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Thread: 50-350 yds cast lead 450-500grains at 1200 fps

  1. #1
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    50-350 yds cast lead 450-500grains at 1200 fps

    there is a match at a range close to me that ive never been to, ive included about all the information i have which is cut and paste from the website.
    I have an 1886 in 40-82 its been in my family forever so id prefer to use it.There is also a browning 1885 highwall 45-70, my dad is offering to use because its probably the better choice.


    Range Buffalo Match



    Buffalo Shoot Main Match:

    30 steel buffaloes set from 50 to 350 yards

    Participants have 12 minutes for 30 shots [must knock down for score]

    Time plus hits will be tallied for tie breakers

    Categories:

    Traditional Category: I'm NOT shooting this class

    pre-1885 style black powder buffalo guns

    loads must be black powder only, grease groove or paper patch cast lead bullets

    Clothing and accoutrements must be period correct for traditional class.

    Iron sights [If there are enough traditional style telescopic sights, we'll add a traditional scope class.]



    Open Class this is one, sounds fun no costume

    Anything else. Typical cartridges are 45-70, 44-77,45-90,50-70,50-90. [The 40-65s and 38-55s can knock over the targets most of the time with high center hits.]

    Must use cast lead bullets at black powder velocities. [Cast or swaged lead bullets only!]

    Buffalo guns with 450 to 500+ grain bullets at 1200 fps work the best.

    Can use duplex loads, smokeless or black powder substitutes. No hot smokeless loads
    Last edited by zymguy; 02-09-2018 at 03:25 AM. Reason: add 45-70

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy rr2241tx's Avatar
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    Assuming you have enough 40-82 brass, load 'em and have a ball! You'll have lots of empty case to sink your bullet into if you load smokeless. Use a heavy cast boolit. You probably have a mold that throws 410 or 420 grains, use those. You'll be aiming for a MV of 1350 to 1450 fps if you're shooting plain base boolits, 1600 with a gas check. A recoil pad will make your day after much less painful.
    rr2241tx
    Timin' has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rr2241tx View Post
    Use a heavy cast boolit. You probably have a mold that throws 410 or 420 grains
    i haven't got a mold yet, my dad figured out a load. the gun has a strange throat bore relationship. I know the bullets he uses is lighter but i can measure one for diameter then hunt down a heavier mold. i recently purchesed 90 odd 45-100 converted to 40-82 so hopefully it works well and im set for brass

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

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    You want to check the twist in the 40-82 as some were "express" rounds for lighter bullets. If it will shoot the 400 grn boolits then those buffalo don't stand a chance on solid hits. I have used the lyman 400 grn postel style in my 40-65 with 14 twist out to 500yds and rams his solid go down. The 38-55 does good but most are going to a 350-360 grn bullet and 12 twist barrel.

    My loads in the 40 run in the 1150-1200 fps range. But I'm also shooting black powder loads.

    45-70 with a 480 grn -550 grn bullet again is a very good combination. ( you didn't state the caliber on the high wall) 30 shots in 12 mins is going to be brutal with loads much faster. Also 12 mins for 30 shots is going to take some practice. That's a around 3 shots a min. Recoil is going to play a big part in this.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
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    A good load I like for the 45_70 is a 405 grn pb boolit with 40-42 grn of varget behind it. It has a good push, but I can shoot that all day.

    That sounds like a fun comp!

  6. #6
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    i wish i had a 50-70 gov!!! that sounds like fun!!!!!!

  7. #7
    Boolit Buddy
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    Sounds like the herds we used to shoot near Ackley, Iowa. Three or four herds of 25 Buff's. Targets roughly 2 feet tall and 3 feet long, with a two inch foot that ran the length of the target.

    I used a Pedersoli Sharps replica with vernier sights, 45-70 caliber using a 457125 for a bullet. Compressed BP with a grease cookie to keep the fouling soft. A blow tube also comes in handy to keep things soft and make cartridges easy to chamber.

    Good times, for sure !

  8. #8
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    talked to dad on the phone today, re:1886 40-82 he does not belive there is enough elevation in the factory sights to get out to 350 yds. I of course said lets get a marbles tang sight. Unfortunatly he says the screws in the tang are stuck, and because its kinda a family heirloom he'd prefer that we didnt fight the screws any further. So ive found a lyman sight that fits up on the chamber of the browning 85. time to pick a 45-70 bullet i guess.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 44Blam View Post
    A good load I like for the 45_70 is a 405 grn pb boolit with 40-42 grn of varget behind it. It has a good push, but I can shoot that all day.

    That sounds like a fun comp!
    the current lyman cast book has 42 as the starting load and its right at 1200fps, maybe a good place for me to start

  10. #10
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    im thinking ill need to build a loading block that will hold the rounds nose first .

  11. #11
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    for nocking over steel like this shoot, would a round nose bullet be better than a larger meplat nose used for hunting?
    I'm thinking the current group buy keith style bullet is well timed for me, unless there are real benifis to a round nose for this.
    Ben

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    Weight and accuracy are your friend. Lighter boolits may work but you will have to hit them high in the back to get a sure knock down.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    I used rejected interior door parts for a bullet block. But you could use a 2x4 with holes drilled to get by.

  14. #14
    Boolit Buddy
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    I would use in 45-70 (this load is very accurate in my Shilo 1874). RCBS 500 BPS bullet cast of COWW, water dropped, pushed by 26.5 gr of 5744. Boolets either powder coated or lubed with 50/50 Alox/Johnson's one step floor wax. About 1290 fps (chronoed).

  15. #15
    Boolit Master zymguy's Avatar
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    where on the buffalo do I aim ? any practice suggestions ?

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check