H&R buffalo classic - Good buy?

[Shooter6br]

Saw a used H&R with checked stock for $269 Very good shape Is this a good buy?

[pietro]

Yes - Outstanding.

[Shooter]

+1 good deal.

[skimmerhead]

i have been a little interrested in the h&r buffalo classic. the 45-70 is a round that i'm not familiar with, only a little of what iv'e read on this forum which is not much. what is the range of the 45-70 and what powder do you load it with ? anyone care to shed some light on this ?

skimmerhead

[nicholst55]

i have been a little interrested in the h&r buffalo classic. the 45-70 is a round that i'm not familiar with, only a little of what iv'e read on this forum which is not much. what is the range of the 45-70 and what powder do you load it with ? anyone care to shed some light on this ?

skimmerhead

Range: 1,000 yards or thereabouts.
Powder: 1.5F Swiss, 2F Goex, or any number of different smokeless powders. I only use Black.

For normal hunting use, 1,000 yards is pretty optimistic. You won't get anywhere near that range with the factory rear sight on a Buffalo Classic, either - it hasn't got adequate elevation adjustment.

[725]

With that rifle and a 420 cast boolit, I use 40 gr or 3031. Nice and mild and I go to 200 yards with it. Very repeatable performance at all ranges. I'm on the low end of power. Refer to a good manual for all your load data. If you care to hold on to it, I believe you can load to modern lever action levels and still be very safe. Don't know why anybody would as light as my load is, it's a DRT, bang-flop load.

[Olevern]

I recently saw one in a shop used for $395.00 (I passed)

[Lead Fred]

Can buy them new for under $400
269 was a steal

[SP101GUY]

That is a good deal. Picked mine up 2 weeks ago new for $325. Cast up some 405g Lee RF's to shoot over "the load" and see how it goes. It must be a newer model as it has the extractor and not the ejector.

AJ

[Texantothecore]

That is highway robbery. My Buffalo classic is the most accurate rifle I've ever shot and I have shot some extremely pricey Italian custom jobs. It is a legitimate 1,000 yard rifle.

Rounds vary from 144 grn roundball to 600 grn cruise missiles and you can use it as a shotgun (48 gauge) by loading previously shot brass with shot and powder (no shot cup).

These rifles are the most fun you can have with a rifle. They are endlessly entertaining.

[skimmerhead]

i didn't think they'd reach out that far. now i'm interested, i like long range target shooting and this sounds like with a proper site it could be a lot of fun. i have a few 45-70 brass cases laying around that i don't know how they came in my possesion but i have one on the shelf of my reloading desk and every once in awhile i look at. never had much time to mess with it, to busy with all my handguns. i think its time to figure out how to explain to my wife why i would need a new rifle. maybe carpal tunnell syndrome ? honey i can't shoot my handguns because of my wrist. wifes responce, well i thought you said you had to give up rifle's because of your shoulder! but honey i'm gonna use my other sholder. well i thought you said both sholders hurt? i don't think that one's gonna work, i'll have to give this more thought.

skimmerhead :-D

[Buddy]

I p/u a Wesson & Harrington 1871 BC last week. $300 tax free for mine. You got a deal for sure. This one is 14yrs old and unfired. Not for long though. Need to get some brass and a mold.

[PanaDP]

Apparently I'm the dissenting vote here. I had a buffalo classic and thought it was a piece of ****. The lockup became loose very quickly and the barrel was always prone to warping with heat so if I shot more than one shot every 5 minutes, POI would be different. It also had one of the roughest bores I've ever seen from the factory and H&R refused to even take a look, claiming that it must somehow be my fault. I sold it with about 300 rounds downrange, none of them in groups any better than about 9" at 100yds. I won't ever buy anything of that make again, but clearly other people have had different experiences.

[gandydancer]

I have that rifle in 38/55 and its a lot of fun and will not beat you up. I like it.

[725]

Careful skimmerhead, you're going to have to start mowing the lawn again if all your "ailments" are explained away.

