Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR why is it that you don't hear of folks shooting Ruger #1 for BPCR?

Very very hard to beat a highwall. The Sharps has the history, but the highwall is a hell of a rifle. Can't go wrong with either. The #1 will sling lead down range but the highwalls and Sharps do it with a little more style and a bit more ease - as in easy to take a part if necessary, better ergonomics with irons, usually a little more mass, and usually better twist rates on the barrels for large, long lead projectiles.

Recoil seems a bit more manageable with the Sharps and 'walls relative to what I hear folks say about the #1 as well. May be a result of stock configuration.

Being a southpaw, I'll offer my take based on experience. Unless you are prepared to spend the money on a dedicated lefty stock, go with a straight line stock without any cast. I shot my right hand Shiloh #1 Sporter for many years, but recently sold it, and am now staying with my Browning highwall. The Browning is much more comfortable to shoot, mainly because the Shiloh was cast off for a right handed shooter. Just makes sense. Except for the cheekpiece, the Browning is completely ambidextrous. I never found the right side hammer to be a problem with the Sharps, just the cast off stock.

I take no position on one action design being any better than others. That has been cussed and discussed at length. Each has its pros and cons, and everybody has preferences.

If you get into tang sights, be aware that not all are lefty friendly. The right side windage screw on certain models can bark your thumb, and you want one that is engraved on both sides, so you can see the elevation markings easily.

Paul

I'm a relative newcomer to the BPCR mystique, but mystique it is. I'm still a smokeless guy primarily, but more and more the allure of casting one's own bullets wrapping them in paper or greasing them in a pan, and being able to hit animal targets at 500 yards is worse than addicting, and when I shot my bison, in Wyoming somewhere north of 2K feet above sea level (?) next to a sheepherder's marker on an outcropping of rocks whilst the small bison heard fed towards us, is right up there as one of the highlights of my hunting life.

ET was as usual absolutely correct in they are the ball and powder equivalent of heroin! . And I'll add thanks to sharpsguy, I was able to flatten my learning curve and at least know enough to be dangerous! jorge

What do you shoot? Sharps?

Sharpsguy is also a lefty. Doesn't seem to handicap him any.

He also has a source for lefty vernier sights. The ones I saw at his place looked to be of fine quality.

Ed

Yep, Shiloh-Sharps 45-110, a retirement gift from my brother-in-arms ET. 98 yards Parker Hale 475gr greaser.

Show off !!!

Like this???

I could build the lefty stock without a problem if I had to - got plenty of black walnut laying around.

Given the propensity for some folks to be enamored with the period correct motif on things, I can't say it would be just like the old days, but it would look good, and fit me.

I can't say I have a real problem with a right side hammer, other than the musket cap I had go Rambo on me from an old 58 cal one fine winter's day.

Regarding tang sights, I got to ask one hard to admit question: If a guy is becoming farsighted with age, how do rear tangs measure up? I understand that a lot of the issue is consistent form, but will a deficiency in near vision affect the use of rear tangs?

That works..BTW ingwe said he would personally kick my azz if ever saw a "Buddy" on my Sharps,now you in double trouble my friend!

Being 70+, I can address the vision issue. The tang sight will not be a problem, other than seeing the fine engraved markings. Some are better than others in that regard, too.

The bigger challenge is the front sight, and the compromise necessary to focus on both the target and the sight reasonably well. Depends in part on the type of shooting you're doing. For example, with a black bullseye, you can get away with favoring the front sight, because of the natural centering tendency and black/white contrast. With an irregular shape like a silhouette target, or even more so with game, you may need to be better able to discern the target itself, as distinct from its background.

Paul

The rear tang sight aperture really helps. But whether it will help enough, depends more on you and what you want to do with the rifle. You can put an aperture up front too, though I dislike them for hunting.

Try it and see is about the best advice. Each person is different. And when you try it, actually shoot, don't just sight the rifle and make up your mind. A lot of people can shoot extremely well w/o seeing the target perfectly. You might be surprised at the results if you put the rifle on paper.

Anymore, my targets on the farm are silhouettes in cardboard, or plotted on drafting paper and stapled to a background. Got a regular 300 yard and 120 yard target. Working on clearing a 450 yard.

I enjoy it more if I can get a good group in a kill zone without having a circle or dot to shoot at.

Besides, I don't know if I'll ever have the time to get into competition shooting as long as I still have a 12 year old in the house - not for a while at least.

But I'm always going to be shooting at something to eat or varmints.

12 yr olds are welcome at matches and there are often a special category for juniors. He/she might really like it, and then outshoot ol' dad.

Don't sweat the tang sight and eye thing. This year at the Quigley match, there were something over 30 "white buffalo" shooters, that's the class for shooters 71 and older. Senior class is between 62 and 71.
To add to what Brent said about the junior shooter, I honestly can't think of a much better way to spend time with your kids.

Might be stating the obvious but, depending on your own eyes, this focus business will require consultation with a good eye doc and optician. Best if they understand shooting, but at least be good listeners. Better yet, be willing to let you bring in your rifle. If not possible, at least be prepared with the relevant measurements, especially distance from your eye to the front sight.

Paul

I had some sight picture issues early on with my Sharps but now sorta found my comfort zone and have been strictly shooting off of my front blade.Seems to be much easier this way as my eye auto adjusts and centers for the rear most of the time plus I use the small platform the blade rests on as a ranging tool.The more I shoot the better I like this approach as I'll be in hunting mode most of the time.

I have a Shiloh Sharps. Although I have not fully fell in love with it, I will give you this. It has the finest fit and finish of any production rifle out there today. If not, it certainly is in the running. And mine is an entry level piece with no options or embellishments.

I do not see the Ruger as ugly. One of mine is an S-C, translates to a .45-70 with a 26" barrel with the same contour as the .375. I bought it to use with black and paper patch. That may happen yet, but the leade will have to be recut for that to happen. It is too short. They don't spec out for the steel animal game.

I even have an original rolling block in .43 Mauser that I bought for less than twenty dollars, delivered with two boxes of Dominion ammo, when I was about fifteen years old. Sorry to say, that was sixty years ago. It shoots better than it looks, by a large margin.

I have had a couple of the modern editions of the High Wall. Both the Browning and the Winchester versions. They shot extremely well. One scoped, one with tang sights. They left for reasons other than accuracy. Regrets on the beautiful Browning.

I suppose that I have no brand ( or design) loyalty, as I do not shoot steel. But the Ruger is excluded from the BPCR game- right, wrong, or indifferent.

Why? You can get that animal to shoot paper patch as it is. And probably in more ways than just one. IIRC, Paul Matthews shot a #1 with paper patch quite a bit and w/o mentioning any modifications. Check out his book, "The Paper Jacket" if you really want to give it a try. But anyway, just about any rifle this side of a gas operated semiauto can be made to shoot ppbs.

Try it first, then decide what sort of chambering needs to be done (likely none).

Brent, I don't want to rehash my woes trying paper on the Shiloh ..40-65. Long story short, after buying this paper and that paper to produce the perfect wrap, my best results came with kitchen parchment and (as bad as I hate to admit it) newsprint. Greasers win hands down, but I detest the grime they attract. Likewise, I have a bias against tapered bullets.

I will take your advice with the No. 1. After reversing bullets to check permissible length, I surmised that I was up against another frustration. I'm not a target shooter, beyond load development, and no longer have an interest in competition. I just want to hunt a little, and that requires unloading sometimes. It irritates me to no end when the lightly seated bullet sticks in the lands? Maybe I am expecting too much.

None the less, I'm too old to,sweat the small stuff. I will give it a go! Jack