1881 MARLIN .45GVT/SILHOUETTE MATCH RESULTS AND PICTURES

[GEOFF]

Taking my 1883 vintage Marlin 1881 to shoot in the silhouette match in the morning.

Barrels kinda OK but not great, accuracy about the same as you'd expect.

Don't have my sight settings down, just using the standard Rocky Mountain sights.

40 round match.

WHAT DO YOU BOYS THINK MY SCORE WILL BE, HOW MANY HITS OUT OF 40?????????

I usually shoot just over 30 with my guns that I'm familiar with.

Going to be fun with this old gun, and the pressures off cuz I'm handicapped abit with the barrel condition and lack of sight settings and load developement.

If I get over 20 out of 40 I'll consider it a success! I'll let you know!

Geoff

[TedH]

Good luck!

[J Miller]

Does the one who guesses closest win a prize????


I guess 32 h its.

Joe

[JOHNNY WACKO]

No No 30!

[Borregos]

High 20's would be pretty good with no sight settings.
What load do you use??

[kimwcook]

I'm betting 28.

[Steelbanger]

Hi Geoff,

Without sight settings I would be very happy with a 30. I bet you got 'em figured out and knocked over 32, one of which may have fallen due to bullet splatter from an adjacent target!

We're eating Washington pears this week.

[GEOFF]

Had an incredible day with my old Marlin 1881 in .45-70. Hadn't done much load development or sighting in so I didn't expect much. Well I got up to the gunclub, 33 degrees and overcast. They had 2 practice rounds, I kept hitting targets and gaining new respect for John Marlin and his model 1881. I couldn't believe a 125 year old gun was doing this well. Started to feel the pressure cuz I knew this gun was doing it's part I had to do MY PART when the match started.

chickens got a 9/10
pigs got a 9/10
turkeys 8/10
rams HAD A WRECK, kept shooting low, missed my first 7 then got my sight up on the 400 yard setting and got my last 3! Used the original Rocky Mountain sights thru out the match.

So I shot a 29 out of 40 with a gun that I had not shot much before. My load was 500grain Meisters on top of 24.0 grains XMP 5744. Did WAY better than I thought it would do!!!! I believe this load is easy on this sweet old gun too.

My shooting partner for the day got a 32 out of 40, and tied with another shooter. My partner lost in the shootoff on the first turkey. I was 3rd out of 14 shooters with my 29. NOT TOO BAD!!

Match winner was using a Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .357.

Great bunch of guys, STALWARTS to have that many come out and shoot in the cold and the snow! We had a GREAT TIME!!

My 13 year old daughter is TUTORING dad on posting these pictures! NEVER POSTED PICTURES BEFORE! Hope it all turns out fine, thank goodness for smart kids!!!!! Now to just get a bit more work out of them!!!LOL

Geoff

[rjohns94]

wow that is a beautiful rifle

[TedH]

Well done. That must have been a hoot using that rifle in the match.

[CowboyTutt]

Wow, those are awesome pics! What a view in that first one in the background! Great looking rifle too! Isn't it amazing how well those old guns shoot even with pitted bores? Shoot lots of lead and don't over clean it. The lead will fill in some of the small holes and really make your bore look shiny perfect. Trust me, I know! Good post!

-Tutt

[marlinman93]

You did the old 1881 Marlin proud! I bet old John Marlin was smiling down on the range today! What a great report Geoff!-Vall

[salvo]

What a great match report, I hope you are proud, that is a beautiful rifle and some very good shooting! Those boys out there better be getting nervous once you have the sights down.

[kimwcook]

Well I wasn't that far off. I guessed he'd get 28 and he got 29.

Good job, Geoff! That is a nice looking rifle. Hope to see it in person some day.

That said, Geoff, maybe you should head up the Pacific Northwest Leverguns shoot for some time this year. Huh, how about it? Something to kick around.

[Sixgun]

Hey--super post! Nice pics, nice guns, nice group of dudes and.......................drum roll please.....................nice orange Jeep! Is that your Rubi, Geoff?--------------Sixgun

[RKrodle]

WOW, looks like a good time was had by all, Congrats.

[jdad]

Outstanding Geoff! My vision has started to falter, from Turkeys to Rams, so I had a checkup. Right eye astygmatism(sic) has gotten worse and I have the start of cataracts.....not even 50 until next November. We'll see if new glasses help.

