effective distance of cast bullets

[mike in co]

One thing not mentioned here is the effective range of the shooter. Long range shooting is an art in itself that requires lots of trigger time and dedication, you don't just plop yourself down on the firing line and start yanking the trigger. One of the best things that you can do for training is learn to shoot smallbore prone first. There are others here that will attest to this and that it is harder then highpower.

what he just said
go prone with a 22....yep 22 lr at 200 is very close to 308 at long distance( its called mini palma if i remember corectly)


cheap practice.


mike in co

[DLCTEX]

Billy Dixon was also in the Buffalo Wallow Battle, north of my house about 18 miles. His descendants live and ranch near the Buffalo wallow. Do a google search for Billy Dixon and click on the Texas Handbook Online. Also search Buffalo Wallow. He and five other survivors received the Congressional Medal Of Honor for their actions there.

[Luke2236]

How do you like the Mueller scope? I've got a couple on my 10/22's and like them. Just not sure how a $125 scope would hold up on a larger caliber. These scopes are as clear as anything on the market.
.

I'll let you know when I get it on Monday. My scope was $269 and was tested by I think snipercountry.com to be a good second runner to the Leopolds for the .308.

[RBak]

DCLTEX,Hi.Where can I find out about Billy Dixon.Am interested as I have heard him mentioned several times. Thanks.

That particular shot has been discussed, cussed, and praised as long as I have been around listening to stories of long range shooting.
Many modern shooters feels it was impossible, given the firearms and powders of the time, while just as many feel they could "probably" duplicate that shot, given a little practice at that range.

I enjoy the story every time I read it, and I marvel at the precision in all the variable controls it took to pull it off.

One of the better online synopsis and attempts to duplicate that shot can be found here.....
http://www.levergun.com/articles/bdixon.htm

If you have never read or heard the story this could provide some interesting reading.

In the early 1980's I had a Rem 700 Varminter in .308 with a Weaver T-10 that I used to ring the Ram gonger on the Silhouette Range at 500 meters, and I did it with monotonous regularity using cast bullets....problem was, that particular load would only occasionally, if ever, take a Ram down during a match. It was death on Chickens and Pigs, and I never could hit the darn Turkeys no matter what I was shooting, so the whole thought of ever becoming a silhouette shooter kinda went down the drain.
At the time, I knew of only one other person shooting (or attempting to shoot) cast, and he was a "B Class" shooter who did it just for the grins and giggles....a good enough reason for any of us to shoot, if you ask me.

Russ

[Dutchman]

The absolute best read on the subject and one that I read non-stop until I was finished as it was such a well written book:

"The Buffalo Harvest" by Frank H. Mayer & Charles B. Roth

Mayer died in 1954 in Fairplay, Colorado. He was 104. He was in Dodge City in 1872. Hunt this book down and buy it. Pioneer Press (Dixie Gun Works).

"In Search of the Buffalo, the story of J. Wright Mooar" by Charles G. Anderson
re-published by Pioneer Press (Dixie Gun Works)

Somewhere I read that the cartridge that killed more buffalo than any other was the .50-70 Gov't. It was "milsurp" in the 1870s. Civilians could get free ammo at army forts. Frank Mayer would break down the ammo for the powder.

A little earlier historically but very well documented:

Reports of Experiments with Small Arms for The Military Service by Officers of the Ordnance Department, U.S. Army. Published by authority of the Secretary of War. 1856. (the Secretary of War in 1856 was Jefferson Davis)

Testing went to 1/2 mile, 880 yards. Many of the tests were done in 1854-55 at Harpers Ferry. There were a great deal of tests done with trials barrels and projectiles and rifles were fired from a machine rest, which is illustrated.

For example: "Size of target at 1,000 yards, 20 x 24 feet. Number of shots in target 24. Whole number fired 25." Fired with "new" rifled musket Nov. 15, 1855. Bullet weight 500 grs, powder 60 grs, "wind strong left".

You might also visit "United States Firearms 1776-1876" by Butler. There is much there concerning the 1871-72 rifle and ammunition trials conducted by the Ordnance Dept.

Somewhere on the web I read something akin to: "The Trapdoor Springfield at 1 mile". Don't know where it is but its worth hunting down.

Anybody who disparages Billy Dixon is an idiot who's proud of his ignorance.

Dutch

[flhroy]

some more long range shooting with the 45/70


http://www.researchpress.co.uk/longrange/sandyhook.htm