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View Full Version : Went to a long range for me shoot yesterday, with my CPA rifle.



koger
05-12-2024, 04:00 PM
Most of you fellers on this site, that know me, know I had a long run of bad health issues from 2017 for 4 years, including 5 hip replacements, 2 MRSA hip infections and 3 strokes in one day. It has been a long road to recovery, and I am still making progress, gaining strength. Thru all this I have traded numerous times and got a decent collection of single shot rifles, mostly center fire. I am on another site that is primarily varmint/benchrest oriented,but a bunch of great guys, most within a few hours drive of where I live here in KY. I have a CPA rifle, with a34" heavy half oct/round barrel on it with MVA spirit windage adj front sight and a Lee Shavers Long range Seoule sight on the back, in 45/70 with a couple of other barrels. I had not shot it in a year, but got it and a box of PC 405 gr handloads with Unique behind them out and went to a get together. It was a steel plate challenge from 100-800 yds.I was picking up a huge bunch of reloading stuff I had bought off of a member and took the rifle a long on a whim I might shoot it, since it was a fun steel plate/clanger shoot. The wind was gusting hard between 15-20 mph, right to left, and a lot of guys were having trouble connecting on the 500-600 yds plates. After their shooting subsided, I had completed my transactions and asked them if they cared if I tried. I got my sandbags out, and my case with rifle along with the ammo. When I pulled the rifle out, there was two responses, that sure is purty, and do you think you are Quigley, with a lot of laughing down there sleeve. Several guys got on their scopes and spotting Scopes and asked me was I going to start at 100 yds. I told them it was zeroed dead on at 200 yds and they snickered at me. The 200yds was a dinner size steel plate and a 4" piec of pipe 13" long. I hit the pipe 3 in a row, then put a nice 3 shot cluster about center on the plate. The snickering died down somewhat. Then I dialed in what I thought was the appropriate elevating for 300 yds, same size steel plates, and got lucky. Hit 3 in a row, the first 3 shots. I had adjusted a little for wind, and held off a little as the range increased. My buddies who are regulars on the other forum began cheering me on, 5 of the local guys there not so much. I skipped 400 and 500 yds and went to 600 yds. Took me three shots as the first 2were high,in the berm right over the targets. The next 3 made a 3" group dead center int the 600 yds plate that was about 14" around. Then I went to 700, and made 2 hits on the plate at 3 o'clock. I was running low on ammo and skipped to 800 yds, the last one, with 10 rounds left. I shot a couple and think I went over, dialed my elevation back and held on the bottom of the plate, first 2 threw dirt on it, next three caught the plate up in it. I dialed in just a fuzz more and put the next round dead center. The 800 yds plate was 3x4', I think. I let some of the other guys shoot the rifle at the same distances as I was before moving the elevation settings. This was the best I have shot in 8 years, I could see remarkably clear, for 61 year old eyes. Several of the guys could not beleive that a round that did not kick bad, could shoot that far, that well. 4 of the guys were impressed with their shooting of the rifle. I think I have some new converts inline, they see now why I love shooting, casting and loading for these old timey rifles. Just thought I would share this with you fellers.

Texas by God
05-12-2024, 04:16 PM
Thanks for sharing that- and the pics.
Way to shoot!
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Hondolane
05-12-2024, 05:14 PM
New doesn't mean better, the old calibers and rifles were deadly accurate. Todays Shiloh's, C Sharps, CPA's, Dakota Arms ect make rifles that are a joy to shoot and more accurate than the person shooting them. Requires diligence, time, knowledge, experimentation and a bunch of patience, but the rewards and end results are much more satisfying. Glad you could show the new crowd what real shooting is!

marlinman93
05-12-2024, 05:25 PM
Love to read your story and showing high power shooters what old style guns and cartridges are capable of! So many guys (even gun guys!) think these old cartridges go out maybe 150 yds. and the bullets just drop to the ground suddenly. So having them not just watch, but also shoot is fantastic!
We call it the "dinger grin" when guys new to this realize how well the guns shoot, and how much fun it is!

Rockingkj
05-12-2024, 09:14 PM
Very cool. Love the old time rifles. Zero interest in modern long distance guns.

koger
05-12-2024, 10:44 PM
Follow up on this post, 2 of the guys at the shoot, are wanting to get into this single shot game big time, are coming over 2 days this week, to look at some rifles and sights to get a idea of what they might want before they buy it. Also they are avid reloaders but have zero experience casting, want me to teach them how to cast bullets, and the nuances of PC and loading 45/70, 38/55. These guys have been bit bad, both are talking about selling a varmint or benchrest rig to get into shooting single shots, as there are about 12 of us in the area that do it for fun shoots, 5-6 times a year, no competition.

Gtrubicon
05-12-2024, 10:57 PM
Awesome story and shooting! Keep up your forward momentum!

45workhorse
05-12-2024, 11:17 PM
Nice!
And they thought us hillbillies can't shoot! Only Kentucky folks can use, Kentucky windage!
I know you stated you dialed up, I just couldn't pass on the chance to use the term!:bigsmyl2:

Born in Kentucky 1963!

Chill Wills
05-12-2024, 11:39 PM
Your story makes me smile! And, you are getting new people in the game.

MrWolf
05-13-2024, 07:59 AM
Glad you are finally able to enjoy yourself. Remember you are still healing, take it easy. Well that is what I am supposed to be doing anyway so just being a parrot and repeating. Great shhoting and story. Way to go.