Rifle for NMLRA Off-Hand Matches

[Sheppsan]

Steve, that is right in line with the numbers I received from Rice Barrels yesterday.  Their number was 2.66oz per inch for that barrel.  May I ask what the total rifle weight is with that barrel, and how does it handle with a barrel that long.  Was thinking of going with a 36" at 1" to pull the balance point back towards me.  Thanks for the additional info.

Dale

[Candle Snuffer]

It's probably been said, but IMHO get involved with as many local NMLRA type shooting matches you can at either local clubs or at State ML Shoots... (Also - practice on the type targets you will be shooting)... Take note of where those folks are placing with what they are using... Let the Match and conditions dictate the caliber you will be using.

Personally, I feel that the .50 is the all around caliber, but I don't practice what I preach... I use .40 through .54, with the .45 having always been my favorite... But this is just me... 

[Jeff Murray]

A lot of good advice.  Best bet is to get the rifle, work up a load and just enjoy shooting.  With "good" practice you will get better.  As mentioned above you will have days when you can't hit a pig at 25 yards and others when you just seem to be in the grove.  I used to be pretty competitive but age and gravity have me focusing more on having fun even though I can still do it in my mind.  Someone has to support the winner.

[Mule Brain]

Here is a link to the article mentioned above, and thanks for posting that info on it.     https://www.muzzleblasts.com/archives/vol2no6/articles/mbo26-2.shtml

So far I have found .40 to be my favorite for shooting match. Find a rifle that is comfortable to shoulder, and bench shoot it for an accuracy test. If you end up smiling, then your on to something. You want that rifle to balance where you will be holding it, that helps a great deal. I wish I could get out to the range more often, but between times, I do a lot of just holding it on target as long as I can. 

[OldMtnMan]

As you can guess I prefer the Hawken. Hook it under my bicep to hold up the barrel. Heavy barrel to hold steady. A nice light set trigger. Hold dead center and let it rip!

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

As far as stock design goes, one of the most important variables, critical to consistent holds without excessive tiring, is Length of Pull.  For reasons I cannot fathom, most shooters these days want at least a 14" lop.  And for serious offhand shooting, that is just too long for me.  I am 6'2" tall, weigh 239 pounds, and have a 35" inseam.  I prefer 13 1/2" lop.  I find a 14" lop makes me have to reach for the front trigger, with my style of shooting.  And that is standing as straight and erect as I can with head up, bringing the rifle to my eye, rather than squinching down and trying to find the sights by searching for a cheek weld.  My favourite offhand rifle is a .50 cal. Chambers' Virginia Rifle @ 10 pounds.  It is forward heavy enough with that C weight barrel to be very steady to hold, and is particularly satisfying off a plank or table, shooting consistent small groups at 50 - 60 yards.
I have never been to Friendship so I have no idea how I'd fare against American marksmen and women.  But we have an annual BC Rendezvous - ten days of shooing competition, and I have been very successful there, in both trail type competition and target shooting, almost all offhand.
And I have received immense enjoyment shooting with some very capable members of this site.  I have much admiration for those who post such excellent targets in our postal matches.  This is wonderful practice, and I encourage more of you to participate.  With dedication you will see your skill improve.

[Stoner creek]

Taylor, I’m a bigger boy than you are and I’m cozy with 13 3/8” or less pull. I’ve made a few rifles with a 13” trigger pull that held beautifully. I think my next personal gun will have 13 1/4” or less pull.

[OldMtnMan]

I feel different about LOP. I made a living trap shooting. I had a custom stock made for my shotgun by a gunmaker. The LOP came to 14 3/8". Anything less and my nose is against my thumb. I don't crawl the stock either. My head stays upright. I'm cursed with long arms. Sleeves are always too short.

The new GPR I ordered has a LOP of 14". I can live with that.

[Daryl]

6'1" and 230 pounds, 32" inseam, short legs, long trunk and 35" sleeves. 17" neck, seems to me. I also like 13 1/2" - as on my .69. Fits perfectly - with the butt on my pectoral muscle for hold.
My squirrel rifle has a 13 3/8" length of pull that seems just right. I hold it in the same place, however such a light recoiling rife doesn't hurt with the pointy butt plate. I do not like a bicep hold.
My Beck has a 14" "pull" and that reach for the front trigger is bloody nasty and does not help me shoot. It's quite flat butt sits where it should, just like my English guns (the flinter also has a
13 1/2" pull and fits me like a glove.

