When you take YOUR falling blocks to the range. . .

[Bigslug]

. . .do the Bubbas always gather around and ask: "Is that a .45-70?"

My Pop gets this ALL. . .THE. . . TIME. Apparently, that's the only thing falling blocks have ever been chambered in. [smilie=b:

[Gtek]

Kind of like when they watch you push a Boolit in throat with that tool and then put just a case in. They find out it's a 32-40 and then they look at the targets and usually just walk away.

[ian45662]

I get that a lot but to be fair I am shooting a 45/70


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[rfd]

those kinda comments are just outta ignorance, typically by the ar15/glock folks. a good time to educate them and perhaps spark an interest in them thinking about coming over to the dark powder side for a change of pace. :)

[Toymaker]

My favorite was when I went to the range with a friend. We were setting up side by side, me with a Rolling Block 45-70 and him with a 1885 High Wall 38-55. A guy walked up to my bench, looked at my lubed BP cartridges next to my red PC smokeless cartridges, and said "My God, WHAT IS THAT? ARE THEY EXPLOSIVE?" My friend laughed so hard he fell off his seat.

[rfd]

seeing these at the range usually gets some very puzzling clueless looks as well ....

234292

[jdfoxinc]

Hay! I'm a glock guy! And a muzzle loader. I love the holy black. Used to have a muzzle loading only shop. Now I could care less about ARs, even though i did buy a customer's lower and made a pistol.

By the way those diapered boolits look very well done.

[Petrol & Powder]

Well at least they're paying attention and noticed the falling block action.

[Bigslug]

seeing these at the range usually gets some very puzzling clueless looks as well ....

234292

Try breaking out Chassepot rounds sometime:

234294

When folks ask what we're doing at the range, we often reply "Weird Science". We think some of the highest praise we ever received was "Everything you guys DO is weird!" :mrgreen:

[Bigslug]

My favorite was when I went to the range with a friend. We were setting up side by side, me with a Rolling Block 45-70 and him with a 1885 High Wall 38-55. A guy walked up to my bench, looked at my lubed BP cartridges next to my red PC smokeless cartridges, and said "My God, WHAT IS THAT? ARE THEY EXPLOSIVE?" My friend laughed so hard he fell off his seat.

Would have been better if he kept a straight face and said "Nah. I got them from the Porsche dealership. Guy said the red paint makes them go faster".

[Bigslug]

those kinda comments are just outta ignorance, typically by the ar15/glock folks. a good time to educate them and perhaps spark an interest in them thinking about coming over to the dark powder side for a change of pace. :)

Well yeah. . .it's just that there seems to be SO MUCH ignorance to combat. It often puts my desire to cheerfully educate in conflict with my inner curmudgeon that wants to sit at the range bench wearing a T-shirt, printed on the back with:

"I don't know you.

I'd probably like to keep it that way."

And I frequently end up fixing these same folk's AR-15's and Glocks. . .:veryconfu

[upnorthwis]

I love the look on their faces when I start telling them about my M78/81 Swiss. How the brass gets made and how the gun has to be converted to centerfire. Their eyes get crossed and they walk away. Priceless.

[trapper9260]

It sound like the ones you talk about cast boolits and all they say is you are leading up your barrel and I look at them odd that they did not know what they are talking about.

[country gent]

Those Paper Patched bullets get a lot of stares and questions. I shoot them in 45-90, 45-70 and 40-65, haven't tried them yet in 38-55 do to lack of mould. Sotting on the bench they get long looks from newer shooters and some older ones also.

I had the 45-90 out a few years ago shooting the clubs gongs with a PP load using a 535 grn bullet. The 6: gong was ringing every shot at 200 yds and paint was disappearing fast on it. A younger guy came down while I was cleaning between strings and seriously told me I had to stop shooting I was damaging the rifle. ( C Sharp's Hepburn fancy wood pewter fore end tip. 34" barrel) I liked up and ask What?. He then told me I had way to much smoke and something was fluttering around the muzzle when I fired. I explained to him I was shooting Black Powder and Paper Patched bullets, pulled an bullet and showed it to him. I explained that the charge of real BP produced more smoke and the stuff fluttering was the confetti and under wrap of the PP bullet. We discussed them for a little while while I finished cleaning. I then asked if he would like to try it out ( not often you get a chance to shoot a reproduction of history with correct ammo for free). He sat down and fired 10 rounds hitting that 6" gong 7 times. A few weeks later I ran into him again at the club and he told me he had ordered a C Sharps Hepburn in 45-70. Worked with him casting wrapping and loading while he waited for the rifle to get done and arrive. I don't think He's ever fired a grease groove bullet thru that rifle.

