Poor Man's Silhouette Rifle

[iplaywithnoshoes]

This is a simple 'build' for an inexpensive big bore for hitting steel.

Thompson Center Encore Stainless Frame
Black Synthetic Furniture
27" Match Grade Machine, .45-70 Barrel, Shilen Blank, Stainless, Full Bull
Modified 1903 Rear sight
Lyman Front Globe

A 26" sight radius, 1-14" twist which can stabilize anything, pistol grip stock, all weather capability, and a reasonable carry weight.

Decent features for a build cost of around $975.

Some pictures! Enjoy!







11 degree target crown



Close-up of sight mounted



Pano of rifle. Anyone recognize anything from the mess in the back?


shoe

[country gent]

That should be a good starting point. It should do very well

[tdoyka]

nice build!!!! i have a handi rifle in 45-70 that only goes 1400fps using a 405gr fbfn. i only have only did it at ruger #1 type pressure and i can only say, OOOOOUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHHH!!! i just stay at trapdoor loads, its much better for me!!! what kind of loads do you use?

mine will be a 500 linebaugh in 23" MGM heavy barrel. i want to put skinner sights(front and back) on it. i just got to see if MGM does a dovetail(front sight) or a ramp.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

nice build!!!! i have a handi rifle in 45-70 that only goes 1400fps using a 405gr fbfn. i only have only did it at ruger #1 type pressure and i can only say, OOOOOUUUUUUCCCCCCHHHHHH!!! i just stay at trapdoor loads, its much better for me!!! what kind of loads do you use?

mine will be a 500 linebaugh in 23" MGM heavy barrel. i want to put skinner sights(front and back) on it. i just got to see if MGM does a dovetail(front sight) or a ramp.

Thank you guys! I use trapdoor pressures but there are plenty of loads I have shot through this at 1500-1600fps at low pressures and they definitely wake you up.

I tried some loads last week, trapdoor only for 405gr in the middle of the loading range: Varget, Trail Boss, IMR 3031, H4198, 5744.
Trail Boss, H4198 and Varget gave me the best accuracy in 405gr despite a little little bore trash. Unique is also quite good.

I also cooked up some 500gr loads at trapdoor levels and the gun really likes Reloader 7. I'm sticking with that from now on in that bullet weight. Recoil for all non-Trail Boss was like a .308.
The gun still weighs less than 9 lbs I think even with the Bull Barrel.

That sounds like a fun build! And yes, they will actually cut the dovetails for you if you provide them the sight and can fit about any sight you provide them. I had an extra dovetail cut for a skinner long range sight in the future. For now, I just use the existing scope mounts for my 03' sight.

shoe

[mcdaniel.mac]

I like the way you think. What was modified about the 03 sight, just fitment?

[Dryball]

Did you do the barrel-stub thing? I've always wanted to do that

[M-Tecs]

One of these will help with adjusting the sight http://www.buffaloarms.com/PJ_Ohare_...r_pr-9131.aspx

[iplaywithnoshoes]

I like the way you think. What was modified about the 03 sight, just fitment?

Thank you! I took the sight collar/tube and cut it down. Since the inner collar/tube diameter and breech diameter were different, I had a custom shim machined to interface the two. I drilled the hole pattern in both then mounted them to the barrel. I'll post some pics tonight.

Did you do the barrel-stub thing? I've always wanted to do that

No stub, just a collar cut, interface and fit! I put a little bit of beeswax on the sliding surfaces to get a tighter fit too.

One of these will help with adjusting the sight http://www.buffaloarms.com/PJ_Ohare_...r_pr-9131.aspx

That is super neat.
I think I know my next purchase now. Definitely easier than constantly tightening and loosening the lock screw.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

[mattri]

What kind of accuracy are you seeing?

[iplaywithnoshoes]

What kind of accuracy are you seeing?

When using the right powder and consistent trigger pull, holes touching at 100yds with 405gr Oregon Trail. 500gr Acme FPs are closer to 1.5-2.0" consistently. I cannot even make out shapes on the target at that distance so it might be a fluke. Photo evidence coming soon.

[EDG]

You can buy a nice but used Pedersoli for that kind of money.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

You can buy a nice but used Pedersoli for that kind of money.

If you showed me a posting on Armslist or Gunbroker (No decent gun stores here in IL), I would be inclined to agree. If I had found a reasonable price on a Lyman Sharps or Pedersoli Rolling Block, High Wall Sharps etc, I would not have even considered building this. At the current stage of life, I cannot yet justify $1800 on a used reproduction rifle that I cannot service or get parts for without a gunsmith (smiths in IL are now afraid to touch anyone's gun beyond a trigger job or scope mount), or sending the gun to Italy. I have access to a good network through TC Addicts and BellmTCs for parts and upgrade kits so I can build up the rifle at a whim.

I am sure that many forum members enjoy excellent experiences with Pedersolis, Ubertis, Shilohs and C Sharps. Those are still way beyond my price range and the manufacturers can't even decide if smokeless powder is even safe in those guns.
With this build, I have a rifle that can safely take BP and smokeless (making it a safe testbed for exploring new loads), stabilize any projectile I want (up to 600gr +), maintain 95% of the Pedersoli accuracy at half the sticker price, make easy mounting on scopes and sights, enable extremely easy cleaning and maintenance and best of all, maybe stick out from the crowd just a little bit. It doesn't quite fit in the BP scene, nor in typical single shot hunting scene but I like it and it's the only thing I own that is remotely personalized for me.

