Schuetzen Rifles

Schuetzen has been around since the 1800’s. It probably began in Germany or Austria, and was very popular in the USA around the turn of the century. Targets are set at 200 yards and are shot off hand and from the bench. The best competitors are exceptionally accurate from the off hand position. Thus the Schuetzen butt stock takes on its peculiar shape.

They feature a hooked buttplate that goes around the upper arm to offset the weight of the long barrel and keep the butt from pitching upward. The perch belly on the stock allows the shooter to rest the bottom of the stock against the chest to improve steadiness.

While these stocks look strange they are a things of beauty to the knowledgeable and a perfect example of “form follows function.”

Schuetzen employs single shot rifles, like the Winchester 1885, Stevens, Ballard, or modern Ruger #1. Bullets must be pure lead with no gas checks. They are often loaded into the rifle’s chamber using a special device to seat them so they just engrave the rifling. The charged cartridge case is then placed in the chamber behind the bullet and fired. The same case may be repeatedly reloaded and used throughout the match.