3850remhep
Member
No so much a rifle as a cartridge, specifically the .45-90 which I loaded with BP under a 545gr Saeco cast lead bullet. For the course of fire for a typical NRA sanctioned silhouette match, 60 shots left me with head aches and aggravated a chronic whiplash, the result of a pair of substantial rear collisions. The Shiloh Sharps rifle, at 12 lbs delivered more of a very firm shove rather than a sharp punch. After rebarrelling first to a .40-82 and eventually to a .40-60 Maynard (essentially a .40-70 Sharps Straight with a case length of 2.25" instead of 2.5"). The lighter 420gr bullets were a big reduction in recoil.
Eventually however, I transitioned even smaller to the .38-50 Remington-Hepburn cartridge (3850 remhep) built on a Browning BPCR Highwall rifle. The .38-50 is essentially a .40-60 Maynard with a full length taper from the .378" case mouth, trimmed to 2.2" long and loaded with a 330gr - 350gr bullet. Being tapered, its not a finicky to load as are most BP bottle neck cartridges.
As I aged, the further reduction in recoil was understood and appreciated. The .45-90 and larger .45's have a cult like following in Black Powder Cartridge Rifles, it is just too much abuse for me. Harry Pope, the noted barrel maker, identified excess and unnecessary recoil as detrimental in competition. I adopted the philosophy in a witticism: Use enough rifle, but just enough rifle.
Eventually however, I transitioned even smaller to the .38-50 Remington-Hepburn cartridge (3850 remhep) built on a Browning BPCR Highwall rifle. The .38-50 is essentially a .40-60 Maynard with a full length taper from the .378" case mouth, trimmed to 2.2" long and loaded with a 330gr - 350gr bullet. Being tapered, its not a finicky to load as are most BP bottle neck cartridges.
As I aged, the further reduction in recoil was understood and appreciated. The .45-90 and larger .45's have a cult like following in Black Powder Cartridge Rifles, it is just too much abuse for me. Harry Pope, the noted barrel maker, identified excess and unnecessary recoil as detrimental in competition. I adopted the philosophy in a witticism: Use enough rifle, but just enough rifle.