Thoughts on the H&R Classic Carbine in 45 Colt

[rockshooter]

I liked mine but found that the curved metal butt plate, heavy bullets and light t-shirts are not a good combination!
Loren

[161]

All this talk makes me want to get mine out. Never shot anything but a LEE 452 230 TL and 6.5 of Red Dot. But it rings the steel every time at 50 yards. I put a Marbles peep rear sight on mine.

[Hammerhead]

Yup, peep sights sure help.
I was getting a lot of glare from the stock sights, so I switched to a Williams rear peep and a Lyman #20 globe front with a post insert. My groups have really tightened up, especially on sunny days.

[Good Cheer]

Any yall tried FFFg yet? I'm threatening to try a "ring tail" boolit in front of a case full of black. Maybe like a #445599 altered to be solid based and the rear ring too big to fall into the bore.

[tacklebury]

Yep, I've done some express FFFFg also. Loaded tight with a wool .45 wad and a 255 gr. RNFP. Has about the same kick as 11 gr. Unique with that bullet. 8)

[161]

I need to get a 22 inch 45-70 barrel for mine.

[tacklebury]

That's a ton of fun too. I have a BC I'm dedicating to cast boolits and my 22" with TruGlo sights added that I took my deer with this year. It's my overall favorite barrel.

Little family pic. although none of my muzzy barrels or .30-06 is present there. Also most have been upgraded since this in the sights and optics dept.

[fcvan]

I picked up a Classic Carbine when they were on special. Best $225 I ever spent! As soon as I got it I tried everything from mild to wild loads. I must say, heavy loads and a crescent steel but plate let you know you've touched something off! One of the fun loads was round ball at 900 fps, very accurate and rather low noise, about like a 22 lr. I enjoyed the 45 Colt cartridge out of a carbine, I picked up a Vaquero in 45 Colt. Great combo!

[161]

I have a 25-06 barrel also.

[Outpost75]

John Taylor fitted a Kensight reproduction of the M1 Carbine rear sight on mine.

Attachment 98106Attachment 98107

[161]

John Taylor fitted a Kensight reproduction of the M1 Carbine rear sight on mine.

Attachment 98106Attachment 98107

I like that, pretty neat

[tacklebury]

I actually have one very similar. It's a National Match sight, if memory serves. 8)

[Good Cheer]

Been looking at a Jacks Battle loading with as much as possible the lead in the bore instead of in the brass. Maybe even have the case mouth capped with a lube cookie. Got an old 445599 minie mold that fits the bore. Enlarging the tail ring to keep it from falling through the rifling might make some fun shooting. Maybe make the base plug flat. Maybe put a hard card over the lube cookie. Just pondering the possibilities for now. As a passing though, a paper skirt on the minie would keep it from moving any further forward after the case pushed it in. This could be fun.

[kawasakifreak77]

I'd love to have one of these. Case colored frame, iron sights & a straight checkered stock? Sounds like a great walking gun to me!

I'd bet my house a 250 some odd grain SWC coming out around 1100fps is going to put down some serious hurt on anything at reasonable range. And I ain't a betting man.

Pair that with your favorite shotgun barrel & that'd be one handy stinkin' camping gun for sure!

[JimA]

I found one at a local gunshop last summer. I really like it . Mine has a great trigger so it's easy to hit with. I had to get rid of the rear sight. I put on a Marbles Bullseye rear sight and it made a world of difference. Hot loaded .45 colt loads give you a good jolt through the crescent butt plate, but standard colt loads are a joy to shoot. I'm thinking of getting a 20 or .410 barrel to go on it too.

[geargnasher]

I've been trying to figure a way to cram a 500-grain boolit into mine, but it would have to be a "sillywet" style with a long, tapered bore-riding section to make room for more go-go flakes.

Gear

[Outpost75]

With mine using the M1 carbine rear sight and factory front sight, it zeroes with 250-grain bullet and 6.5 grains of Bullseye at 50 yards with rear sight bottomed. Velocity 1080 fps. With rear sight run up all the way it shoots to point of aim at 200 yards and stays on Army F silhouette.

[Good Cheer]

Loaded the 445599* hollow base with the cavity filled with lanolin-olive oil-beeswax lube, a thin cotton patch on the base ring to just wedge the bullet into the case, using a full settled load of Jacks Battle. The bullet extends full length into the bore. The loads haven't lost grip on the bullets.
Loaded some quite a few weeks back. Recovered three today from stacked soaked paper. Total rifling engagement. Mushroomed to .67".

* No alteration on the mold.