[skimmerhead]

Careful skimmerhead, you're going to have to start mowing the lawn again if all your "ailments" are explained away.

aledged ailments :lol:

[calkar]

I just had a great time at the range with mine today (45-70), shot it out to the turkey bank (385m) chippin at rocks offhand. I shot all 50 rnds. that I had loaded, before I knew it. Best load so far has been the RD 425gc/42/3031. I should be able to use my arm again by monday, LOL!

[nicholst55]

i didn't think they'd reach out that far. now i'm interested, i like long range target shooting and this sounds like with a proper site it could be a lot of fun.

skimmerhead :-D

Good quality target sights will cost you roughly twice the price of the gun. Bear that in mind, because it turns a lot of people off. Note that none of the Italian target sights that I have seen fit into the category of 'good quality.'

[Texantothecore]

The Marbles Improved sights work well. The Improved version will go out a long ways.

[WinMike]

the 45-70 is a round that i'm not familiar with, only a little of what iv'e read on this forum which is not much. what is the range of the 45-70 and what powder do you load it with ? anyone care to shed some light on this ?

Not to make light of an inquiry, but I'm guessing maybe the 45-70 has had more written about it than any other caliber (the '06 the lone exception?)......

[PanaDP]

i have been a little interrested in the h&r buffalo classic. the 45-70 is a round that i'm not familiar with, only a little of what iv'e read on this forum which is not much. what is the range of the 45-70 and what powder do you load it with ? anyone care to shed some light on this ?

skimmerhead

How can you be a shooter and not know about the 45-70? That's a bit tragic.

Anyway, the 45-70 was developed for the 1873 springfield trapdoor rifle. The full designation was the 45-70-405 which meant 45 caliber, 70 grains of black powder, and a 405 grain bullet. Today, the bullet weight can vary from 350gr express type loadings to 500gr long range loadings, but the powder of choice is still black. Some people load them with smokeless but they have to jump through hoops to fight the large capacity and I've never seen anybody shoot long ranges with the cartridge loaded with smokeless.

[skimmerhead]

How can you be a shooter and not know about the 45-70? That's a bit tragic.

Anyway, the 45-70 was developed for the 1873 springfield trapdoor rifle. The full designation was the 45-70-405 which meant 45 caliber, 70 grains of black powder, and a 405 grain bullet. Today, the bullet weight can vary from 350gr express type loadings to 500gr long range loadings, but the powder of choice is still black. Some people load them with smokeless but they have to jump through hoops to fight the large capacity and I've never seen anybody shoot long ranges with the cartridge loaded with smokeless.
it is easy not to know very little about things that don't interest you. the 45-70, iv'e heard about it, iv'e read a little about, but since it did not interest me i never paid much attention to it. so i'm not a shooter, just a gun lover, so now i'm not sure if i have to cancel my NRA membership? i'll have to check on that.

skimmerhead

[TCLouis]

Like 44s, everyone should be required to have at least one 45-70.

365 RD Boolit (378 in my alloy)in FRONT of 10.5 Unique fired by a WLP and it will mosey down range about 1100 fps.

Seems like a pretty pedestrian load, but I sure would prefer to be behind rather than in front of it.

[jhrosier]

skimmerhead,

Don't let it bother you. There are literally thousands of different cartridges, not counting wildcats. Nobody is born knowing everything. The fun is in new-to-you discoverys.
I owned and shot rifles in .22 JGR and .297/.230 Morris. I would be surprised if anyone here was familiar with both.

Jack

[John Boy]

Apparently I'm the dissenting vote here. I had a buffalo classic and thought it was a piece of **** Interesting, must have been a Monday morning rifle.

My best ever 600yd group was 5 Triple Seven shots in the 7 ring ... 2.25" x 7" with 3 holes that could be covered by a silver dollar. Two club members witnessed the group

[skimmerhead]

skimmerhead,

Don't let it bother you. There are literally thousands of different cartridges, not counting wildcats. Nobody is born knowing everything. The fun is in new-to-you discoverys.
I owned and shot rifles in .22 JGR and .297/.230 Morris. I would be surprised if anyone here was familiar with both.

