Suspect this topic has been aired, but after reading many of the posts and searching through my journals, I thought I'd raise it here. Events are over mostly for the year around this area, and the ranges are taken over by hunters sighting in. So, without a hot stove league to pester, I'm asking what folks think might be an entry level SS for a shooter starting out at 63 with a slight touch of rhuematoid arthritis and ulnar drift in both hands--good health otherwise. 

Pistol grips help the hands and .30-30 recoil has little impact on the RA. Currently considering Uberti low and high walls, Rugers, Rolling Blocks in that order. I've looked at the Meacham and Ballard (Cody, WY) offerings but they're much too pricey for my budget and at my stage of the game. Considering .22 Hornet, .30-30, .32-20, .38-55  in the Ubertis, .22 Hornet and 7 x 57 in the Ruger, and found a Pedersoli Rolling Block .30-30 for $400 locally.

Plan would include getting comfortable with the piece and basic accouterments, then trying out any CAS long range events where SS were allowed while investigating Schuetzen and BPCR.  Shooting IMHSA is not likely as I favor SS,  not some of the bolt action contraptions I've seen out there, but would like to try it once in the 7 x 57 or .300 Savage (I'm a traditionalist). Thanks to all for any input.  Shep 

Shep, You are in a postion that, with slight variation, we have nearly all occupied.  I would have held forth for a variety of solutions over the years, but since I have shot a variety of rifles over the last couple of years, this is my current thinking...Buy a Ruger #1 (or #3) in .30-30 if you can find it or better yet one of the rarer .38-55s if you get very lucky.  The rifle shoots well as is, and since it is so popular for after-market accessories (somewhat like a Model A Ford in its hot-rod days!) you can do literally ANYthing you want with it.  Other than the lack of an external hammer, which precludes use in most BPCR matches, and the current use of a single, non-adjustable trigger (the latter part of which - adjustment) is easily remedied, this rifle has so much going for it I hardly know where to begin.  It will accept virtually any barrel in any caliber you care to shoot, and may be easily stocked in any configuration you desire.

     I bought a rebarreled #1 with a heavy Douglas Premium tube in .32-40 with the idea of robbing its scope and reselling it.  I don't see it going anywhere though, as it is becoming my favorite rifle for offhand (J. Browning and O. Winchester forgive me!)  With .30-30 you can easily shoot fixed ammo OR there are a world of .30 cal moulds available such that you should find at least one good breech seated bullet combo as well.  If and when you wish to go to .32-40 or .38-55, a simple rebarreling and you are there!  The original buttstock is adequate as is and with the addition of a hooked buttplate becomes even more better.

     That's my story and I'm sticking to it, but as with all things about shooting (and life) YMMV!  8)

Regards,
the Green Frog 

I would have to agree with GW, the CPA’s ease of changing barrels plus the minimal cost to purchase barrels in different calibers ranks it at the top of my list for the best buy out there. They will shoot with the best too!

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Shep,


I had a time where I was unable to go out and play due to medical crap, in that time I made up my mind I needed a brand new rifle. Through the years I had kept costs down and bought actions and my Old Mentor and I would do the work on them. I had some decent rifles to play with in the BPCR and ASSRA style of shooting, but This time I wanted a new one.
Being down I was able to check out many manufactures of rifles, just about all the major ones anyways.
I ended up with CPA in a Silhouette/ long range style that CPA has now.
I got good sights, paid more for them than I had ever spent on a rifle, $840.00.
Sights like rifles I had been through many inexpensive ones to hold costs down.
I spent over 2K on my first CPA, and will never regret it, ever.

Since then I had had a 40-65, 32-40, 219 zipper for that action, and had run into a deal on a schuetzen CPA and have it barreled in, .22 rim, 25-20ss, 32-40.
So I shoot basically the same rifle in my BPCR and ASSRA style of shooting.
I think If I had done this way back I would have saved money.
If you pay over the 2k costs, I am almost sure you can get the money back later, or close to it.
I too have a touch of RA, At one time it was totally debilitating, I couldn't even walk well, or do much of anything then, that being beat I can now shoot a 556 gr 45 cal bullet all day with no sissy pad because of the way the CPA is set up, the comb of the stock is 3/4" below the axis of the bore as the NRA has it's rules laid down for BPCR silhouette.
I had Paul install a large magnum recoil pad when I ordered it, and I installed a mercury recoil suppressor in the butt of the BPCR so I could/can stand the recoil, and it weighs in under the 12.2oz standard of the NRA rules for BPCR Silhouette.

So my opinion is check into  the CPA, and I believe it fits into the venues you sound interested in. And it is so nice to be able to remove the barrel for cleaning and changing to another cal quickly and accurately.

Yes with it and the goodies, moulds etc, it will be some cash lay out, but we only live once.

Have you ever lived like you were dying?  Be selfish once, it feels good and you most likely deserve it.

Quote:

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Folks,

There is a lot of good things being said about the CPA Stevens 44  1/2 reproduction. There is however a negative side and those facts maybe should be reported as well. When I first statred shooting BPCR Suilhouette about 5 years ago. I saw a CPA and thought it was a very cool rifle. I talked to Gale and Paul Shuttleworth at the Nationals and ordered one of there rifles. After waiting with baited anticapation for almost a year I recieved that Stevens copy. It was a Silhouette madel with a 32 inch barrel as heavy as Paul could make it so that it would make Silhouette weight. It had up graded wood a left hand cheek piece and was chambered in 45=90. I already had loads ready for the range way before this rifle arrived, loads for fireforming so that the real work could begin. I loaded up and headed for the range. These loads where some as I said where for fireforming the cases and I had taken no great pains in them. I do all of my testing at 385 meters or 422 yds, I had installed a Murry Cannon long range rear sight and a MVA front site with level. Right out of the box this CPA was a shooter. With these cobbled together loads it was shooting right around 2 to 2 1/2 MOA at 385 meters, I was impressed. Got done shooting and while cleaning this rifle I noticed BIG scratches in the reciever almost 40 or 60 grit scratches. They looked like the where there and just colored over. The extractor slot was so loose that if I turned the rifle on its side the action wouldn't open. I dropped the block and found those same 40 or 60 grit and filling marks on the block sides and on the inside of the action as well. 