They do attract attention, The rifles, the ammo, the equipment used with them. All are different from what's considered "normal" now it catches peoples eye.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have several large caliber single shot rifles and when I take one or two to the range, I always get the same question, "would that kill a buffalo"? I have one heavy barrel [1-3/4] inches in 40 caliber and I couldn't get any shooting done for answering questions. I haven't taken it out in a long time. The last range trip a young man came up to me and asked if I could help him adjust the scope on his rifle. I of course I said yes and asked what rifle it was? It was of course one of the black guns. I don't know if they have separate names. When we got to his bench I started to explain how to adjust sights whether they are peep or scope. I had just started to speak when the range master showed up and took over the conversation. The young man had a hot blonde with him and that may have had something to do with it. You think? In any case I was glad to go back to my bench and get in some shooting. Here is a picture of my heavy barrel 40 cal and my 40-65 Roller

[Reverend Al]

LOL ... I love to take ANY of my old single shots to the range just to see how many times in a day I get asked "What in the heck IS that?" ...

[smilie=l:

https://i.imgur.com/8PqMjge.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/w7GnqKr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jprBcjC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/1mYpAmw.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Gi9U4GE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/a20WlmN.jpg

[trails4u]

When I take my BP guns out....I usually take several, and take plenty of cartridges, and generally don't plan to get much serious shooting done. I enjoy sharing them, particularly with the kids if any are around. The trapdoor, Peabody and Werndl are usually the favorites.

[marlinman93]

I can't say as I've ever been asked if one of my old single shots is a .45-70? I have been asked what caliber, and then shortly after telling them I get, "Where do you buy those?"
Sometimes a fine old schuetzen rifle will really get puzzled looks since they look like some 1800's version of a space gun, and someone wants to know why they look this way, and how do you shoot them?
When you say things like .44-77 Sharps Bottleneck, .40-85 Ballard Everlasting, .40-50 Sharps Straight, etc., etc., I can guarantee it gets puzzled looks.
And if I start telling them the steps to making a certain cartridge from another case, it usually ends up with someone telling me it sounds like a lot of work. But when I offer to let one of them shoot an old single shot, and they experience how accurate they are, and how mild the recoil is, they usually ask where they can get one, and what they cost?
It's actually a lot of fun answering questions on old single shot rifles, and cartridges. But it can occasionally end up cutting into my range time pretty severely! I try to get to the range early, and plan on a day. If nobody is there I can finish up in about 4 hours. If there are other shooters, I might be there 8 hrs. to get the 4 hrs. of shooting in. But it's OK, as I really do enjoy introducing folks to these old guns we love.

And for Big Slug. Not all single shot rifles are "falling blocks". Some are rolling blocks, some dropping blocks, some pivoting blocks, and some tip ups.

[jonp]

. . .do the Bubbas always gather around and ask: "Is that a .45-70?"

My Pop gets this ALL. . .THE. . . TIME. Apparently, that's the only thing falling blocks have ever been chambered in. [smilie=b:

No. I get some odd looks then they see the giant smoke cloud from my 43 Spanish after the BOOM and "what ya got. Can I try it"? I always bring extra and never turn anyone down even if I don't get to shoot again

[DocSavage]

I've a Shiloh Sharps with a Malcolm style telescopic in 45/70 and most are quite fascinated by the size of the rifle and the cartridges. Don't have the patients to use black powder on it but most are very impressed they watch a 535 gr bullet bounce 5 gallon buckets 6-10 feet in the air.