Jack
kinda the point i was trying to make. what is popular to some is not to another. now i'm really turned off by the h&r buffalo classic in 45-70. don't want one, ain't gonna get one! now i decided to order me a shilho sharps in 45-90 or larger, will call them tomorrow and put down a deposit and wait my turn.

skimmerhead

[PanaDP]

kinda the point i was trying to make. what is popular to some is not to another. now i'm really turned off by the h&r buffalo classic in 45-70. don't want one, ain't gonna get one! now i decided to order me a shilho sharps in 45-90 or larger, will call them tomorrow and put down a deposit and wait my turn.

skimmerhead

It's a good time. I hear their lead time is right around 12 months right now. I can highly recommend 45-2.4" or 2.6". I have a sharps in 45-2.4" and it's a really great caliber. I load paper patched bullets over 90 or 100 grains of black and it's all the gun you'd ever need, I think.

[skimmerhead]

It's a good time. I hear their lead time is right around 12 months right now. I can highly recommend 45-2.4" or 2.6". I have a sharps in 45-2.4" and it's a really great caliber. I load paper patched bullets over 90 or 100 grains of black and it's all the gun you'd ever need, I think.

don't know much about them either, i think i'll just a .22

skimmerhead

[SharpsShooter]

A proper rear sight is not difficult.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r255/SharpsShooter_photos/base2.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r255/SharpsShooter_photos/base1.jpg

SS

[EDG]

SS
Did you do that yourself or have it done?
That looks like a good set up but for a lot of shooting I think I would modify a pallet wood butt with a recoil pad.
(How much would would a would chuck chuck? I think steel chucks are better)

[PanaDP]

A proper rear sight is not difficult.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r255/SharpsShooter_photos/base2.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r255/SharpsShooter_photos/base1.jpg

SS

Any reason the false tang isn't extended so it connects to the wrist of the action? That would help lessen the effect of weather on the sight. Right now, I must assume you are rather at the mercy of the swelling and shrinking of the wood as far as the consistency from session to session.

[tacklebury]

Right below that false tang is a Bolt that attaches the stock to the action. It doesn't flex much. One guy on Graybeards shoots the 1000m buffalo with that set-up. ;) I can keep a 6" group at 250 yards with the stock irons and just kentucky windage up about 2 foot. ;) My go to powder is Reloader7 and I've shot it from 34 gr. for trap door level loads to 52 grain barn burners. My std. go to load is 46-48gr. depending on what bullet I'm loading. At 100 yards my best group was .87" c-c.

[Swampman]

I've owned 5-6 H&R .45-70s. All were very accurate.

[skimmerhead]

well i bought a .22 but for the life of me i can't figure out how to shoot that big cartridge in that little hole ????

skimmerhead:lovebooli

[Lonegun1894]

well i bought a .22 but for the life of me i can't figure out how to shoot that big cartridge in that little hole ????

skimmerhead:lovebooli


As a wise friend told me years ago: "Now what ever you do, don't try to force anything on a gun. Just go git that bigger hammer from over in the tool box." :2 drunk buddies:

[skimmerhead]

As a wise friend told me years ago: "Now what ever you do, don't try to force anything on a gun. Just go git that bigger hammer from over in the tool box." :2 drunk buddies:

now that's a good idea ! i woulda never thought of that, i have a 12# hammer in the barn, i'll try that one. thanks for the tip.

skimmerhead :D

[flhroy]

Here is a report on shooting the 45/70 at two miles. The target was actually hit!

http://home.earthlink.net/~sharpsshtr/CritterPhotos/SandyHook/SandyHook.html

[skimmerhead]

has anyone have any thoughts on rechambering a buffalo clasic too 45-120 ? what about pressure, can the barrel handle the pressure of the 45-120 round? possibly adding a muzzel brake, custom butt pad for recoil. any input? i know i'm nuts and don't have any good reason to want to do this other than something different.

skimmerhead :idea:

[PanaDP]

has anyone have any thoughts on rechambering a buffalo clasic too 45-120 ? what about pressure, can the barrel handle the pressure of the 45-120 round? possibly adding a muzzel brake, custom butt pad for recoil. any input? i know i'm nuts and don't have any good reason to want to do this other than something different.

