Big Thunder

[k8bor]

New rifle.

I'm smiling.

Shoots like a dream.

Happy, Happy, Happy

[ButcheN]

come on you got to tell us more about her. what cal is she? how long a barrel? how far off were you?I love the look of her! I know you can't be anything but happy with her. lovely girl.

[k8bor]

.45-70. It was one of the Shiloh rifles that was ordered but not picked up. 30" heavy octogan barrel. Hartford model. Metal shotgun buttplate. Nothing real fancy, but the more I shoot it, the more I'm falling for it.

I didn't want anything too fancy anyway, because I don't keep "closet queens." Every rifle I have gets used and shot a lot. I didn't want a little scratch or stock dent to ruin my year. This one will go hunting this seasonl.

The group you see was at 50 yards with a 365 gr. ranch dog over 16.5 gr. of unique. I find with that load (which by the way, has kilt a bunch of deer from my 1895cb) that I can punch those groups all day long. On this one I pulled the one shot.

On the black powder side, I've been refining my technique. I used to load 62gr. of 2f goex from a drop tube and compress with a 7/16 bolt and nut combo enough to load a 405gr. lee. It shot OK from her (3-4" @100), but by having a guy in our machine shop make a precision compression die for me, that same 62gr. load of 3f compressed with that die gets me under 2". I'm also finding out that I have to use new dedicated brass just for big thunder because her chamber is way tighter than any of the other .45-70's I had brass for. They won't even size down the belt enough to go in. When I keep using the same brass though, it all works like a swiss watch. Like Bennie Hill said, "Learning all the time!"

BTW I don't plan on shooting anymore smokeless from her. The black is just too much fun....................

[ButcheN]

I am in lust, and I like the idea of staying with black powder. You should even look at PaperPatching. I do it with a ssk barreled pistol using 535gr. boolits and she can go out there! I had to put custom williams rear sight to get her out there. Tons of fun. I pray you have as much fun with yours as I have had with my girl.

[runnin lead]

Plan on shooting a little more smokeless out of her.
When you buy her new brass, load them with your smokeless load &take her out
to play & you will have some brass that is fire formed to her chamber & ready to neck size
& load with BP.

[ShootingLooney]

COOL BEANS!
Couldn't tell- what kind of rear is she sporting?
If you plan to shoot far, you really should get a SOULE sight. I picked up a Lee Shaver about 15 years ago that I am real hapy with, www.leeshavergunsmithing.com , and put a bubble level on the barrel where the rear sight used to was.
You might also look at one of the Hadley Style eyecups.
Good Shooting!