Why the change in rifle weight?

I have shot at 1000 Yds. with a Sharps Borchard 45X2 7/8". It is an original Rifle. The Load was 10 Gr 4759, 100 Grs Elephant 1 FG
The Postel Bullet 535 Grs Pan Lubed and resized to .452 Diameter. 30/1 Lead/Tin
I know what you mean about a Moving Experience. Only took three shots from 1000 Yds to find the target from a 450 Yd zero.
We just kept cranking the sight up. We were shooting from a Bench on a large Flatbed Truck in a Cow Pasture. About 20 shooters from all walks, from Deer Hunters to serious Schuetzen shooters. Everyone wanted to shhot the BIG Sharps.
Target was a 40" Steel plate hanging from a swinger frame. Most were happy once they had a GONG! and gave up the Rifle to the next guy. When I later went down Range to look at the target I found we had  created a group that was just under 10" with also a number of edge hits. But the definite pattern was mostly centered, so the gun could shoot. I decided that I would not ever shoot that load again. Too much pain. Basicly  we were shooting a Greese Groove bullet as a Paper Patch bullet. Since that time I have aquired two Original Original Sharps Long Range Rifles In fine condition. Hope to shoot them this summer.
They are in .45 X 2 4/10" Caliber. To us 45-90. Not interested in the 535 Gr. Bullet, hurts too much. HTH  FITZ OLD TUCK

Come on down to Ben Avery in Phoenix the first 10 days of March and practice. AZWINS and the USIMLT run three long range (800, 900, 1000 yd) matches back to back with BPCR silhouette match to start the whole thing off. About 70 -75 degrees that time of year, good campground and LOTS of 1000 yard practice. In the past I've used my Axtell 1877 exact reproduction of the Overbaugh Creedmoor long range rifle: 45-100, 10 pounds, no set trigger, 100% black powder.
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

LRF wrote on Jan 18^th, 2020 at 6:36pm:


'Most everyone has gone to 12#, for the stated reasons.   The original requirement of 10# was from the old Brits, whose alleged aim was to develop improved service rifles.   If he were to change that rule, probably nobody would show up, as no-one HAS 10# rifles but a few who shoot originals.

CHRIS
RGChristensen

rgchristensen wrote on Jan 19^th, 2020 at 12:03am:


I'm sure that's most, if not all, of the reason.  It would be hard to get a rifle of that weight these days.  An 1874 Shiloh with a standard weight barrel wouldn't likely make it.  Mine, with a 34" barrel is over 11 lbs.

I'm sure you could configure one of their new 1877 models to make the 10 lb weight, but there aren't a lot of those out there right now.

Chris.

OK my bad. Went to the Book. "Irish Rifleman in America" By 
A.B. Leech. In the initial challenge by the Irish team the Rifle weight was specified 10.0 Lbs. and I have read on thru looking for
any change I have found nothing taking the weight any higher.
Now I am going to check my Rifles. Bah! FITZ OLD TUCK

OK Vall I believe that weight. I read somewhere that they checked the weights and if your Rifle did not make the weight you were disqualified for the day's shooting. I have after 50 years of lusting managed to come into 2 & 1/2 Long Range Sharps Rifles. Two of them are in all original condition with fine bores. The third the 1/2 is an all original from the face of the receiver back to the Butt stock that had been rebarreld by William Brophy  into a .219 Improved Zipper. I bought it at auction and brought it home and took it apart. I had an original Long Range barrel that had been shortened
to 26" with an original Forend  and shot it, it still shot good. But since then I have come into an original Sharps barrel in .45 x 2 4/10" that is all the same diameters as the LR except for the length, it is 30" have not fired it yet. Hope to do some stuff this summer with them  and see if I can shoot in the LR match Rick Weber is getting going at Oak Ridge. I did some research in Sellers
book and found some info that is interesting. By the way I agree with you on the size of the barrels on the Ballard Long Range rifles.
I always felt that they looked awful small for the kinds of loads they would have to handle. Well all for now FITZ OLD TUCK.