What makes a good starter rifle in this area? .22 and CF. I started playing around with SB Sil because the eyes and XTC HP is getting very hard to manage, so a receiver sight will be needed.

thanks
chuck

chuck d wrote:What makes a good starter rifle in this area? .22 and CF. I started playing around with SB Sil because the eyes and XTC HP is getting very hard to manage, so a receiver sight will be needed.

thanks
chuck

A Marlin 39A for SB and Marlin 336 (XLR) 30-30 or Winchester 30-30 (24"+) for CF. You can find both used reasonably priced as well.

The "starter rifles" and "best of the best" rifles are the same thing in the cowboy game. As has been said, the Marlin 39a with a receiver or tang sight, and a globe front sight if you want, is king of the smallbore cowboy match. For pistol cartridge, anything from 22 Mag to 357, 44, and 45 can shoot perfect scores. Same sights as smallbore, and the longer sight radius and heavier barrel you can get the better. For centerfire, a 30-30 with a long barrel and the same sight upgrades as before works great. It seems easier to find a long barrel (>24") Winchester than a Marlin to me.

Last year was my first time shooting the cowboy silhouette matches, I happened to have an old 30WCF winchester 1894 with a 26" oct barrel. I had bought the rifle years ago, never used it much, but had a blast with it last year.

I borrowed a 22 rifle a few times,[marlin 39a] but used my Rem 572 a few times. the sights were better on the marlin, and the remington BDL 572 has a higher stock comb for scope use, makes shooting iron sights a little more difficult.

And then purchased a puma 92 rifle, 24" octagon barrel in 45 colt, for PCLA and shot in the 30's last few shoots.

We shoot only cast bullets, so the cost of ammo is fairly reasonable, This year we plan on buying a better sight for the old winchester, it has a tang peep, but it is as old as the rifle, [100 yrs old], and a bit tough to adjust for multiple distances.

so if you have a old rifle , or a new rifle, both seem to work ell enough to have some fun!

C-45