Hi,
I live in Europe, and my local retailer will soon get his hands on a modern Sharps .45-120 rifle, no specifics available yet. I don't know how common it is in the States but it's a very, _very_ rare thing over here. So if I want one I need make up my mind pretty darn quick.
My problem is this: I'm looking for a rifle to compete in open 300m (+-330 yds) target matches. I know the .45-120 is an old blackpowder cartridge, but my retailer claims I can handload them with modern nitro powder. Is this correct? Is this rifle a novelty, a collector's item, or can this venerable historic caliber compete with modern .308 and .223 rifles over such extensive ranges? Maybe I've been looking in all the wrong places but I can't find any data on powder charges, velocity, bullet drop etc. on the net. What pitfalls would I encounter if I were to bring such a rifle to an open match? Brass is expensive, but obtainable, and I like the big straight necked cartridge from a reloader's point of view.
I'm a bit at a loss, you see. Should I go for this wonderful American exotic, or should I buy a FAL and shoot 7.62Nato surplus ammo like everybody else? I can't go for both because tight gunlaws restrict the number of firearms on my licence.
Thank you for your time, any advice welcome,
Daniel, The Netherlands, Europe.
I live in Europe, and my local retailer will soon get his hands on a modern Sharps .45-120 rifle, no specifics available yet. I don't know how common it is in the States but it's a very, _very_ rare thing over here. So if I want one I need make up my mind pretty darn quick.
My problem is this: I'm looking for a rifle to compete in open 300m (+-330 yds) target matches. I know the .45-120 is an old blackpowder cartridge, but my retailer claims I can handload them with modern nitro powder. Is this correct? Is this rifle a novelty, a collector's item, or can this venerable historic caliber compete with modern .308 and .223 rifles over such extensive ranges? Maybe I've been looking in all the wrong places but I can't find any data on powder charges, velocity, bullet drop etc. on the net. What pitfalls would I encounter if I were to bring such a rifle to an open match? Brass is expensive, but obtainable, and I like the big straight necked cartridge from a reloader's point of view.
I'm a bit at a loss, you see. Should I go for this wonderful American exotic, or should I buy a FAL and shoot 7.62Nato surplus ammo like everybody else? I can't go for both because tight gunlaws restrict the number of firearms on my licence.
Thank you for your time, any advice welcome,
Daniel, The Netherlands, Europe.