[trails4u]

No. I get some odd looks then they see the giant smoke cloud from my 43 Spanish after the BOOM and "what ya got. Can I want try it"? I always bring extra and never turn anyone down even if I don't get to shoot again

I do love the .43 Spanish! My roller and Peabody both chambered as such. :) The Werndl is fun too, and the folks at the range always enjoy them all!

[john.k]

i get the opposite.......I offer a shot....."thats going to kick really hard...no way".......and back to their 223.....did a couple of WW1 shoots with teens......nearly every one said the old military guns kicked too hard.....of course ,thats why the army s got 223s now.

[Bigslug]

Ah yes. . . .223's. . . I was recently asked for my opinion on 55 grain vs. 62 grain. If asked this in the future, I may respond with "I think that's about what one of my gas checks weighs" . . .

[boommer]

YA same reaction with black as you guys with the rifles and shotguns shoot skeet ,trap, sporting clays with them and really think they shoot more shells than I do and end up shooting there guns to finish the round.

[ndnchf]

I get that sometimes, even with this.

[Gewehr-Guy]

I got a good chuckle one time when I told a 50 cal fan that I don't mess around with small stuff, I use a .577 Snider:drinks:

[MOA]

https://i.postimg.cc/tTJ31f67/20150222-135603.jpg (https://postimg.cc/XGMGmsQ0)


Tru-dat, when you have a stack of these on the bench I always let someone fire a few if they desire. Amazing the look they have after the first round.

400 Jeffrey next to a ought six.

:bigsmyl2:

[Wag]

Oddly enough, if I take the Ruger #1 in .357 magnum, it gets a lot of attention. I'm not sure why because it doesn't have a particularly striking appearance. But somehow, people notice and they all want to try it out.

--Wag--

[Lefty SRH]

I always get wonderers to my bench when I take my Ruger No.1 RSI 7X57. THEY TYPICALLY ASK WHAT IT IS AND I TYPICALLY RESPOND BY SAYING ITS MY ELEPHANT RIFLE. For some reason it does have a very loud report, so they sometimes say, “it sounds like it”. Or I get, “that little thing”....
Then they are pretty amazed that I have no problem hitting given the fact that it only wears NECG aperture sights. So then Im asked how far can I hit with those. I usually answer, “I feel maxed out at 300yds”, thats when they usually do flips.
I had a game warden one time that was just amazed that I was using “iron sights”. I asked him why he was so puzzled, he said it was just so different. I politely reminded him that he used iron sights pointing to his side arm. He said “yeah but thats different”......ok
I cant wait to take my newly aquired No.1 in 45-70 to the range and see what reactions I get with it.
My No.1s and my two Marlin 336 lever rifle all wear aperture sights.

[jonp]

I do love the .43 Spanish! My roller and Peabody both chambered as such. :) The Werndl is fun too, and the folks at the range always enjoy them all!

I get the same looks on the pistol range when everybody had the plastic 9mm and I let off a Linebaugh load in my long barrel Ruger 45LC.
pop..pop..pop..BOOOMMMM...pop..."what was that"?

[uscra112]

Personally I started avoiding the club range on days when I was likely to have company. I frequently load at the bench, and distractions are a hazard. One time failed to be rude to Bubba, and I double-charged a .25-20 SS case. Nothing blew up, but I was done for the day.

[Bigslug]

I get the same looks on the pistol range when everybody had the plastic 9mm and I let off a Linebaugh load in my long barrel Ruger 45LC.
pop..pop..pop..BOOOMMMM...pop..."what was that"?

Conversely, with a little careful prep and planning, I think you could get a lot of "psy-ops" mileage with subsonic .22LR and Crossno liner installed in the biggest, burliest, yard-of-Malcolm-scope, double-set trigger Sharps you can lay your hands on.

234417

[15meter]

Personally I started avoiding the club range on days when I was likely to have company. I frequently load at the bench, and distractions are a hazard. One time failed to be rude to Bubba, and I double-charged a .25-20 SS case. Nothing blew up, but I was done for the day.

