30/30's at the Nationals

[boats]

How about some opinion's

Are 170 gr 30/30's at 2000 fps adequate for Rams at Raton ? Next question is can we expect Rams at the Nationals to be set according to the rule book ?

Boats

[lone ringer]

Yes to both of your questions. Regarding rules for soft setting rams is only a suggestion not an actual rule all cowboy ranges have to follow, read the word should. At two places where I shoot the rams are set with a full-foot and we have ringers all the time.

[the ex pom]

I shot a 30/30 and won at Raton using 180gr lead at 1350. Had no problems the targets are realativly soft to knock down.

[boats]

Thanks

That's what I needed to know. We don't shoot CLA our club, Small bore and Pistol Caliber only. Just came back from out of state match and Rang a whole bunch of Rams with the 30/30. Local guys said they were hard set, Looking on the line many 45/70's 38/55's. I had a 45/70 in the back of the car but wanted to get the 30/30 working good for Raton. Wondered if my 30/30 decesion was the right one. Our Club due to range layout can't run regulation CLA so shoot Rams only 40 shots and the 38/55 or 45/70 are the calibers to have. Club rule will not alllow Jackated so 30/30 is out for that one.

Boats

[Another Dang 9]

your club needs to change its rule on jacketed bullets since the targets don't conform to the rules.

[boats]

Dang

Our Rimfire and Pistol Caliber and High power Full 500 meter Silhouette are NRA regulation. Ram bash 40 shots on the regulation 500 meter ram hung from Chains at 200 yards is a long standing match run by our club and a neighbor club under same rules. Lever or single shot over 32 caliber plain base lead bullets all offhand. It's been around way longer than Cowboy lever silhouette. High shooter turn out, very good shooters from mixed disiplines hotly contested every month. No plans to change it. We run the same match rimfire too. 40 shots at rams only hung from chains.

Allow 30/30 or 30/40 jackated it would be the cartridge to shoot and put all those nice old guns in 32/40's 38/55 and other calibers out of business. Nationals are another match and the reason we are working on 30/30's, just for the regulation match.

As a point of intrest we toted the Regular 500 Meter free standing rams to the 200 yard line and set them on the Chicken rail inch forward of tipping point just like the rule book says. 1900' 170 30/30 knocked them over every time.

Boats

[jnyork]

Hey Boats, what type sights allowed on your 40 shot rambash? Sounds like fun.

[glgraves]

I use 170 gr. jacketed bullets on rams at WC and they are will take over the targets, if hit. The stands for rams are designed to stop hard set targets. There is a "stop" on the front of the stand that stops the foot from being set forward too far.

[boats]

Thanks on the WC target setting. Since picking up Rimfire Silhouette Self Set have made it a point to watch my Ram setting when down range.

On the Ram Bash. I use a post since I shoot regulation CLA too and want to use the same sight. Plus 200 yards on the 500 meter ram hard to find apertures big enough to go around the critter If you could use Arpetures I would use them. Squad up on 4 targets. 3 or 4 shooters on each with 2 spotters and one scoring. Shoot 10 one shot each in turn, switch off so the other guys get there 10 then move on to the next target. Easy match to run and not a hard target to hit. Just hard to make high hit rates which are required to win.

It's a bit easier than 4 distance Silhouette this based on scores from most shooters. I have heard of a perfect 40 but have never seen over 37/40. Guys that are AAA Regulation generally shoot 33-37 in this match. Match started in Fairfax VA years ago when they dropped Schuetzen matches. I first shot it probably 25 years back and it had been running at least 15 years before that. Our club in Montpellier VA picked it up few years ago so two monthly matches about 75 miles from each other. We shoot Regulation High Power Silhouette in the morning switch the range over for Ram bash in the afternoon same day.

It's a money match too. Pay back most of the entry fees in prize money. Including couple of blind pay outs for guys in the middle. Competitors come from BPCS, Schuetzen, Modern Rifle Silhouette and CLA shooters. High power Service rifle shooters try it but are generaly humbled by 40 shots offhand. As a rule pure single shot target rifles do best but it's often won by a plain Lever action with a good rear sight. Good pratice lots of fun, not true Silhouette

Boats