To each and his own I guess.

shoe

[tdoyka]

If you showed me a posting on Armslist or Gunbroker (No decent gun stores here in IL), I would be inclined to agree. If I had found a reasonable price on a Lyman Sharps or Pedersoli Rolling Block, High Wall Sharps etc, I would not have even considered building this. At the current stage of life, I cannot yet justify $1800 on a used reproduction rifle that I cannot service or get parts for without a gunsmith (smiths in IL are now afraid to touch anyone's gun beyond a trigger job or scope mount), or sending the gun to Italy. I have access to a good network through TC Addicts and BellmTCs for parts and upgrade kits so I can build up the rifle at a whim.

I am sure that many forum members enjoy excellent experiences with Pedersolis, Ubertis, Shilohs and C Sharps. Those are still way beyond my price range and the manufacturers can't even decide if smokeless powder is even safe in those guns.
With this build, I have a rifle that can safely take BP and smokeless (making it a safe testbed for exploring new loads), stabilize any projectile I want (up to 600gr +), maintain 95% of the Pedersoli accuracy at half the sticker price, make easy mounting on scopes and sights, enable extremely easy cleaning and maintenance and best of all, maybe stick out from the crowd just a little bit. It doesn't quite fit in the BP scene, nor in typical single shot hunting scene but I like it and it's the only thing I own that is remotely personalized for me.

To each and his own I guess.

shoe

i thought about trying a sharps or a pedersoli but they are priced way more than i can afford. i wish i could buy a ruger blackhawk 500 linebaugh from THE guy, john linebaugh. but i can't, so an encore it will be. a MGM barrel that will cost me around $370 + s/h. the fact is, i like it and shoe likes his.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

That should be a good starting point. It should do very well

Thank you, and it has thus far. Still need to post pictures of two groups I squeezed from the rifle.

i thought about trying a sharps or a pedersoli but they are priced way more than i can afford. i wish i could buy a ruger blackhawk 500 linebaugh from THE guy, john linebaugh. but i can't, so an encore it will be. a MGM barrel that will cost me around $370 + s/h. the fact is, i like it and shoe likes his.

tdoyka, I agree. It's far easier to get a decent custom barrel for an Encore/Contender to at least practice with. I agree that one cannot put a price tag on the experience of having a Creedmoor style repro or original. I do not yet think I am good enough of a shooter for that yet. Haha.

[mattri]

Looks like a great project, enjoy!

[iplaywithnoshoes]

A sample group from a few weeks ago:



Both circled groups are 5 consecutive shots each called and observed by a spotter. The other shots were sighters or horseplay.
These might be flukes and I had no point of reference on the target with iron sights but they made me feel good. Haha.
(The loads written are from verified manuals and load books but you approach these at your own risk.)

shoe

[modified5]

Nice shooting!!
I have a contender pistol in various calibers, including 45-70, that I am looking forward to playing with as soon as my shoulder heals up enough to shoot.
As far as your choice of firearm, all I can say is, build what you love, love what you build!

[tdoyka]

very nice shootin'!!!!

i like the way trail boss groups. i did a 12 shot group at 50 yards(using trail boss) that was 3/4"+/- with my MGM (444 marlin, 23" heavy factory barrel). unfortunately, the 444 does not like unique.

50 yards 280gr wfn gc


50 yards 220gr wc


h4198 with my 45-70 handi-rifle is just awesome. 405gr fbfn with h4198 (doesn't matter which gr) will go 1 1/2 - 2 1/4" at 100 yards(5 shots, peep sights). i'll have to look, but it goes approx. 1400fps+/-. the handi just luvs tb and unique at 50 yards(1 - 1 3/4", 5 shots).

you should try rel7, you will like it too.

[iplaywithnoshoes]

Looks like a great project, enjoy!

Thank you! I'm enjoying it so far!

Nice shooting!!
I have a contender pistol in various calibers, including 45-70, that I am looking forward to playing with as soon as my shoulder heals up enough to shoot.
As far as your choice of firearm, all I can say is, build what you love, love what you build!

That Contender is quite thumper isn't it? My .45-70 Encore whips me enough with heavy loads but both can be quite accurate when you get over the flinch!

very nice shootin'!!!!

i like the way trail boss groups. i did a 12 shot group at 50 yards(using trail boss) that was 3/4"+/- with my MGM (444 marlin, 23" heavy factory barrel). unfortunately, the 444 does not like unique.

50 yards 280gr wfn gc


50 yards 220gr wc


h4198 with my 45-70 handi-rifle is just awesome. 405gr fbfn with h4198 (doesn't matter which gr) will go 1 1/2 - 2 1/4" at 100 yards(5 shots, peep sights). i'll have to look, but it goes approx. 1400fps+/-. the handi just luvs tb and unique at 50 yards(1 - 1 3/4", 5 shots).

you should try rel7, you will like it too.

Great groups! 3/4" at 50yds is basically a laser beam. That already sounds like a great brush rifle setup, especially in .444.

I absolutely agree on H4198 and RE7. Mine likes H4198, Unique, TB and Varget in a 405gr, with a very clean burn. In a 475-500gr, RE7 is my go-to for smokeless with this setup.

shoe