Antique Advertisement Question.

[cshold]

What was the reason for the short range loads back in the day?
And any idea as to what was considered short range?
Seems the latter advertisements stopped offering them.

[Griff]

Obviously a good question... as I don't know the answer... unlike some, I wasn't around then!!! Sixgun probably knows...

[Lassiter]

Possibly for small game?

[FWiedner]

Target practice in the basement or back-yard?

[bdhold]

I would guess for quiet retort
my buddy loaded some starling loads in his .243 varmint rifle with 65g BTHP that went *pa* when you pulled the trigger and flattened a starling at 100 yds. The flock stayed on the ground, we dialed them out, and the hogs had a heyday eating them.
(the hogs knew the drill and raced to the corpses)

[J Miller]

I read somewhere long ago that the trappers of old would use them for close range cou-de-gra on still living trapped critters. Oh and I can't spell that word either.

Don't know if it's true or not, but that's what I read.

Joe

[bdhold]

here's the p and s you lost

[Ray Newman]

Those rounds were initially made for short range target shooting.

From what I have read about the Creedmoor/Schuetzen Era, "short range" target shooting was at 200 and 300 yards. I believe that mid-rang was 500 and 600 yards, and 800, 900, and 1000 yards long range.

The earlier muzzle loading target matches measured were in rods -- 40 and 20 rods being very common. Memory tells me the most common distance was 40 rods.

The venerable Ol' Tried and True .45-70 had a wasp-shaped collar button specifically designed for very short range target/gallery/small game/varmint shooting. The bullet very large lube groove to hold a large amount of lubricant to control/soften the Black Powder fouling. Believe the bullet weighed about 180 grains.

[Rusty]

Not sure about that "back in the day" in my "back in the day" which would have been the 1970's I was carrying a .41 Mag. Remington listed 2 loads, a 210 grain SJHP and a lead 210 grain SWC. The SWC load was sold as a mid range load. I carried the lead SWC load on duty in my M58. As I remember the advertised velocity of the mid range load was 1050 FPS while the standard load was 1400.

[Chuck 100 yd]

All the reasons above are appropriate to justify low power loads. + 1

[EdinCT]

I recall hearing that the 25-36 and 30-30 short range loads were loaded to give 25-20 and 32-20 performance in a rifle that could be loaded with high power shells for large game hunting. My Dad said the farms had a 22, one center fire deer rifle and a shotgun. And poor folks got by with a single barrel 12 ga for all.