I'm AAA in big bore, pistol, and all 3 smallbore disciplines, but I doubt I'll make it to Master class with failing vision. I also took over as Match Director, for the smallbore program.

Ain't it fun shooting at white targets, with a white background.

[Ysabel Kid]

That looks like a ton of fun! Beautiful gun just makes it all that much better. Congrats Geoff!!!

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Great pictures and a fine looking Marlin.

My load was 500grain Meisters on top of 24.0 grains XMP 5744.

Wow ... sounds like a flying bus.

[Old Savage]

Great match and great pics - I am a little cold now - will need hot coffee.

70 degrees here today.

[w30wcf]

GEOFF,
Thank you for the report! Neat! Nice looking rifle and country.
Good shooting for not having pre match sight settings.
I'll bet those 500 gr bullets flattened those targets so fast that your spotter may have had difficulty spotting the hits.

w30wcf

[Borregos]

Nice shootin'
Nice pics

[KWK]

I bet old John Marlin was smiling down on the range today!

Andrew Burgess probably had the bigger smile.

Nice gun and nice shooting.

[GEOFF]

Hey thanks for all the kind remarks guys!! First time ever posting pics and it cut the right side off, my daughter and I will try to edit tonight!

I loved that 1881 Marlin before the match but after it's performance its REALLY getting pampered now!!

All you guys' guesses as to my score were closer than MY OWN guess. You guys had more confidence in me and that old rifle than I did.

Steelbanger, music to my ears that you are eating Wa. State Pears, GOOD MAN!! I sure grew enough of them this year, bit smaller fruit than normal but good volumes! Tell your wife thanks too!

Cowboy Tutt, interesting what you say about these old bores. I've seen rougher bores shoot jacketed bullets really well before but I was worried about this one. And you are absolutely right, I think the bore looks the best I've seen it now that I've fired about 150 rounds thru the rifle since I got it.

Marlinman93: You know I have that 1888 vintage Marlin 1881 in .40-60 too, well I think I like this heavier receiver .45-70 better, it just balances out better for me.

Salvo, there are some GOOD shooters around here, I don't know if I ever make them nervous though I've won a few matches in pistol cartridge and long range. Haven't won a small bore match probably in 4 years. But you are right, this .45-70 could end up doing really well cuz it just HOLDS really steady with that 28" barrel.

Kwcook, Hey you were DANG close with your guess of my score being 28. Got that 29, SHOULD'VE had 30 but can you believe when I was having that WRECK on rams, I HIT one then my spotter says "you shot the wrong ram". Geez, first time I've shot a target out of order and of course they don't count it then. As for this NW Levergunners shoot, interesting idea, would be fun. It would be a great place to have it to, lots of fishing lakes and scenery up here as you well know. But I don't think I would have time to head such and undertaking up. With 4 kids and 300 acres of orchard, I barely have time to turn around during the growing season. But great idea, I'll keep cogitating on it.

Sixgun, yep that is my 2007 Jeep Rubicon. We were using it to set Turkeys and Rams. I let all the guys that wanted to drive it and got a lot of favorable comments. Got 30,000 miles on her now and LOVE THAT RUBICON!! You are about the only other guy that I remember that takes such an old rifle to a silhouette match, I know you understand the fun involved!

Jdad, Thanks for the compliment. I've seen some of your hardware you have won at these events and you understand the focus involved. You and Vall keep an eye out for a nice 1897 for me, maybe one of those not QUITE up to your standards but one that I can SHOOT and enjoy. I'm going to get down to one of your OAC shows some day, mark my words.

Old Savage, you made me laugh with your needing a cup of coffee after SEEING all that snow. You southern Calif boys got it so easy!!! You can't believe some of the conditions we shoot in up here!

30WCF: Yep you should've seen how far the Chickens flew backward with that 500 grainer hitting them, even at fairly low velocity. Rams didn't really go down any better than with my .38-55 using cast. The velocity out there at 200 meters must be down to oh maybe 600to 700fps.

Borregos, I can tell you've shot this game with your comment. I really didn't think I'd do better than 20, not having my sight settings. Those 2 practice rounds really helped though, you know where the guys just shoot all the targets down. Kinda willy nilly and doesn't take long, but I made my time count, and you can bet that during the match I jotted down notes about sight setting and where the hits were.

