(I guess I still can’t handle this forums format)

Effective is Subjective!

I am not a “target shooter”, nor do I shoot competition matches…but I do enjoy seeing the 44 Winchester (and other early lever action calibers) being shot at longer ranges, whether for fun or competition. I do, however, try and shoot the best I can when developing a load. I also like to try and see how this new load performs at longer distances, mostly between 100 and 200 yards, but also out to 300 yards. 

I’d like to share what was happening back between 1874 and 1878 when the Winchester 73′ was used for such matches.

Some of the below data gleamed from the books “Forest & Stream, Hand-Book for Rifleman” 1875, “A Course In Instruction In Rifle Shooting”  by Col. T. T. S. Laidley, Ord. Dept. U.S. Army, 1879 and “The Sportsman’s Directory”, 1893.

Below are photos of some early targets used 1874 and 1878

NRA 1874, New Wimbledon Target

This shows the sizes of the targets used from 200 out to 1,000 yards

Winchester’s August 1875 advertisement shows a few targets as well. 

The large square target has been edited to show black little dots representing what the actual bullet hole size would be on this 500 yard target

• 24″ square bullseye
• 48″ inner square
• 82″ outer square

Adopted February 19th, 1878 

I also found a Third Class Target  that was to be used at all distances up to and including 300 yards.

Total target size is 4 feet by 6 feet

• Bullseye – Inner black circle, 8″ inches – 5 points
• Center – First white circle, 26″ inches – 4 points
• Inner – Second white circle, 46″ inches -3 points
• Outer – Remainder of target – 2 points

A Second Class Target to be used at all distances over 300 yards, to and including 600 yards.

Total target size is 6 feet by 6 feet

• Bullseye – Inner black circle, 22″ inches – 5 points
• Center – First white circle, 38″ inches – 4 points
• Inner – Second white circle, 54″ inches – 3 points
• Outer – Third white circle, 70″ inches – 2 points
• Black – Outer black frame, 1″ inch – 0 points

These appear to be the targets used while the Stuart brothers were shooting their Winchester 73′, One of One Thousand rifles during some competitions. I am sure many of you have seen Thomas’ rifle over on the Rock Island Action webs site. Here we can see the targets used during one competition out to 500 yards. The hits on the published photo are largely exaggerated for publication.

I tried to correctly resize the hits on some replica targets for actual size comparison.

Grandville’s target on the left. Thomas’s target on the right.

Also included is a 4 shot group target made on March 29th, 1880 by  Winchester 73′ One of One Thousand sn#27,140 at 50 yards. Target type unknown to me.

Rather than use modern targets when shooting my Uberti Winchester 73′, I have always elected to make my own targets. I decided to make a few of these targets for future use…but also made some small replicas for shooting between 25 to 100 yards. I have not really had a chance to use my final version just yet but did mage one or two 25 yard shots on an old version I changed. 

Current 25 to 75 yards

I know most of you guys are collectors and may enjoy the old target history, but I thought I would add the modified targets as well since they are indeed fun to shoot at. Hopefully I will get a chance to shoot at the larger targets later this summer when I get some more time.