H and R 45-70 or the H and R 500 S/W input please

[Beagler]

Have a work bonus coming up in a month and I;m kicking around the idea of getting the H and R 45-70 or the 500 S/W. The guns are very well priced for my first time CB project. All of my casting over the years entailed smoke polls and shotgun casting so far. I own several Hand R scatter guns and a Ultra slugger but never played with there rifles. Does anybody have either of these rifles and how do they perform for there price.

Figure I might as well try castin my own boolits since factory component bullets in these cals. are a little $$. Plus the iron sighted rifle will fit right behind the truck seat and it would be a good cal. for close Oinker hunting.

[Doc_Stihl]

I have an H&R in 45-70. I love it. Well suited for my cast needs. I also have a 500 S&W encore rifle.

It's hard to decide which caliber I'd rather have in a handi rifle. With casting, I don't think you can go wrong either way. The 500 S&W shoots the 440 Lee's and the lee .500 Minnie improved (wadcutter - Tumble Lube) very well. The 45-70 eats any .458 I can find. Loves the Lee 500gr GC and postel.

If it were me, I'd go with the 45-70, pick up the Lee 500gr rnfp GC and the lee 500gr postel.

[Beagler]

Guess I will have to get sizer/luber also. Are the lee 500 s/w 440 gas check boolits

[Longwood]

I have an H&R in 45-70. I love it. Well suited for my cast needs. I also have a 500 S&W encore rifle.

It's hard to decide which caliber I'd rather have in a handi rifle. With casting, I don't think you can go wrong either way. The 500 S&W shoots the 440 Lee's and the lee .500 Minnie improved (wadcutter - Tumble Lube) very well. The 45-70 eats any .458 I can find. Loves the Lee 500gr GC and postel.

If it were me, I'd go with the 45-70, pick up the Lee 500gr rnfp GC and the lee 500gr postel.

I have a Uberti Hiwall in 45-70 and am very interested in hearing about the powders and loads you use with the 500gr Postell bullets you mentioned.
I am headed for the range right now to see how well it burns WC860 surplus powder behind the 500 for a bit milder load to plink with.
I know, I should use smaller bullets, but I like the way the big bullets kick up dirt etc. etc..
Thanks

[Shooter6br]

Buying more gun stuff is what bonus and OT money is for LOL Enjoy! I may looking into an H&R Handi soon

[jhrosier]

I have the H&R in .500S&W.
I'm using the Lee 440 gr boolit over a case full of Triple 7.
It is a hoot to shoot.
I'm too cheap to buy gas checks for the .50 so I punch out disks of 1/32 plastic to go over the powder.
Lube is Lar's Carbauba Red.

I'm getting no leading or built up fouling and the accuracy is good.

Jack

[Doc_Stihl]

The Lee .500 440 is a gas check boolit. But there are a few plain base options. The Lee REAL muzzleloader boolits size down to .501 nicely. I shoot one of those over Trail boss. The 440 over trailboss or 10gr of Unique without a gas check works well for plinking loads. Lee makes a .501 push through sizer as well. I've tumble lubed the 440's and shot them unsized over unique with good results.

[Doc_Stihl]

I have a Uberti Hiwall in 45-70 and am very interested in hearing about the powders and loads you use with the 500gr Postell bullets you mentioned.
I am headed for the range right now to see how well it burns WC860 surplus powder behind the 500 for a bit milder load to plink with.
I know, I should use smaller bullets, but I like the way the big bullets kick up dirt etc. etc..
Thanks

I shoot the postells over Trail boss alot. I've used 5744 with good results and I'd like to find a load with Varget to try out. Might try 35gr of Varget if I can verify that it's safe.


I cast mine out of whatever is in the pot, size to .458 with Lars red using a Hot Glue filled and formed top punch and then seat with a Postell seating stem.

I also played around with sizing these down to .451 and patching them. Had decent results, but I didn't persue it past, "hey that works".

[Beagler]

I think I will go with the 500 S/W. I can get brass, checks, lee mold, lee sizer for around 125 bucks. Already have 500 S/W dies. I load 400 grain sierras for a co-worker who is going across the pond Lion hunting and plains game hunting in a month or so

[badbob454]

i can load my h&r handi rifle to ruger no 1 pressures and it will handle anything you can , it a 45/70 and use the 450 and 500 and 340 lee molds all work great and the brass is much cheaper and once in a while you may find some on the range , but the 500 s& w dont hold your breath i never found a range pickup yet ... my 2c 45/70 itll drop anything in the continent if you load it right

[Doc_Stihl]

My 500 brass has been sized and loaded atleast 8 times each and I don't expect it to wear out anytime soon. My RCBS dies work the brass very little. The 440's over a near max charge of Lil'Gun (I only use lil' gun in the rifles) and a good crimp makes for a powerful accurate load.

I will say, my 16" encore has eaten a couple junk scopes. My 500 rifle barrel caused a brand new short money simmons to give up the ghost in 3 rounds. The impulse is serious. I shoot the 16" with iron sights now and the rifle has vortex which thus far has held up.

[Trey45]

I have 2 H&R 45-70's. I recommend them to anyone looking to get into 45-70 shooting on the cheap side and still have a quality firearm. I shoot everything from powerhouse Ruger #1 loads in it down to plinker 10gr of unique loads in it. The only thing I don't like are the Williams rear barrel sights. I changed them out for the receiver type sights, they still mount on the barrel, but have all the adjustments that the typical Williams receiver sights do.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=572292
If you end up with either caliber, 500S&W or 45-70, I'd put those sights on it.

[Beagler]

GOT ME A NEW BACON SLAYER!!! Well after alot of phone tag lookin for the H and R 500 S/W was told to use GunGenie.com to find one. I did found one about 10 min from my house at a gun shop I never knew existed. I was told by to diff. gun dealers H and R discontinued production of the 500 S/W handi rifle. Deposit is paid and contacted seller and the order to midway is placed for the extra castin and loading goodies. I guess my bonus check is going right to credit card bill!!!! Thanks for the posts guys.

[Doc_Stihl]

The half inch fever will take hold. What did you do for molds?

[Flash]

Everytime I hear of an H&R 45-70, it reminds me of the one I passed up in the late 1980's. The dealer wanted $60 for it and i thought it was too high since the 30-30's were going for $40 used.

[rtracy2001]

Why fool around? Get both!

http://www.hr1871.com/Support/accessoryProgram.asp

Through the barrel accesory program you can have your H&R reciever fitted with a spare barrel in just about any caliber you want. Scrolling down to the bottm, it looks like the 500 S&W would cost ony another $96 + S&H, if you buy the 45-70. (The 45-70 costs an additional $120 + S&H).

Of course, there does not appear to be a limit on the number of spare barrels you can have fitted.

[troyboy]

Go to gbo then check out the handi forum. I have both and a good plenty more. The 500 is a thumper. The 45/70 has a real following among the handi faithful. The 500 is a bit more problematic. The accy barrel will run in the 150-160 range with all the fees and shipping.

[Beagler]

The half inch fever will take hold. What did you do for molds?

I got the lee 440 grain gas check mold

[Beagler]

Gun order just got to the shop via Fed Ex overnight from Phoenix AZ to Palm PA. Internet tracking is great!!

[Doc_Stihl]

What are you doing here then.....go get it!