Anyone here shoot 25 yard offhand match's?

[biliff]

Our club holds a monthly match where we shoot two 25 yard relays, two 50 yd relays and one 100yd relay offhand. There's also a 50 yd cross stick relay and a 25 yard pistol relay thrown in for good measure. Targets are scored by the center of the ball. I recently switched to a .40 Kibler SMR (yes I realize it's flint and we're in the percussion forum) to move away from my heavier .54 and .58 rifles. The Kibler weighs in at just under 7lbs. The 46" barrel gives a good sight radius and the front sight subtends a smaller section of the target which I believe helps with shot placement. I sighted it dead on at 50 yds which puts me 1/2" high at 25 yds and 8" low at 100yds. Figured I'd be better off with holding dead on for four relays and 8" off on one. Additionally, the .40 lets me shoot rifle and squirrel trails at rendezvous with the same rifle. Still enough to ring steel at distance and good for squirrel targets out to 50 yds. With the current powder situation using half the charge I was shooting in the big bores is also a plus.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

The balance and handling qualities of an offhand rifle are more important than caliber or weight. The sights should be lined up with each other without having to strain your head or neck when you shoulder the rifle and the balance should be such that you're not fighting the weight to keep on target or wobbling all over because it's too light. Handle as many different rifles as you can before you spend your money on one that doesn't fit.

 

[Kansas Kid]

You mentioned you are retiring soon so I’ll assume you probably wont be getting much stronger and really caution against a rifle with heft as some may say. Go on the lighter side as is real easy to add weight such as a weighted ram rod or such. Real hard to put em on a diet after the fact. I shoot club off hand every month on the windy Kansas plains. We shoot 25-35-50-100 yards. You’re left handed like me so that hinders you’re selection some. The .40 cal is plenty big to 100 yards and makes for decent weight in 13/16 38-40” straight octagon barrel. Green Mountain makes/made the best and most consistent shooting barrels but have stopped making the smaller 40 and below ones. An A Weight 38” GM swamp or 13/16 GM straight in a Early Lancaster Issac Haines is a joy to handle and shoot off hand. The late Lancaster style like Pecatonica offers makes a good off hand percussion rifle.

You sure don’t need a giant powder and lead hungry master blaster to kill a paper squirrel so 36 on the light side and 45 on the heavy side.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

What do you shoot and why? If you were building a new rifle just for offhand match's what would you build?

I shoot some rimfire and air rifle benchrest fun match's and I'd like to get into the 25 yard offhand muzzle loader stuff. I work 12 hour shift work currently and don't currently have time to shoot much. My plan is to retire next fall and I'd like to build a rifle and have the bugs worked in time to shoot it next fall.
Thanks, Justin

I shoot flint whenever the matches I am entering allow. In my 50 year range I have changed my rifles due to body language. My first main competition rifle was a 44" long 1" straight octagon kentucky long rifle. When I became of middle age, the old bod could not comfortably support that critter, so I made another only with a shorter barrel. Later in life, I made another adjustment by building a 38" swamp. Had to get lighter again if ya know what I mean! To me a good offhand shooter will do well if at least two items are present: 1. The gun fits, so everything flows from pick up to settle down with natural posture sight alignment. 2. Know your gun & practice.
Larry

 

[1BadDart]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My plan is to figure out what I want to build, accumulate the parts and build the rifle. I'm hoping to have it done by next fall to shoot when the match's start.

Justin

 

[11th corps]

We shoot 25 yard off hand postal matches on this forum every month. A new target will be posted by the moderator tomorrow.
Come and join us.

 

[necchi]

The 46" barrel gives a good sight radius and the front sight subtends a smaller section of the target,,,
Figured I'd be better off with holding dead on for four relays and 8" off on one. Additionally, the .40 lets me shoot rifle and squirrel trails at rendezvous with the same rifle.

46", wow.
Good explanation and share. Makes me wanna finish the .40 project I started years ago,, some day,,

 

[1BadDart]

We shoot 25 yard off hand postal matches on this forum every month. A new target will be posted by the moderator tomorrow.
Come and join us.

When I get a rifle built and sorted out I’ll join in the fun.

 

[hunter thompson]

The matches some are a 6 bull target ..i like the 58 renegade i had made from a old 54 bbl..makes the center disappear..HERE,s the funtaget at 25 yards,,to cut the feathers quill ,,bigger is better if your off a lil it will still get the job done

 

[dave951]

One more thing- there is no substitute for practice if you're serious. Get to the range and shoot!

 

[garypl]

When you build your offhand rifle be sure to adjust your sights while shooting offhand and not from a bench rest.

Benchrest when developing the most accurate load so you reduce shooter error but once you have your load developed start shooting offhand groups and adjust your sights so you hit your aim point shooting offhand.

