M1895 Winchester Musket and the Road to Camp Perry

[Culpeper]

I was at the Harrisburg Great Outdoors show and found Sierra had a table. Nice folks there at Sierra. Love their bullets. Anyway I picked up two boxes of the 177 grain SMKs. Figured I could try something different with my .30-40 loads since I saw my shadow on the 2nd. Stupid Groundhog. The sun was out, dude. Open those eyes.

Maybe they will work. Maybe not. I can always use them in my M1 Ball loads for my other Springfields or the Swiss K31 so they will not go to waste.

[Culpeper]

Alrighty. Another not set back but a huge concern. The tip of my forearm is about to split off a piece about three inches long on the left side ahead of the front barrel band. Picture a U looking like fish hook. I figured some of you fellows have done stock work and can speak to the problem. The front band will keep it in place and as long as I don't dink with it I am good to go. However I think the next time I remove the forearm it will break off.

There is a split in the upper hand guard, too, but the clips have been holding that together so I am not too concern for it at the moment.

What are your thoughts?

[RickyG]

When you tire of the 1895 musker I can probably add another krag to your pile lol.

[Culpeper]

When you tire of the 1895 musker I can probably add another krag to your pile lol.

Why would I need another Krag? I have four I have never shot. Not because they a museum pieces but because they are in the middle of the pile and difficult to dig out.

[RickyG]

Lol

[Culpeper]

The end of the road is on August 1, 2026. Rain or Shine on the Firin' Line.

[Culpeper]

I took the '95 out for a spin to get re-acquainted with it today. Shot three rounds at a SR-1 target at 200 yards just for funski. Managed two hits in the lower left quadrant. Then I put up a full size SR target and fired off twenty rounds at five per string. The firing order is red, blue, purple, and green. The solid dots were my aiming points.

This is from a bench with a front support. Who knows how it will be prone, rapid, and standing. Oh that's right. It'll be crappy. Last place here I come.

[psteinmayer]

Good or bad... you WILL have the most unique rifle in the Vintage Match... hands down!!! Can't wait to see ya Culp!!!

[Culpeper]

Thanks, brother. I was looking some Berthier stuff in the pile and found two boxes of Hornady 220s. I seem to recall buying them in the early years of 2005-06 while on vacation from Iraq. Might as well shoot them up. So I am going to load them with 37, 38, 39, and 40 grains of IMR 4350 to see they shoot. Who knows maybe I'll be surprised with the results.

[Culpeper]

I forgot to update my road to Camp Perry series so here is my report for the Vintage and Roosevelt (spit) matches.

First the environment. I was squaded with psteinmayer and son, and with Stretch32. No other group of fine gentleman has ever been collected together in one place. I was shooting with Stretch he was very patient with me and tried to get me to slow down during the slow prone and slow standing. I am in his debt. Ten minutes is a lot of time. So you fellas out in Kragland who are shooting timed events practice on slowing down if that is an issue.

I completed my goal of bringing the Winchester to the Camp Perry line. It was the only one there. A couple of other shooters and their kids Ooooo'd and ahhhh'd during check in. Even the CMP dude asked me what it was. It certainly attracts attention.

I shot the rifle with a M1 canvas sling. The final score was nothing to write home about but hey I wasn't there to win first place. My score was 124-0x. Somehow the CMP failed to post my two matches correctly. They report I fired the Vintage but they show a 61-0x which was from the Roosevelt (spit) match. They do not show and entry for that match at all.

Now as for the other match. I brought ol' number 112 to the line without a sling. Sheesh. I forgot I had taken the sling off a week or so before the Nationals. If any one tells you can shoot a Krag in a match and not be at the bottom of the score board are nothing less than a chucklehead. I was swinging that rifle all around the target. I am fairly sure I did not have cross fires on that match.

To recap:
Vintage 124-0x
Roosevelt 61-0x

All in all I had a great time. Next year. The Berthier and 3140.

Culpeper
reporting from the Home.

.