Around here it is usually Sunday afternoon when the silly boys show up. It's called blaster day. AR's on the bench at 25 and 50 yards. Proud of 2" groups, and they shoot hundreds of rounds. Only good thing, they fill up the range brass buckets fast--brass is sold for scrap and the cash goes back into the club. I either stay on the skeet range or go to the other, much smaller club. We only had one or two blasters at the smaller club. One had to be lectured on picking up after himself after he left 3000+ 223 and 9mm on the ground over a 6 week stretch. What a jerk.

[uscra112]

Yeah, I know the type. To make matters worse, they're always shooting **** steel-case ammo, which is worth nothing for salvage. (But at least you can sweep it up with a magnet.)

[Snow ninja]

Yep, I get asked that when I bring out my Falling Block Works .218 Bee.

[Tom W.]

My #1B in 30-06 A. I. Usually gets a "what happened to the round you just fired?" question. I'll end up giving a few pieces of brass away, and inevitably the final question is " wanna sell it?"

When I tell them what is invested in the firearm they scratch their heads and don't ask again.

[69daytona]

Went to my range with a friend and these, two 1902 Luger carbines and a fully engraved C96 carbine along with a 45-70 rolling block and Sharps 45-110 and not one person even gave them a second look.
Didn't mind as we had a great time shooting these fine guns. Also had a John Martz 45 Luger.

[marlinman93]

I enjoy when some curious shooter comes over and asks what the caliber is. Then I tell them what the old hyphenated caliber is, and they either look bewildered, or ask, "What's that?"
Most know the common calibers, but a .40-63 Ballard Everlasting, .40-50 Sharps Straight, or .44-77 Sharps Bottleneck, baffles the heck out of them!

[Wag]

You just baffled the heck outta me!

I'm not new to shooting, but I've never encountered a lot of the older rifles. Just never had the money for anything, really. Had to borrow grandma's 30-30 to go deer hunting and had to borrow one or the other of her shotguns to shoot fowl.

One of the reasons to love this forum, though. I get to hear of all of these other rounds!

--Wag--

[Chill Wills]

When shooting these old rifles with BP and load testing at the big city range where the BPCR silhouette match is held, I rarely get a long look. Most have no clue and are much too into what there are doing (shooting as much ammo as they can in the shortest time) using a huge scope atop their semi-auto blasting away at 25y or 50 yards, to stop and ask questions.

The few that are willing to ask are almost always an older person. Often they ask 'Buffalo Rifle?" or Sharps carbine?, no mater if a 32' barreled Winchester highwall or a Remington Hepburn. That's Okay! I am happy to politely tell them about the rifle and show them the cartridges with the cast bullets in them.

My schuetzen rifles can get even fewer questions. A schuetzen rifle might be intimidating. There is a bit of a persona that men are just "suposta" be rifle experts and expert shots. If you don't even understand what you are looking at, you might not want to tip your hand by asking questions.

When at the range 150 miles west in the high country, those people are a little more into asking what you are shooting and are willing to take the time to hear about it. Often they are eager to shoot your rifle.

There are always exceptions but, I think it is the culture of the conservative urban man to keep to themselves in crowded cities and then by extension at the rifle ranges too.

[Gunlaker]

I generally find people are pretty interested in them. Our range has few people who come to blast away. Most are competition shooters, F-class, center fire benchrest, 22LR guys, and a handful of guys who just hunt. The only negatives I get these days are when the benchrest guys are trying to shoot bughole groups and I fill the air with smoke so they can't see. I avoid shooting my long range BPTR rifles on still air days for that reason and then we all get along :-).

I've had plenty of non-competition guys shoot my rifles, but I've never ever had a serious competition shooter want to try my rifles. Not sure why. They are often impressed at the accuracy though. I once had a TR guy think that my shots were all over the place at 300 and he was concerned that I was maybe damaging some of the equipment in the pits. When he saw the group in the spotting scope he said it would have be a pretty decent TR score :-). He became much friendlier after that.

Chris.

[John Boy]

At a general membership meeting of approximately 280 members that represented a club membership of about 4000 members, I asked the question: "How many members own a single shot breech loading falling block rifle other than a 22LR" Two hands raised

When I take a Ballard - Stevens - Sharps - Wifflein or HiWall to the range, I always gather a crowd around me. The crowd is always larger when I take one of my German Schuetzen rifles or a Stevens Tip Up to the range They are all over my shoulder eye balling it ... they have never even any of these rifles

[KCcactus]

I get the same looks on the pistol range when everybody had the plastic 9mm and I let off a Linebaugh load in my long barrel Ruger 45LC.
pop..pop..pop..BOOOMMMM...pop..."what was that"?