I called Paul Shuttleworth and told and explaned these defects to him. Paul is a very nice man and he and his daughter Gale are both very good people to deal with but Paul explaned to me, that he knew of these defects as I called them. He further said that the CPA was a faithful reproduction of the orignal Srevens and was made with all of the warts as they where. I found this to be a problem in the fact that this was a custom built rifle made for me. I had waited almost a year to get this rifle and thought it could have been better some how. That CPA found a new home within the week and I moved on. I simply could not live with those flaws. The rifle was when I recieved it a very good shooter right out of the box however. I still feel that a custom built over $2,000.00 rifle should be better quality wise, I wish I had known of these problems before hand, maybe it would have eased them some.

Shep, your question was about which of these SS would be a good choice. In my humble opinion if a feller wanted to get started in any of these sports BPCR or Schuetzen or Cowboy he should choose a caliber that would do all of that in the begining. Your choice of 30-30 will not. The 38-55 will work in all of these sports and do a fair job I feel. I also think it is the MIN caliber you should look at "If you are considering BPCR Silhouette" in this target group of sports. If that is the case then the Ruger is also out as it is not allowed in Suilhouette. There are some very good entre level Quality rifles out there in 38-55. One is the C. Sharps Highwall this is also a custom built rifle with a starting price of around $1,500.00. The Highwall is a great action and probably the strongest of all of these SS. There also is the Uberti now owned by Berreta highwall, these can be had in 35-55 with 30" barrels need only sights and new can be bought for arounf $795.00. Good luck with what ever choice you end up making.

Gunny

GWarden,

I am certainly glad that you didn't have the cosmetic problems I did. The problem with an "Honest" post like the one I made is it is going to offend someone, that was not my intention, and no flames where implied or intended, just the basic honest truth as I see it. 

The CPA Stevens 44 1/2 is a reproduction of the orignal Stevens. These rifles where "In Fact" inexpensive and cheaply made rifles intended for the new shooter almost a hundred years ago. Paul Shuttleworth told me hisself that he wanted to be faithful to the original Stevens. And reproduced these rifles with all of there flaws. On this particul;ar rifle the fellow I sold it to who happens to hold the senior record at the Nationals to this day did not like the Ball and Spur lever that is standered. I talked to Gale Shuttleworth and she happened to have one of there Plain levers in stock. This was rare as the plain lever for the Stevens is very popular and they seldom have them in stock as they are almost always back ordered. The Plain lever is very much like the one on Highwalls. Gale sent this lever right away and simple exchanged it for the Ball and Spur lever, even swap. The plain lever that came in had a casting hole all the way through it and then had been colored over. There is no way that this lever could have been handled in the poloishing and coloring stage without them seeing it, it went all the way through the lever!!

Warden I also stated in my post that the Shuttleworths where fine people and I personally like them very much. However no matter how nice they are. What does that have to do with the rifles the turn out. I have seen and inspected dozens of CPA's without a doubt I have seen some of these flaws in all of them, the large extractor slot is present in almost every CPA as this is just the way the original was.

All of these things I am talking about are strictly cosmetic flaws and none of them interferred with the working of nor the accuracy of the CPA Stevens 44 1/2. But in a $2,000.00 custom made one at a time rifle they should not be there In My Opinion.

Gunny

All,
Gunny and I are old adversaries, we've had aa number of e-clashes over the past several years. I've never known Gunny to lie or even to shade the truth as he sees it, but that don't mean he's always right and sometimes I draw his attention to that. (VBG)

However in this case I gotta agree with him 200%.

I've not heard many complaints about the accuracy of the CPAs but HAVE seen several glitches that shouldn't have been present on such a pricey rifle. I'm NOT saying the rifles are no good, just saying that IMO they should be fitted and finished a lot better for the money.

Personally if I had a couple of thousand to spend on a new rifle, it sure wouldn't go for a rifle that required further adjustment (firing pins etc) or was finished in less than a superior manner (casting flaws etc). For those of you who are happy with your CPAs, more power to you. As for me, I want a little better braggin' rights for my money.

Sorry, no flames intended except to the makers who believe that second-rate products deserve first-rate pricing. AAMOF this also applies to the higher-priced Sharps replicas that STILL experience firing pin and lever spring problems as well as some of the more-famous Winchester wall replicas that STILL have firing pin problems.

After 120 years you'd think that the makers could do better.

For a couple of thou, it's my opinion that there should be NO grounds for consumer complaint. After all, what would you think of a new bolt-action rifle (for MUCH LESS than $1000) that had such problems? I'll wager that there would be no joy in Mudville if Remington, Ruger or Winchester marketed such an imperfect product, so why should we accept less from supposedly 'custom' makers?

The natural human tendency is to defend one's choices regardless of how inappropriate they may ultimately prove. However, Gunny's right when he points out that the original Stevens products were aimed at the lower price range and were poorly-fitted/finished in comparison to some others of the day. So why would we think that a faithful replica would be any better?
ttfn, Joe

PS I deliberately haven't addressed the design shortcomings of the Stevens products, only the aesthetics and functioning problems. Again I gotta agree with Gunny, IMO the Win wall is the best replica for most of us. JMO