hi folks,
looking at the rules for hp silhouettes, i see single shot rifles are allow. why do we not see any? where are the rugers, browning, etc? thanks....dan

More than likely its due to the weight, stock design and lack of after market parts to improve on the rifle....I shot a single shot but its a bolt action.

IMHO one of the reasons are the availability of parts and gun smiths to work on them. The remingtons, winchesters have proven themselves for years and companies make thousands of aftermarket parts. Plus ever gunsmith can work on them and customize them.

I am certainly, not saying you cannot make the others work but I think a racing analogy works. You can make any car as fast as any winning car but you will spend less on a Chevy. I think the same holds here too.

Most of the falling block types are being shot in Black powder cartrige.....Thats where you will find them.

My bolt action is being shot as a single shot because any bottom metal would put me over weight.

2 piece stocks don't have the accuracy most sil shooters think they need. There is a rare exception, but not many.

I thought I wanted to set up a Miller action in 7mm08 for HP Silhouette years ago. Waiting list for the action years never got one. Gunsmith part of the problem ruined that plan.

I use CPA's in Single Shot matches, They can handle Rimmed High Velocity cases 308 size and down. I have one in 25 Krag, could work with a 6.5 or 7mm using the Krag case too. It's as accurate as any run of the mill 25 caliber bolt rifle You would have to give up a lot of barrel weight to make Silhouette Rifle weight though. Mine scoped with a Unertl is about 12 1/2 lbs And a lot of motion needed to load and fire. Double set triggers no ejectors cock the hammer manualy each shot. Sometimes just for grins not for record I shoot a BPC set up CPA with a .22 barrel in Small Bore silhouette, scoped. Way over the weight limit. You have to work at it to get shots off in the time limit. Can be done but better not fumble anything.

Never saw a sucessfull Ruger # 1 in HP, don't know why.

Boats

I started shooting HP back in '93 with a Ruger 1B in .30-06. As cool as Ruger No. 1s are, there are some big disadvantages. Weight is a big problem. It's really, really hard to make a 1B make weight for hunter class. Also, the lock time is a bit slow and the triggers aren't that good. The main issue with mine is how finicky it is about loads. Loads that would shine in a bolt action usually string vertically in mine. I eventually found that the rifle would perform well with a jacketed bullet and one of the 4350s for powder. But who wants to shoot 168/180 grain bullets at 2700fps even for chickens and pigs? No thanks!

Maybe someday I'll bring the No. 1 back if I can figure out an accurate reduced load, because I like to be off the beaten track sometimes. But It appears that the Ruger No. 1 is better suited for its intended purpose - hunting.
- Brian Wakefield