skimmerhead :idea:

The action should have no problem with the pressure. Being a BP cartridge, 45-120 is still pretty low pressure compared to some of the other options for a handy rifle. I wouldn't want to feel the recoil of a 45 3-1/4" in such a light rifle, though. No matter what you do to help with recoil, it'd give Andre the giant a flinch.:kidding:

[skimmerhead]

The action should have no problem with the pressure. Being a BP cartridge, 45-120 is still pretty low pressure compared to some of the other options for a handy rifle. I wouldn't want to feel the recoil of a 45 3-1/4" in such a light rifle, though. No matter what you do to help with recoil, it'd give Andre the giant a flinch.:kidding:

sounds like fun to me!

skimmerhead:lovebooli

[PanaDP]

sounds like fun to me!

skimmerhead:lovebooli

You must literally be a bigger man than I. I could shoot that offhand OK but laying down with it prone would just about kill me.

[skimmerhead]

could someone tell me a good place to send this rifle to have it rechambered from a 45-70 to a 45-90 or maybe a 45-120 ? i don't know of any local gunsmith's to do the job. i also would like to have a scope mount of somekind mounted to the rifle, and possibly a muzzel brake. is there anyone on this forum that can do the job ? the muzzel brake i'll probably machine it my self, and have it installed.

skimmerhead

[tacklebury]

At Graybeard forums they have a reamer that can be used for a donation. ;)

http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/topic,231528.0.html

[John Boy]

Right below that false tang is a Bolt that attaches the stock to the action. It doesn't flex much. One guy on Graybeards shoots the 1000m buffalo with that set-up. Tacklebury, thanks for the plug. That shooter is me and the buffalo is Homer at Ridgway, PA R&P Club. His dimensions are smaller that a 1000yd target - 72" x 72". He is 48" x 82"

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/HomerA22Oct.jpg

Hits on a 16" bullseye ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/PDRM2900.jpg

If you look real closely .... way out there at the end of the range, this is what Homer looks like from the firing line - that little speck of white ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/PDRM2756.jpg

[725]

Now that looks like fun!!

[JASON50CAL]

A friend of mine has one of these and i was really surprised at how accurate it is even with open sights we were cutting holes at 100 yards.

[skimmerhead]

Tacklebury, thanks for the plug. That shooter is me and the buffalo is Homer at Ridgway, PA R&P Club. His dimensions are smaller that a 1000yd target - 72" x 72". He is 48" x 82"

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/HomerA22Oct.jpg

Hits on a 16" bullseye ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/PDRM2900.jpg

If you look real closely .... way out there at the end of the range, this is what Homer looks like from the firing line - that little speck of white ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgeway%20Oct%202007/PDRM2756.jpg
it looks like homer has taken a beating! that is one nice shooting range. that has got to be one of the nicest ranges iv'e seen. has to be a lot of fun. thanks for the photos

skimmerhead:bigsmyl2:

[geargnasher]

+1 on an awsome range! I could spend many happy days there.

Skimmerhead, my 45/90 WCF Shiloh Sharps weighs in at about 13.5 pounds, and with 535-grain Postell boolits at even midrange loads it makes me sore for days shooting off a bench. Much better sitting cross-legged with shooting sticks, but still a whopper IMO. I have a Classic Carbine in .45 Colt that I've loaded to Trapdoor 45/70 ballistics using 340-grain boolits, and that's about all I want out of that little gun.

Gear

[skimmerhead]

+1 on an awsome range! I could spend many happy days there.

Skimmerhead, my 45/90 WCF Shiloh Sharps weighs in at about 13.5 pounds, and with 535-grain Postell boolits at even midrange loads it makes me sore for days shooting off a bench. Much better sitting cross-legged with shooting sticks, but still a whopper IMO. I have a Classic Carbine in .45 Colt that I've loaded to Trapdoor 45/70 ballistics using 340-grain boolits, and that's about all I want out of that little gun.