KWK, good comment about Andrew Burgess. Burgess and JMMarlin had Winchester a bit bewildered from 1881 until 1886, you can bet on that!! This gun of mine has double set triggers, but the set trigger is SO LIGHT I didn't dare use it. Hopefully over time I can firm that up and put it to use. DST came out in 1883, Marlin records start in May 1883 and this gun was shipped in June 1883. Pretty early gun and REALLY early on in the records. Cool!!

Well thanks again for all the comments, I responded to a few but not all since my wife is hollering it's time to eat!! Later my daughter and I may try to edit the pictures so the right side isn't cut off.

Geoff

[marlinman93]

That said, Geoff, maybe you should head up the Pacific Northwest Leverguns shoot for some time this year. Huh, how about it? Something to kick around.

Well??????? How about it Geoff?

[jdad]

PAC NW SHOOTERS, just an fyi.

The 1st Saturday of the month we shoot big bore, pistol caliber, and military "cast bullet" silhouette matches. 40 shots, $10 per rifle or $20 for all 3. If you don't have a 2009 NRA Silhouette Classification book you will need an additional $12. Matches start at 10am and are usually over by 3pm because we have 4 full relays.

4th Saturday of the month is smallbore silhouette. We shoot all 3 classes - Standard, Hunter, and Cowboy. Same fees as above, but it usually goes a lot faster.

4th Sunday of the month is usually a M1 Carbine (pistol caliber targets) silhouette match.

PM me if anyone wants to play. You need to reserve a spot for the big bore matches because it fills up fast.

http://www.tcgc.org and go to the calender link.

[sureshot]

Nice report Geoff,
Is that range you shoot at the one above East Wenatchee by the racetrack? I used to drive over there and shoot IHMSA pistol silhouette matches years ago.
I have an 1886 Winchester in 38-56 I use for silhouette matches once or twice a year, but most of the time I use an 1894 TD in 32 WS.
I live on the west side near Snohomish. Does your club have regular monthly matches? I might come over the hill for a match or two come springtime.

Steve

[Wind]

Sureshot - No, it is not the range out of Wenatchee. Didn't want to hijack Geoff's thread, but it might be faster if I responded. The range is out of Tonasket, on the north side of the river, up NORTH Pine Creek road. The silhouette shoots are on the second saturday of the month. In the spring (April I think) we shift from rifle caliber to pistol caliber and .22. You would be welcome for sure. Hope this helps. Watch yer topknot... Wind

[Whit Spurzon]

Can't believe I missed this thread...

Man it makes me wish I'd braved the floods, closed passes and cold weather to join you guys. The pictures are excellent! Hopefully I can join you guys in March - you still need someone to win the vegetarian class (least amount of critters hit) don't you? Think of all the walking I save my partner by leaving the array untouched.

Nice Shootin' Wind. Bummer you whiffed on the tie breaker turkey... Must have been spotter

Geoff, nice shootin! I hear that 500 grainer is quite abusive on the chickens. I'm looking forward to witnessing that.

[GEOFF]

Sureshot,

Wind did a good job of explaining where this gunclub is. Except that it is on the WEST side of the Okanogan river NOT the north side. I know Wind was a sailor and I wonder how he EVER made it around the ocean with navigating skills like that!! LOL!! Oh and by the way, that pic of the 2 guys shooting is the "shootoff" for match winner. I'm pretty sure the shooting skills were equal but Marlin just beats Winchester!! Now I'm kidding here boys!!

Seriously Sureshot, we would love to have you come over to one of our shoots. Second Saturday of every month. Winter time is Longrange, just one 40 round match on the Saturday. Spring and summer we go to 2 40 round matches, start the morning with small bore, then little break and continue with a pistol cartridge match. Usually out of there by I think 1 or 2 O'clock. You look like you enjoy shooting the match with an older rifle too. That makes you double welcome in my book!

Whit, good to hear from you buddy. Figured you might recognize the setting since you've been here and shot with us!! Had to laugh about the "vegetarian" class!! You are WELL above that my friend! You guys have had way more winter than usual over there. Look forward to seeing you as soon as you can get over here. Remember that time you brought friends and family and had your own CHEERING SECTION!!!

Anybody that wants more info, just PM me and I'll get more details to you.

Geoff