Gunny, I guess that just goes to show that they all have their warts. I personally have never liked the Meacham wall because of their so-called 'safety' firing pin design, but didn't know about the tang problem. It's absolutely INEXCUSABLE in a $4000 rifle, for that price you can get a rifle built by a real custom (Guild) gunsmith to your specs within reason of course.

Very interesting, especially considering that Meacham made such a big deal out of their claim that their parts supposedly were made to such exacting tolerances that they would interchange perfectly with the factory stuff. Horsefeathers, obviously.

And it looks even worse that Steve wouldn't voluntarily correct the problem when discovered & brought to his attention. But I guess the almighty dollar was more important, too bad.
Cheers, Joe

Quote:

Well - there are Martini's of course! 
SOrry JD, coulldn't stop bringing up the subject - I just about shoot everything with Martini's.  Participated in this year's Trafalgar meeting in Bisley shooting nothing but Martini's .  Problem is - nobody's making new ones, it strictly is a custom proposition.  Posiitive points are the stout action and fast locktime, and the basic price for an action is also quite reasonable.  On the other side, cleaning from the breech is very hard, and the rifle has no tangs - but that throughbolt is a very secure buttstock fastening...  Seriously looking at rechambering one of my 45-70's to 500/450#2 musket for some LR shooting...

Just thought I'd give one other option, that might save a little money, and still provide a decent alternative, and good shooter.
You might consider looking for a good original used gun or action. Original Rolling Block smokeless actions, or beater rifles can make a good BPCR rifle, although not the best choice for schuetzen. Other guns like a Winchester Hi Wall action, or Ballard forged action, would make a decent all around gun, and when built up with a reasonably priced Green Mountain barrel, they would be competitive too. 
Depepnding on what you pay for a beater gun, or action, you could get in pretty cheap. I found an old Ballard #4 complete gun for $200, and when completed, I have less than $1,000 in it. I also found a rebarreled Hepburn action, and when I finished it, I have about $950 in it.
Just some other choices, if you're not in too big a hurry.

What Froggie said. All my rifles are rebuilt oldies.
ttfn, Joe

Browning's Traditional Hunter in 38-55 was the first rifle of mine I used in schuetzen.  They have a tang and through bolt but can be difficult to find.  I paid a grand for mine but am unaware of the current prices.   

Just thought I woudl offer another avenue to search.  The Brownings in my opinion, would be a better choice than a Uberti/Cimmaron over the long haul.

But if you are serious, go with one of the new version Highwalls, CPA's or Ballard.  I have seen CPA unfinished schetzen models for as little as $1200 (most being from $1500 to $2000.  Find some one selling a used rifle that needs the money or wants a new toy.  The time spent searching will pay dividends in the end.  Don't be in so big a hurry to play that you buy a second or third choice and have to lose money to trade up later anyway.

Corky

HST 

The stock on the Traditional Hunter can be improved upon.  The BPCR stock fits, with some minor modification.  The tang for the TH is about 3/8" shorter than the BPCR.  I bought a piece of black micarta to fill the gap.

The curved butt plate on the TH is not perfect for our game but it could be cut square.  I was thinking of the 38-55, but rebarreling would give you unlimited choices and other calibers might be slightly less $.   

Corky

Well i have been reading about the CPA,s. I found it was only 1-3/4 hours from my house. I called and got directions and made the trip last monday. They had a 40/70 sillewet rifle in stock on there web site that i was interested in. The web site said it was 1625 with unfinished stocks.
    When i got there gail showed me the rifle ,918 that was listed.. Boy i got to say it was pretty. I looked for the flaws that had been mention and could not find them. The wood on this rifle was more than fancy. I had payed c-sharps 75$ upgrade that not even close to this one. I asked about the engraved one and how much. Gail got a recever that had the copy of standerd stevens engraving and it had a satian silver plate. I sure was nice not a scratch on the recever. She also showed me a few mor ingraved ones ,some with gold inlay. One was fron ken hurst. I asked gail about the wear and tarnish of the silver finish. Gail went an got an origenol 44-1/2 in silver finish boy it still looked good. Yes there were sum shiner spots from wear but it had that nice old look that it should have.
  Rifle 918 had the ball and sper lever that i did not like  I asked if i could get the loop lever. No proplem. I like that silver engraved recever, how much 350$ extra. She even put the wood stock and the barrel on the silver recever so i could see what that combination would look like.
   Now you ask did i get #918 yes i did.  It is as fine a rifle as the browing bpcr,c-sharps and pedersolie,s that i have handled or own. The wood i woul say is better. The lever is not sloppe. The barrel has no sights ,  a mat barrel finish but the screws are bright blue. If you can do the finish work on the wood, that is sanding not shapeing or fitting it,s the way to go if money is tight. Yes the uberties and pedersolie are cheeper but there wood is not as nice. O ya i staied with the color cased recever. But i keep thinking of a vermit rifle weth that silver ingraved recever. with a 219 don cal. barrel with bright blue and maybe the s lever. I can also get evtra barrels in maybe 22 hornet , or 38/55...or......
  The best cal for first gun, cal 38/55 win/marlin/ ballerd. It can be used for hunting, sillewets and that shootzen game. With a gm barrel in 1/14 twist you got all the bases covered.I,ve been shooting a hepburn in 38/55 most of all last year and like it the best over the 40/65,45/70 and the 50/90. Why did i get the 40/70 just did not have one in that cal. E/mail or call and see what they have in stock I did handle a buTfull 22cal wermit rifle with fiddleback maple with a golden honey finish and dark checkering that was hard to put down. If you ever get around that way stop by and take a look. It will well be worth the trip.