Gear
thanks for the info. i'm still tossing this around as to what i'm gonna do. i don't want to jump in without a little more research. i never shot bp cartridge's before, allthough iv'e hunted with my thompson omeaga inline, my load for that was about a 250gr power belt boolit on top of three 50gr pellets of tripple seven and that was a pretty good kick, but devestating on deer. i'm just looking for another project to keep me interested in something else so i can stay out of trouble. i thought of a lever gun in 45-70 but i find the single shot rifle more appealling. i do want to get a lever gun in .357mag when ever i get around to it. if not for my age and my health i'd get a shilo sharps, but as it stands it would be a stupid investment. i'm gonna try and start going to the gun shows around the state like i used to before injuring my knee.

skimmerhead:castmine:

[John Boy]

+1 on an awsome range! I could spend many happy days there. I drive the 8 hrs to Ridgway 2-3 times a year and spend a week there each time.
For the princely sum of $35 annual dues, the following facilities are available:
* A club house with an indoor pistol range, full cooking facilities and out of town members are allowed to bring a bed roll and sleep in it
* Behind the club house, a complete 10 bank small bore silhouette range - the steel are available 24x7
* Two middle ranges: plinking and a complete 10 bank lever action silhouette range, steel available 24x7
* The high range: covered 25 position firing line - command building with toilet & cooking facilities - complete 10 bank BPCR silhouette range - a new high bore 1000yd silhouette range ( both ranges steel available 24x7) and Homer, that is close to 20 years old. He was in good shape up until 2008 when some A'Hole from New York City peppered him with their space gun and armor piercing rounds
Every year, I give Homer new coat of paint. Here's his 2011 'new suit of clothes' ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgway%20May%202011/DSC00402.jpg

He's a challenge for BPCR shooters using iron sights. At about 11:00AM he goes into the shadows and the sight picture is only half body - about 48" high x 41" wide compared to a normal 1000yd NRA target 72" x 72". Add wind and mirage - one has to really fine tune their shooting skills. I still manage a few center hits though on the 10" bullseye and near misses :) ...
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd220/Meadowmucker/Ridgway%20May%202011/DSC00403.jpg

[tacklebury]

Great Shooting John Boy. I intend to get some long range sights on my BC at some point. I have shot out to 300 yard targets with just some Kentucky windage. hehe I had a 10" group with the std. sights at that range, so wasn't too disappointed. I took my Swiss 1911 Schmidt-Rubin out to 500 yards and was banging the ram with irons on that. ;)

[Hiwall55]

Put a tang on several H&R's,tightened up the lug to frame with a little machine work, added extractor's and will now keep up all the way to the ram line.Mine's a 38/55 and it will shoot! invest in the best sight even if you have to save up for a while to get it ,money well spent when you only have to get one.

[hightime]

What pops your cork. If you're not moved then don't move. I'll tell you this , you'll like BP cartridge long range work. My single shot a bit heavy for hunting, but a 45-110 needs a little weight behind it. I think you'll like the Buff Classic. It will be good. I use a 1895 Marlin Cowboy 45-70 for deer. It works great.

Owen, ps. my Sharps is a Pederosoli.

[skimmerhead]

What pops your cork. If you're not moved then don't move. I'll tell you this , you'll like BP cartridge long range work. My single shot a bit heavy for hunting, but a 45-110 needs a little weight behind it. I think you'll like the Buff Classic. It will be good. I use a 1895 Marlin Cowboy 45-70 for deer. It works great.

Owen, ps. my Sharps is a Pederosoli.
that's a good looking rifle. if you need a baby sitter for it i'd be interested in the job i work for cheap[smilie=w:

skimmerhead:castmine:

[hightime]

It moved me. I didn't know a thing about BP Cartridge until I bought it. Then I found out it didn't shoot that well with smokeless. I got into a whole new world. It's great.
Jump right in the water's fine.

Owen

[skimmerhead]

It moved me. I didn't know a thing about BP Cartridge until I bought it. Then I found out it didn't shoot that well with smokeless. I got into a whole new world. It's great.
Jump right in the water's fine.

Owen

thanks, i'll jump in, i need a bath anyway. besides its allmost the end of the month.:kidding:

skimmerhead :drinks: