From the Editor

In conversations with fellow riflemen about black powder shooting, the topic of what the 200-yard, black powder, lead bullet record was from the old days often comes up. My answer has always been that it’s a little hard to nail down, as there were many groups submitted by expert riflemen to the various periodicals of the day. Some of these groups were shot with straight black powder loads, some with duplex and even a few done with early smokeless powder. Many of the straight black powder groups were shot by the small cadre of expert riflemen that frequented the National Rifle Club range in Framingham, Massachusetts. The names Warner, Perry, Brockway, Lowe and Fletcher are but a few of the expert muzzle loading rifle shooters that routinely competed in matches to shoot the shortest “string”. H.M. Pope, John Kelley, Charles Rowland and E.A Leupold all worked away with their pet breechloaders (or breech-muzzleloaders) to set new records for accuracy. Shooting and Fishing magazine is replete with groups and strings that were sent in, hoping to be recognized in print as the newest record in rifle precision.

The problem in trying to review all these efforts and ascertain the best record group is that many were shot under varying conditions, rules, procedures and methods of verification. Particularly, some were measured on farthest bullet holes, similar to what we do today, while others were done on “string measure” which is the aggregate distance of each bullet from the center of a target. Groups measured by the distance of farthest bullet holes stressed precision (grouping shots together), while string measure stressed accuracy (each shot’s distance from the center of the target). 

For many years, the record group shot by Charles Rowland in 1901, stood as the best that had been done in regards to precision for a 10-shot group at 200 yards. Horace Warner probably shot more record short strings than any other rifleman of the time but these were for accuracy and almost always at a distance of 40 rods, or 220 yards. Rowland’s group, in the opinion of many single shot aficionados, was done with a duplex load, not straight black powder. By now, I think you are starting to get the picture that the black powder, lead bullet record is hidden in the fog of the past, probably never to really determined.

Therefore, as editor of the Black Powder Cartridge News, I’m going to issue a challenge to today’s black powder riflemen. Let’s begin a documented record of the best 10-shot, 200-yard group, starting fresh in 2026. Requirements will be that the shooting has to be witnessed by at least two individuals, targets signed, the 10 shots to be fired consecutively, using straight black powder and a plain-base lead bullet. Any rifle, any sight, any rest (including a machine rest) and any target. No time limits, but the shots must be fired consecutively. Groups will be measured on centers, farthest bullet holes. The goal will be the best possible group, which will represent what is possible in regards to precision black powder shooting. 

Witnessed targets can be sent to: 

The Black Powder Cartridge News

c/o Wolfe Publishing – attention Steve Garbe 

2180 Gulfstream, Ste A.

Prescott, AZ 86301 

We will keep a record of the smallest group, to date, and publish it in the Match Results section of the BPC News. We will require load and rifle data as well; we don’t want to make the same mistake that has been done in the past and omit the most important particulars regarding the rifle used, load components, sights and technique. The sharing of information will make us all better shooters and that is really what the ultimate goal should be. No prizes will be offered, other than the respect of your fellow riflemen and a documented place in history…for as long as you can stay on top! 

– Gut Ziel