My .40 flintlock is sighted in for when I am shooting offhand. When I shoot from a benchrest or over the log my aiming point changes. Rifles will shoot differently depending on how they are supported.

 

[Va Hunter]

I belonged to a club back in the early ‘80’s and we shot off hand at 25,50 and 100 yards. We shot every Sunday during the summer and once a month during the winter. I managed to win some matches . I used a TC Renegade. Wish I had never gotten rid of the gun. Goes to show you don’t need a high dollar gun to win, I paid $119.95 for it new.

 

[1BadDart]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My plan is to figure out what I want to build, accumulate the parts and build the rifle. I'm hoping to have it done by next fall to shoot when the match's start.

Anyone used this kit? It doesn't have a lot of drop at the heel if the specs are correct. I hope it's okay to post a link, if it's not mods please remove it.

Jedediah Starr Trading Co. On Line Store (jedediah-starr.com)

Thanks, Justin

 

[Rawhide67]

When I first started shooting muzzleloader matched, I used a TC Seneca 45 cuz that's what I had. Local club less than 15 minutes from my house did a monthly woods walk, Jan thru May. Nothing further than about 40 yds. The 45 did fine, it was fun. Now that I have a variety of muzzleloaders to shoot, from 32 to 72 cal flints and caps, the club doesn't do the shoots anymore.

If you're in the market to build a gun to your specs, for a walking shoot, I would avoid heavy but that's just me. After 4 or 5 hours, a 10lb gun can wear on you. I hunted rugged country for 30 years and grew to appreciate a light rifle. Practice makes proficient, even with a lighter gun. And I don't think wind would be much of an issue at 25 yds. If the wind messes you up at 25 yds, probly too windy and dangerous to be in the woods.

Btw, I only won one match with that TC Seneca. Brutal cold below zero morning, windy. We shot from the clubhouse door with the wood stove going and the coffee hot. Enjoyable shoot anyway.

 

[Josephg]

Once in a while I do when a match calls for it. I try to avoid 25 yards as my sights are not set up for target shooting that close.
I prefer fifty yards. A short barrel like 36 inches works best for me. And I like a heavy rifle from 12 to16 pounds. At 25 yards caliber makes little difference other than noise and recoil. I used to use a .38 at Natches every year. Won it every year I shot it with the same score. I'm partial to the Hawken style also or the Schuetzen when rules permit. Couple years ago I used this cute little Daniel Wurfflein rifle at Glasgow MT. It was a hoot!

Happy New Year you guys!

 

[davidmc62]

Once in a while I do when a match calls for it. I try to avoid 25 yards as my sights are not set up for target shooting that close.
I prefer fifty yards. A short barrel like 36 inches works best for me. And I like a heavy rifle from 12 to16 pounds. At 25 yards caliber makes little difference other than noise and recoil. I used to use a .38 at Natches every year. Won it every year I shot it with the same score. I'm partial to the Hawken slyle also or the Schuetzen when rules permit. Couple years ago I used this cute little Daniel Wurfflein rifle at Glasgow MT. It was a hoot!

Happy New Year you guys!

View attachment 112221

Now that is a nice rifle you have their Josephg. There is something about those schuetzen rifles that just make me start to salivate like Pavlov's dog.

 

[1BadDart]

I've been in the basement messing with my 50 cal Great Plains rifle, the barrel is 15/16", it weighs 9# 10oz on my scales. To me it feels to muzzle heavy, it holds well though. it has 3 1/2" drop at the heel, I think I'd like less, so the sights are in alignment when the guns comes to my shoulder.

 

[FishDFly]

"How do you think the mountain men shot them? Shoot nothing but a Hawken and you don't notice the weight anymore. It does help hold steady. I wobble bad with a light gun.

Mountain men were not shooting 25 to 30 shots off hand at 25, 50 and 100 yards and striving for 10X's. There were shooting minute of supper or minute of a hostile.

Minute of venison is lifting 10 pounds one time. Minute of 10x is 10 pounds times 25 times or 250 pounds in 2.5 hours not counting practice shots.

 

[user 36911]

Sorry for that first sentence. That was pretty condescending.

 

[Kansas Kid]

Thanks for all the advice guys. My plan is to figure out what I want to build, accumulate the parts and build the rifle. I'm hoping to have it done by next fall to shoot when the match's start.

Anyone used this kit? It doesn't have a lot of drop at the heel if the specs are correct. I hope it's okay to post a link, if it's not mods please remove it.

Jedediah Starr Trading Co. On Line Store (jedediah-starr.com)

Thanks, Justin

Looks like a good option. Do check out The Issac Haines style rifles from various vendors.