I was at a range shooting some hot 300 gr loads for my 44 mag Redhawk. The dirt backstops were damp from recent rain. Every shot was raining fist-size dirt clods. During a break, a man approached me and said his son wanted him to ask me if he could try my 44. His son was probably 10-12 years old. I loaded it with 208 gr wadcutters with 9 gr Unique. That kid was grinning from ear to ear when he finished.

[Bphunter]

I was at a range shooting some hot 300 gr loads for my 44 mag Redhawk. The dirt backstops were damp from recent rain. Every shot was raining fist-size dirt clods. During a break, a man approached me and said his son wanted him to ask me if he could try my 44. His son was probably 10-12 years old. I loaded it with 208 gr wadcutters with 9 gr Unique. That kid was grinning from ear to ear when he finished.


That shows some class Cactus! I've seen too many videos where some idiot hands his girlfriend a full-house 460 S&W revolver and records the unfortunate ending. Nothing could be worse for our sport. When you hand someone new a pleasant shooting load, they usually smile from ear to ear and can't wait to come back for more!

[marlinman93]

Beyond not knowing what the old calibers are, the next question I get is, "Where do you buy the brass to load with?"
When I tell them the various steps it takes to make my brass from this or that donor brass, even the easiest made brass draws a response indicating it's too much trouble to have to do all that to shoot a gun. And add to that the fact you need to have custom molds to cast the bullets, and it's just too much trouble for most. Or at least that's their conclusion.
I ended up with a very nice Ballard Pacific in .40-85 Everlasting for this very reason. A friend asked me to look at it with him, and tell him what it was worth, and what it took to shoot it. When I got excited telling him how "easy" it would be to expand 9.3x74R cases to .40 caliber, and fireform them, he immediately said he'd pass, as it sounded too complicated. I see this caliber as one of the easiest I have to make ammo for. I was pretty pleased when he encouraged me to buy it, and stepped away from the deal.
I mentioned to a friend that I have six .32-40 rifles, and only two like the same load and bullet. He asked why every .32-40 wouldn't shoot the same cartridge and bullet? And if they didn't, then how did the factory supply loaded ammunition to the customer? I explained how one might get ammo "good enough" to take deer up to 100 yds. fine, but for extremely accurate shooting every rifle needed bullets sized to the bore, and powder charges custom built to what the rifle preferred.
My .32-40's vary from a tight .317" groove to a very large .327" groove. The largest is my Hepburn Match B rifle, and that .327" groove wont allow a .328" bullet to be seated as a fixed cartridge, and still chamber. I have to breech seat the bullet and put a charged case behind it to shoot it. Get to the range and start breech seating ammo and it takes the normal shooter's questions to a whole new level! They might accept loading ammo the usual way in a strange rifle. But breech seat at the bench and they don't understand what you're doing, or why you'd ever do it!

[rfd]

Beyond not knowing what the old calibers are, the next question I get is, "Where do you buy the brass to load with?"
When I tell them the various steps it takes to make my brass from this or that donor brass, even the easiest made brass draws a response indicating it's too much trouble to have to do all that to shoot a gun. And add to that the fact you need to have custom molds to cast the bullets, and it's just too much trouble for most. Or at least that's their conclusion.
it's a fast food world, particularly for the urban social media zombie young'uns, who's mantra is "why work at making something why ya can just use mom & dad's bank account to buy it ready made". ugh.

