Breech loader accuracy with Kopfjäger rests

Breech loader rifles to gun people are like classic cars to car people. A well-kept Sharps rifle has the elegance and charm of a ’68 Mustang convertible. What these machines of bygone eras lack in modern features they make up for in style.

The .50-90 Sharps rifle was made famous by frontiersman Billy Dixon for killing an Indian from 1,500 yards away, so it is by no means an inaccurate rifle. The Martini-Henry of Zulu War fame is capable of ringing steel at 600 yards despite its age. It is said that the Boer youths of South were not considered to be proficient with their rifles until they could hit a chicken egg at a hundred yards with open sights.

The problem with taking these beautiful pieces of history to the range, however, lies in their bad follow through. A shooter with a single-shot breech loaded rifle must un-shoulder his weapon after every shot to load a new round, which makes shooting both slow and cumbersome. By contrast, a bolt-action rifle user with a five round magazine can simply keep his cheek welded to the stock for good follow up as he cycles the bolt after every shot.

Using a Kopfjäger tripod and shooting rest to mount your vintage rifle would increases both accuracy and loading speed. The concept is simple: by providing a stable platform for loading and shooting, a rifle can stay steady on target even as the shooter reloads.

The Kopfjäger can even be used to fire a rifle single handedly. A shooter may hold his ammunition in one hand while manipulating the trigger with the other, ready to load after every shot without having to reach for his ammo pouch. Even shooting on a bench is made easier with a Kopfjäger tripod. With two legs extended to the ground, the third leg can rest on the bench and be used as a foregrip if the shooter so chooses.

What do you think? How would you like to blend new tripods with old guns for a unique shooting experience? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.