Went out today to play an update

[country gent]

Went to a local shillouettes match today with the CPA rifle in 40-65. Load was the 400 grn nasa bullet lube was spg ( mold by old west moulds /Bernie Rowels) 56 grns of Old Ensford 2 f powder. Had a good day overall. Offhand was still on low side with only 4 chickens hit. But misses were on call, I shot where the chicken wasnt LOL. 8 hits on the chickens from 200 yds off of the crosssticks, not a bad performance there either. Misses were close and on call. Pigs at 300 yds were a let down as I only hit 6 of them ( I normally do better here) but hits were solid and misses were again close and on call. Turkeys at 300 were a big ego booster I hit 9 of them today. (The range sized them for 300 yds). I am very pleased with this. The rams were at 400 yds and scaled appropriatly. Again a solid performance of 9 hits. Looking thru the scope after showed a nice cluster of splatters in the painted surface. I equaled my high score from a couple weeks ago of 36. I need to do some dry fire practice offhand to get that stage up higher ( would like to see 7+ hits offhand here. ANd need to pay attention to other stages more to avert the pigs score today. Light and wind were tough on the relay I shot I ended up holding on the cross bar and zeroing to hit the pis as the black pig blended into the backstop. Fouling was being controled with the blow tube and 2 long breaths very well. I did clean between relays, 3 strokes with windex and a brush 3 patches to dry bore. Was a beautiful day today clear not to hot and not to cold a little breezy but a great day.

[Don McDowell]

Sounds like a good day.

[kokomokid]

Good shooting. What twist and who made the barrel?

[country gent]

CPA uses douglas barrels unless specified other wise for the build. Mine is a douglas premium tapered octagon 30" long 1-16 twist I believe, Id have to remove the forearm as its stamped under it as is bore dia. The rifle is a shooter Alloy of the bullets is 20-1 sized to .411 Air cooled. No leading to speak of, good accuracy and consistent so far. The Old ensford really helped my accuracy and consistency. Rifle wieghe just a touch over 11 lbs.

[country gent]

One other plus to Sunday our "spectator" from the last few matches was back but not as a spectator. He is a younger guy ( late 20s early 30s) very friendly and generally seems like a great guy. He came in at the morning and was chatting around with all of us when sighn up was called he joined in and sighned up raising some eyebrows ( His wife was with him also as is normal) One of the guys asked if he was "shooting today" and he got a sheepish look and stated he had been up to cabellas and bought a used Pedersoli sharps and basic loading equipment. SO sighn up and range saftey done we headed for 100 yd line. Everyone was getting set up His scorer supplied the stool and cross sticks for him, His wife was in a beech chair watching from behind the line. His ammo wasnt quite what it should have been but just starting out first time was okay. Several guys loaned him thier extras. He got some hits at each yard line had a big smile all day. At 400 his wife came up to him and wispered in his ear Ray put her down behind the rifle and she fired a few rounds of the sticks at the rams. got a solid hit but didnt like the recoil of the heavy bullet 45-70. I called her down and she shot several rounds thru my 40-65 which she liked alot more, and got 2 hits out of the 3 rounds fired. Took the rifle awau and my partner brought up his 38-55 and she liked it alot also got 2 hits with it also. SHe was smiling and yhe young guy was beaming looked at Ray Me and my Partner smiles and states now Ill have to buy another rifle and loading equipment. We gave them alot of instructions and information which was all written down by them. Looks like 2 new shooter have been initiated.

[Doc Highwall]

The advantages of less recoil from the 40-65 and 38-55 and still having more than enough power to knock down rams.


I have two of the Browning BPCR in 40-65 brand new never fired for when I need to shoot a rifle with less recoil. I also have two in 45-90 that I have shot and a 45-70.

[country gent]

My partner shoots the 38-55, started this year with it. Its a C sharps arms high wall a great rifle. Both ranges we shoot on use swinging targets so a ding and movement are all thats needed to score the hit here. WHat I have noticed with his load using the 312 grn rcbs bullet, is I have to watch and listen much more closely for the clang and movement especially at 300+ yds. The heavier shilouettes and the lighter bullet dont give the swing and ring that the heavier bullets do. Its very accurate and easier to shoot. It just dosnt have the energy to move the targets and produce the ring that the larger calibers do. There was a guy shooting the lyman 40 cal 380 grn flat point and his hits you could tell from all others by the ring that bullet produced. It was a much louder clearer ring. A couple targets were a thud but I suspect posible cracks in them.

[Don McDowell]

It's to bad the 44-77 isn't more available, it represents an awfully nice package with plenty of punch to flatten rams with authority, yet more than manageable recoil, combined with great accuracy.

[country gent]

Havent done any looking at the 44-77 Don. I have read some here and heard it mentioned but several quick questions is there a case available it can be made from? How is the reforming process? Bullet wieghts used? Straight walled or bottle necked.

[ColColt]

I wish our range offered silhouette shooting although I probably couldn't hit the broad side of a barn off hand with a 10 pound rifle but it would be fun trying.


I have two of the Browning BPCR in 40-65 brand new never fired for when I need to shoot a rifle with less recoil

If you ever decide to get rid of one of them, I'm your man.:smile:

[Lead pot]

I need to do some dry fire practice offhand to get that stage up higher ( would like to see 7+ hits offhand here.

That is why I had CPA make my .44 with a 28" .22 barrel also so I don't punish mine dry firing it. :)

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/th_IMG_2142_zps7e4e7fbb.jpg (http://s704.photobucket.com/user/Kurtalt/media/IMG_2142_zps7e4e7fbb.jpg.html)http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww43/Kurtalt/th_IMG_2156_zpsaf236dd2.jpg (http://s704.photobucket.com/user/Kurtalt/media/IMG_2156_zpsaf236dd2.jpg.html)

[John Boy]

Id have to remove the forearm as its stamped under it as is bore dia.
Save you the trouble ... 0.4085"

[country gent]

I dont cock the hammer. I set the front trigger and it has the same pull as cocked only just the click of the sear dropping.

[Don McDowell]

Havent done any looking at the 44-77 Don. I have read some here and heard it mentioned but several quick questions is there a case available it can be made from? How is the reforming process? Bullet wieghts used? Straight walled or bottle necked.

Yes there are a couple of ways to get 44-77's from other cases, but with the readily available properly headstamped brass from Jamison, there's really no reason to fiddle with the other stuff.