[country gent]

I did that a few years ago with my AR 10 at the range. Dad and son were both watching when I uncased it and set up. The boy was on the 12-14 year old range and he was fascinated by the match rifle. I was function testing some loads and getting an initial 200 yd zero. During a cease fire they came down and we were talking. After the cease fire I let both look and handle the rifle ask if they wanted to try it. Dad said he didn't want to burn up all my ammo. I said fat chance and pointed at the ammo can by the bench 3/4 full. Gave them a quick instruction on operation and some on shooting from bench. Had the boy dry fire a few times and handed him a round he set it on the single load follower and closed the bolt. He got down on the rifle I told him to just relax and breath easy. ( This is an AR10 26" barrel 22-250 and at 14 lbs has very little recoil). he finally squeezed the trigger for a pin wheel X at 12:00, The smile was huge when I called out the shot and just kept getting bigger as I handed him the next rounds. Next was Dad and the same basic results the grin kept getting bigger. They probably fired 20 rds total. Next cease fire they came down wanting to know where to get a rifle like mine I hated telling them it had to be built as this was a one off. Later the Son came down and brought me a cold Dr. Pepper and a thank you. Seeing the smiles was more than enough.

[Huvius]

I mostly shoot British falling block rifles and the most frequent question I get is "is that a Ruger No.1?"
More often than not, other shooters just look over at the rack or what I'm shooting and don't even try to engage in a conversation.

I really think there should be a classroom session and a written test to get a club membership. So many people seem to have no clue as to how a firearm even operates...

[shutinlead]

I mostly shoot British falling block rifles and the most frequent question I get is "is that a Ruger No.1?"
More often than not, other shooters just look over at the rack or what I'm shooting and don't even try to engage in a conversation.


Huvius,
The ones I like - I'm shooting a W-R and somebody comments that "that's a nice copy of a #1" - More often than not though, you're right they avoid engaging.

[john.k]

I d be using my W.R.1871 Henry,which unfortunately was a mint rifle ,refinished to be a wall hanger with too much buffing,bright blue and french polished stock......One guy always comes up and declares it to be a I.A.B. Sharps........then he wanders off chanting IAB.....its alluz broke .....yuk yuk yuk.....IAB...its alluz broke .....yuk yuk yuk.

[sharps4590]

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading of everyone's experiences in this regard. I believe I have experienced every one mentioned and I don't often shoot at public ranges or the little club I belong to. It's more that I've been doing it for over 40 years. When I do shoot at a range where there is others almost always someone will come up and start a conversation. It seems to me the most frequent questions are; What kind of rifle is it, what caliber is it, obviously meaning what cartridge is it chambered for then, the same one so many have mentioned, "where do you buy ammo for it?" Some listen interested and patient and other have the same attitude other posters have mentioned, zero interest and zero interest in learning. Seems they want to get back to burning up as much ammo as possible in the shortest amount of time....and sometimes even hit what they're aiming at. Also, as others have mentioned, usually the older shooters will display the most interest in learning.....but that isn't always the case. And, except for the gang bangers, all want a chance to pull the trigger.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Yep a SS is a fine rifle to tote about. We have one of those German Lever openers in that 8.15 x "something" that is a fun one. Much like a 32 Win Special in power. Set triggers and maybe 6 pounds.
The other early morning shooters at our ILLinois range all want to see whatever SS I have out. Slowly some of then realize casting our own opens a miriad of avenues that is unavailable to those who are bound to factory offerings.
50-100 also gets a lot of looks. Hoping to have a 4 Bore SS by next time up. Looking better every day !
Mike in Peru

[Texas by God]

Went to my range with a friend and these, two 1902 Luger carbines and a fully engraved C96 carbine along with a 45-70 rolling block and Sharps 45-110 and not one person even gave them a second look.
Didn't mind as we had a great time shooting these fine guns. Also had a John Martz 45 Luger.I would have been offering to PAY you for a chance to shoot those!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[marlinman93]

To my surprise I've found on the occasion when there's a husband and wife together, the wife usually is far more interested than her husband! They will walk past my shooting station, and the husband might ask what I'm shooting, and once I tell him the make, model, and caliber, he moves along to his shooting bench. But the wife will almost always want to know as much as I'm willing to share, and will ask a lot of great questions.
Maybe it's because the husband wants to get shooting, or maybe he's just not that interested? But I find the exact same results at our monthly collector gun shows too. I'll have a single shot display, and the husband will look, but make no comments. The wife will spend 10-15 minutes asking questions about various guns history, why they look the way they do, or how they are fired.