Guys,
I was struck with this affliction in the late 1980s when i handled a "Schuetzen" rifle circa 1880 while visiting family in Germany, i was fascinated by the heavy barrel, deep bellied stock, lavish ornamentation and a slick falling block action.
Edgar the owner said that many of these target rifles found their way to the US as war souvenirs after WWII but the best ones were hidden to stop them dissapearing out of the country.
Edgar also had a Pedersoli 1874 Sharps which i fell in love with. since then i have had a love/hate relationship with these rifles and have owned several.
I cast bullets, concocted lubes and graded powders, inhaled copious quantities of foul smelling grey smoke and scrubbed loads of black crud out of my barrels but had great fun.
Then i thought to my self why am i doing all this, when there are modern precision rifles to shoot, clean re-loading, no smoke, no filth and top accuracy. Sold the lot!
I did that three times and i am currently trying to suppress the urge to go and do it all again.
I think BPCR is in my blood and i will never be able to completely suppress it but the forward thinking on this site was helping, UNTILL YOU GUYS BROUGHT THIS SUBJECT UP.
Ian.
"I meant to shoot the pike but the duck got in the way"
