Black Powder Cartridge Winter 2020

I don’t think that anyone in the Black Powder Cartridge News audience would argue that the year 2020 is not one for the history books. Between the COVID-19 drama and the presidential election, life has certainly been turned on its ear. Shooting competitions have taken a huge hit, with the majority of them having been cancelled. Hopefully, we will have moved beyond the “COVID Crisis” by the time this issue hits the newsstands and we can resume our favorite pastime and discipline. Time will certainly tell. ...Read More >

Shooters who favor the Sharps Borchardt single shot will enjoy this issue’s cover and accompanying article by Robert Saathoff on a fine, old Borchardt Long Range rifle. ...Read More >

It is with a heavy heart that we relate the sad news of Roberta “Bobbie” Gier’s recent passing. It surely seems that lately we are losing too many of the good folks that have made our black powder community so special. Bobbie Gier was one of those people. ...Read More >

In Black Powder Cartridge News No. 100, I was able to tell you about the Uberti “Cattleman Target” version of the old Colt Single Action Army “Flat Top” or target model revolver. This gun is still available from Dixie Gun Works and frankly, it is what I will call one of the top offerings of the many “Colt clones.” In my review, and I’ll quote myself, I said, “If all of my wishes had come true, this new gun would be offered in .44 Smith & Wesson Russian/Special too.” ...Read More >

It’s an oft told tale, but one that still cries out for a brief rehash, particularly when one of its overlooked star players is illuminated. ...Read More >

The annual championship Smithmoor Cup BPCR Silhouette match was held July 16-17, 2020. All the stops were pulled out and we put on the best match we could. I am relieved to say it was a big success. We had great food, great facilities, great target setters, and great shooters that all made for a super time. Dad and Momma Lorraine had some grand meals of roast beef with all the “fixing’s” on day one and smoked Tri-tip with all the goodies for day two. We ate like Kings! ...Read More >

First, an admission and a disclaimer: I admit to shooting Damascus antique shotguns. I do so at my own risk and don’t promote the practice. There have been endless debates about this, and I don’t want to pursue it much further here. Let’s get past it in this way – I shoot high-quality Damascus or “twist-steel” guns only with loads consisting of black powder or black powder substitutes. Also, the shotguns I shoot are free of active rust or pitting, have tight actions and show no signs of abuse. They are best quality guns made by known makers. With that said, if you don’t want to shoot Damascus barrels, it’s not a problem. There are a number of good hammer and hammerless double guns to shoot whose barrels are made of “fluid” or solid steel. If you like the idea of shooting a vintage shotgun instead of a modern piece or replica, there are lots of good, steel barrel doubles on the market that will not break the bank. Prewar, field grade Ithacas, Fox Sterlingworths and L. C. Smiths come to mind as well as quality doubles by other makers. At a higher price tag, the classic Winchester Model 1887 lever guns almost all have steel barrels. Winchester did offer twist and Damascus barrels for this model, usually only in the higher grades, but they are rarely encountered today. Replicas of this model are also available. ...Read More >

In this article, I am going to explode some myths about Hall rifles and carbines, which were in service in this country from 1818 to 1865. I have often wondered how a design in use by the military for 47 years could get such a bad reputation, so I bought one and shot it several hundred times to find out. Right here in the first paragraph, I am going to bust the first and biggest myth of all, and the one that eventually brought about the demise of Captain John Hall’s guns. It concerns the so-called “excessive” gas leakage between the breechblock and the barrel. Complaints about gas leakage were virtually nonexistent when the guns were new and tight, but as time went on and thousands of shots were fired through some of them, the gap between the breechblock and the barrel grew wider, and the amount of gas leakage grew. Then, the complaints grew. Now here is the shocker for you. The breechblock can be adjusted to reduce the gap and bring it back into specification and the breechblock can easily move forward. This was as designed by Hall and described in his user’s pamphlet published in 1816. It seems that the critics and most of the senior Army officers were never aware of this, probably because they never read the instruction manual. ...Read More >

After purchasing my first Creedmoor rifle, I did not feel like I was obtaining the type of performance I desired. I was using the rifle for Black Powder Cartridge Target Rifle matches at distances ranging from 200 to 1,000 yards. So, I started a quest to determine if my loading procedures were correct, including velocity, primers, lube and bullet hardness. ...Read More >

This is the second article consisting of tables displaying various extracts from the Frank E. Conrad Ledger.1 This particular article will detail purchases by hide-hunting outfits for the months of September and early October of 1877. Again, just like the previous article, we don’t know the duration of time each of these outfits were resupplying for. Based on the histories of the more successful outfits, it’s safe to presume they intend to be in the field at least from the end of September until March of the following year – when the hides are prime and have the most value. ...Read More >

When somebody hears the words “Sharps rifle,” the first things that probably come to mind are the great buffalo hunts, the “Wild and Wooly West” and tales of long-range shots, Indian attacks, and hunters freezing in blizzards. However, this is a different story. This is about a man and his rifle, who probably never left the eastern seaboard, living most of his life in upstate New York and who desired and then purchased an 1878 Sharps Borchardt target rifle. ...Read More >