Oh, okay. Me duh. Poor guy. 40-50 SS then. New barrel. rkaires convinced me. Light bullets to get the recoil down. One of them honed GM barrels. 



             Joe.

One BPCR shooter I know personally sometimes uses 40-50ST and scores well, including 500M rams. His bullet is 400grainer.

In most recent BPCR shoots I have used 300, 370 or 400 grainers over 47-53gr Swiss FFg or 1,5Fg in 40-65 cases, with enough wads to get 370 and 400 grainers to engrave onto rifling. Muzzle velocities 1150-1200fps. Steel critters hit = knockdowns. Misses were my fault.

Grisen

There are at least a couple of 300grainer 40 cal bullets that shoot well for some of us at 200M and 300M. Lyman 412263 designed for 405 Win. and RCBS 82070 300gr. Even Lyman 410426 250gr sized 0,410" shoots well at 200M. My 40-65 has 1:16 twist. Powders have been Swiss ffg and 4759. Have used 250 gr over 20,0 gr 4759 for 50-200M MS with good results for 40-50 shots offhand, no issues with recoil with 9,5lb rifle. 

300 grainers do well on pigs at 300M, not tried them on turks at 385M.

Doubt that either of these 300grainers in my rifle will group well enough for Schuetzen at 200M, unless perhaps in matches for 0,40 or larger bore rifles.

Grisen

The pistol round, a 38/40, a twist rate of around 1-26 and a 260-280 grain bullet is a possiblity if the bullet could withstand the high pressures needed to compete at 200 yards. Just think about the clean powder burn and the resultant low velocity variation the 38/40 could provide; smokeless powder of course.

Boats,

Surprised that you would consider a 200gr 38-40 bullet "weak" for 200M rams. I have used 44-40 rifle chambering in M92 carbine for years with loads mimiking original BP loads (Lyman 42798 205gr at 1300fps)  and only now and then fail to knock down a 200M ram (normally fails are with low center hits). If I go to various older 230-240gr bullet designs it gets even better but, recoil in a 6lb carbine spoils fun. 

In a heavier single shot I would not feel undergunned with the 44-40 RIFLE cartridge and 230-240 gr bullets at 1300-1400fps for 200M target shooting.

Grisen

boats wrote on Jan 17^th, 2016 at 8:07pm:

Of course the chamber would have to be cut to minimum clearance but the head is strong enough to hold the pressures that would be used against a plain base bullet. With the right powder it could be a tack driver at 200. My Browning BPCR in 40/65 shoots a Accurate 260B rather nicely but the twist and case volume keep the round from it's best potential.

When I say the 38/40 is "weak" I mean performance. It hits them hard enough. Short fat 40 caliber 200 gr bullet drifts in the wind too much. 

NRA Rifle Silhouette you can shoot about any caliber you want on the 50 100 150 200 yard targets.  30/30 is the winning caliber with 38/55 next.  Anything else is way down the list.

Many shooters not owning a rifle caliber use their Pistol Caliber Rifles. Pistol caliber match is shot at 40 50 75 & 100 Meters. Common calibers are .357. 45 Colt 25/20 32/20 and my 38/40.  Never see any Pistol Caliber's winning the 200 yard Rifle event.  I have tried it with my 38/40 and it's a waste of time.

Hot rod the cartridge not limited to the 200 gr bullet it's going to do better. Big thing is the case itself. While size and shape is right brass is thin. In my Lever Gun they don't last long, And are not easy to buy.

My advice is build a dedicated 200 yard 40 on a strong rimmed rifle case with ideal capacity for the job.   30/40 or .303 use 250 to 300 gr bullet with good B/C. Could be something could be built up on a 30/30 case too. If NRA Rifle Silhouette allowed wildcats (they don't) that's what I would be looking at. 

I think the 40 and over matches in Schuetzen are intended to give larger guns a place to shoot. BPCS rifles mostly, We see a lot of 45/70's and even Trapdoors in over 40 around here. Build something optimal have a better chance to beat the come to play shooters. If that's the objective. It's fun speculating on cartridges, I am sticking with 38/55 steel 32/40 paper at 200 yards. If I shoot over .40 will use my less than optimal 40/65

Boats

Thinking about it, when Schuetzen shooters looked for modern solutions to the 200 yard target they went to 357 Magnum pistol cases sized to 32 Caliber Barrel twist and bullets to suit 200 yard rifle work.

No reason you could not do the same in over 40 using the .44 Magnum pistol case.   Take the 32 Miller concept and blow it up to 40 caliber. 

Back to 38/40 & 44/40. They have never done much in Lever Silhouette . With its 56 lb 200 meter Ram target.  Reason is Lever silhouette you are required to cycle the cartridge through the magazine restricting bullet weight and re-barreling is not allowed. Have to shoot as built. No doubt in a single shot rifle only rule "over 40" either could perform well 


Boats