By now, most everyone in the BPCR world has heard of the latest, and somewhat surprising development concerning the National Championships for BPCR Silhouette. The NRA Competitions Department has decided to hold the Nationals, not at the traditional location of the Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico, but at the Ridgway Rifle Club in Ridgway, Pennsylvania. ...Read More >

Our cover for this issue comes from Bill Mapoles and features two Sharps Model 1853 carbines with an issue sling and cleaning brush. ...Read More >

In the 1850s, if you lived in a dangerous area, you wanted a Sharps carbine. Likewise, if you were traveling through an area inhabited with hostile Indians, bandits and bushwhackers, you wanted a Sharps carbine. With your muzzleloader, you could only fire three shots a minute, even with paper cartridges; with a Sharps rifle you could fire 10 aimed shots in the same time. Loading your muzzleloader on a moving horse was extremely difficult; however, you could fire one aimed shot every 15 seconds at a full gallop with a Sharps carbine by clamping the buttstock under your armpit and loading with one hand, while holding the reins with the other. The only problem was that a ‘53 Sharps carbine cost more than one month’s salary for the average American, but it was still the biggest selling Sharps prior to the Civil War. It was all about firepower. ...Read More >

By the end of The War Between the States (Civil War), the U. S. military, as well as European armies realized that muzzleloading rifle muskets were obsolete. Because there were huge stocks of martial front loaders in good condition all over the world, many countries decided to convert them to breechloaders. As “economy” was the watchword, superior designs were often ignored in order to utilize existing arms. The British converted their excellent .577 Enfield by fitting the Snider action while retaining the original lock, stock and .577 caliber barrel. Various European armies used other breechloading systems to update their muzzleloaders. ...Read More >