October 2026 (1) - Flipbook - Page 74
Getting Started in BPCR Shooting
By Matt Steckel
Shooters often ask, “How
do I get started in this sport?”
It’s usually pretty easy, but it
can get expensive fast if you let
it.
First, go to your local
club and ask around — usually
at least one person there shoots
BPCR (Black Powder Cartridge
Ri昀氀e). If not, there are plenty of
other resources, including this
publication. If you can, attend
a match. That’s likely your best
source of information, since
you’ll see many di昀昀erent ri昀氀es
loaded many di昀昀erent ways.
Right now there are four main
74
keeping their starter ri昀氀e for
good.
As for caliber, in my
opinion 40-65 is the smallest I’d
go. Some shooters have done it
with 38-50 and heavy bullets,
but ri昀氀es in that caliber aren’t as
easy to 昀椀nd as the Brownings. A
400-grain-class bullet is enough
even for the rams and won’t
beat you up on the chickens.
There are scope and iron sight
classes, so you can pick which
group suits you — and as we all
get older, the scope class keeps
growing.
Target Ri昀氀e
Target ri昀氀es are limited
to 15 lb. Calibers typically range
from 40-65 for mid-range (300,
500, and 600 yd) to 45-100 for
long range (800, 900, and 1000
yd). A properly loaded 45-70 is
more than capable of reaching
the 1000-yd mark. Browning
again o昀昀ers a solid intro ri昀氀e
that can get you to the winner’s
types of BPCR matches: muzzleloader, target, silhouette, and circle if you do your part. The
gong. Each has its own rules, reg- 45-90 is also a great round — it
ulations, ri昀氀e weights, and so on. reaches 1000 yd with ease, even
You can get one ri昀氀e to handle all with a standard Government
(GG) bullet.
four, but as with most shooting
Gong Matches
disciplines, you’ll compromise
Gong
matches are usually
somewhere.
a free-for-all — as long as it’s
Silhouette
A ri昀氀e weighing 12 lb with- safe, you can generally shoot
out a scope, or 15 lb with one, is it. Most include an o昀昀hand
required (weights approximate — portion, so keep that in mind.
Distances vary by location but
correct me if I’m o昀昀). There are
generally run from 200 to 1,000
many makers out there, but for
yd. The Quigley match, for exa good starter ri昀氀e, the Browning BPCR is a great, competitive ample, ranges from 350 to 805
yd. Targets are usually large, so
choice. Many shooters end up
October, 2026, Issue #4
