liked the Ballard #5 Pacific in .45-70. Never could afford one and now it's too late to start seriously shopping.

Forty, maybe if you buy that burger over in Prescott I'll bring my Pacific and we can put a few rounds thru it.

Posted

Yep, Charlie was somethin' shootin' that '59 Sharps.

He won the Style Points category!

--DAwg

Posted

I use a 45-70 Handi with ejector and 22" barrel. Use equal amount of bp and filler under a 300 gr bullet. Remember, use .459" bullet, can't use .45Colt bullets. Light, accurate load at typical plainsman ranges and the short gun and big cartridges handle very well.

Posted

"Plainswoman Lite"

 

Is that the load with a magnum primer and talcum powder firing a round ball?

Posted

"Plainswoman Lite"

 

Is that the load with a magnum primer and talcum powder firing a round ball?

 

Actually, it's a period "mil-spec" loading for the '73 Trapdoor carbine...as opposed to the rifle load.

I supplied sidematch guns & ammo for some of our range staff for a couple of years.

 

BTW - When I was running the Plainsman sidematches at OOWSS, the regular main match rifle targets were tested with a full-house .45-90...we found there was no need to "load down" (except possibly for shooter comfort)...as long as they were staked down well.

^_^

 

:ph34r:

Posted

I use a handi rifle in 38-55 with an ejector. You can insert a shell between each finger and reload faster or that the way I saw it done but my hands don't work that well

Posted

I ain't exactly fast, but really enjoy my 1885 Browning in .45Colt. Any of the Plainsmen events I've been to don't require a rifle cartridge to reach out and ding steel.

Posted

 

Don't forget to get either one chambered in .45-70...full load of BP under 405gr bullet.

^_^

 

Although my Sharps only has a 30" barrel (.40-70)...and the full-stock RB is an original 1879 Argentine in .43 Spanish.

I usually use a .45-70 Remington RB with "Plainswoman Lite" loads for serial competition.

:P

I've got a soft spot for my 50/70 roller with a 20 inch barrel and a 480 grain bullet!!

JA

Posted

 

Actually, it's a period "mil-spec" loading for the '73 Trapdoor carbine...as opposed to the rifle load.

I supplied sidematch guns & ammo for some of our range staff for a couple of years.

 

BTW - When I was running the Plainsman sidematches at OOWSS, the regular main match rifle targets were tested with a full-house .45-90...we found there was no need to "load down" (except possibly for shooter comfort)...as long as they were staked down well.

^_^

 

:ph34r:

I apologize for my comment. I shot plainsman at Bordertown and overheard someone making the comment about talcum powder in a load and chose to use it here. Castalia

Posted

I apologize for my comment. I shot plainsman at Bordertown and overheard someone making the comment about talcum powder in a load and chose to use it here. Castalia

 

Not a problem!

One of the other shooters using a .45-70 was short a few rounds...I handed him the box with the RED-rimmed cartridges and this custom label on the box:

Plainswoman%20label.jpg

 

...we proceeded to tease him unmercifully about using the "girly" loads.

 

;)

Posted

Thank you to all that sent in replys,

 

Best regards,

 

Chili

Pete,

 

Whatever you end up with, I'm sure you'll be good with it. I'm bettin' against the Trap Door Springfield.

 

CR

Posted

I think I may have found the ultimate Plainsman rifle. Winchester (Miroku) 1885 Highwall trapper in 38-55. 16.5 in barrel, kicks out the empty and cocks on closing. Do all of the work with your right hand and your left hand keeps it steady on your shoulder.

 

I still need to practice to get smooth, but it may end up being faster than the handi-rifle - in my hands at least.

 

Buxton

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