[alacran]

I like 13 1/2 for most rifles and a lot of that depends on the drop at the heel. Also depends on the type of butt plate. If it is meant to be shot of the bicep 13 3/4 works. I can shoot a 14 inch trigger reach, but that would be a summer gun.  I make all my guns between 13 1/4 to to 13 1/2. My sleeve length is 33, so I do not have gorilla arms.

[bob in the woods]

My rifle used for serious off hand target shooting at our club was pretty much per Steven, Taylor and Daryl's posts.  The most common caliber used in competition, however , was .54    At 50 yards, there were more than a few scores of 50, and the X's required to win were 3, 4 or sometimes 5 !
Mine was an under hammer , 36 in long 1 in oct Green Mountain barrelled rifle with Parker Hale P14 micrometer sights .  Off the sticks, you could shoot dimes with it.  After much begging, I relented and sold it to a friend.     

[Daryl]

That almost looks like an A. J. Parker aperture, with an adjustable Diopter.
Mine has a W.GEHMANN D75 KARLSRUNE, W Germany diopter on it.

[stuart cee dub]

Hi Sheppsan ,
 I built a .40 cal target rifle much like you are discussing ,on a 15/16th across the flats Rice match grade barrel at 35'' as a half stock percussion rifle with set triggers .For a target rifle IMHO there is no need to use a long swamped barrel . I liked the weight on the nose end for serious target work . Also a shorter barrel is easier to tend regarding cleaning wiping between shot etc .I'm not short but I find myself happier with a barrel no longer than 38'' swamped or no .I use a heavy brass ramrod and as that goes up and down cleaning and loading all day I find a shorter barrel less fatiguing in general.

There may be some theoretical advantage as well regarding bullet dwell time in a shorter barrel . Olympians use barrels that have short rifled sections with false large diameter  front sections so the pellets isn't as effected by any shooter wobble in the brief time between the trigger squeeze and the pellet emerging from the rifling.I guess all these little things add up.

If I were to remake that rifle or something  similar to it , I would go to .45 cal as .40 just didn't do well on windy days at 100 yds .A heavy rifle soaks up the recoil and recoil is cumulative, that's why .40 is often considered, but then reading the wind becomes more critical . I would build it with less drop in the stock to get a better cheek weld .My mistake was once I got my adjustable peep sights mounted it changed my sightline just enough to bother me . I had made this with the intention of using both open sights and Peep  sights so I could shoot in the any metallic sights match .Also the little .40 cal holes were hard to see even with a spotting scope especially on the bear target. 

 I used a Armstrong brass crescent buttplate ,large at about 5'' tall and liked it as it helped me to consistently mount the rifle for off hand shooting  . As its a target rifle it wasn't a copy of anything but looked a lot like half stock target rifle made in the mid 19th century in the Ohio area. I always liked the Vincent trigger guard as there was always a place for all my fingers to rest naturally

Sometimes you see some really crazy parts combinations in target rifles  .
A pal of mine shoots a half stock flinter that uses a small Siler  ..a very very quick small Siler. It's a longish .40 cal straight sided barrel ,7/8 across the flats maybe 38'' long in a plain piece of maple .It has set triggers .  If it were just sitting on a table you might offer 300 dollars for it and think you were being generous.The adjustable rear sight was originally for a .45 auto from some company in Iowa now no longer made. The whole combination is coyote ugly, but it has performed very well in the hands of a number of shooters locally and at Friendship.
The name of this particular rifle is not repeatable in polite company.

I bring this up simply to illustrate that for a target only rifle you only need to make it shoot for you.
Target rifles need not follow any particular style but only follow the rules in the rule book .
Do check the rules .

   

[Sheppsan]

Stuart, thanks for your feedback.  I ended up ordering a 36," .40cal, 15/16 match barrel from Rice and an Early Virginia kit from Pecatonica which gives me a pretty flat butt-plate and only 2.5" drop at the heel.  Am hoping this will allow for an off-hand position similar to one of the vintage bolt rifles I am used to shooting.  Initially plan on using a traditional fixed sight, but may mount a removable tang/peep sight later.  I certainly agree that for a target gun all you need to make it do is shoot for you.  Provided the rifle meets match requirements, I am way more interested in functionality than sticking with any particular style or school.

Regards, Sheppsan