Thoughts on the H&R Classic Carbine in 45 Colt

[timspawn]

I have been looking at getting one of these. Does anybody here have one and if so what are your thoughts on it?

[crazy mark]

Good luck finding one. I've seen one and it was way over priced. They aren't even making the 45/410 now.

[timspawn]

I found one. I'm just not sure about buying it yet. The price is $350. It is like new.

[Outpost75]

I have one and love it. I use the same loads which I do in my New Service Colt and get 2" groups at 50 yards with Saeco #954 cast 1:30, loaded as-cast and unsized, lubricated with Lee Liquid Alox and 6.5 grains of Bullseye.

[tacklebury]

Mine rocks, but it took 3 tries to get a good chamber. First one looked like a football and blew out brass about 25 thousandths, nearly locking it into the chamber and seriously deforming it. I returned that and got one that was Pear shaped. Had a big expansion at the front of the chamber and I had to break it over my knee with a once fired case in the chamber. It loaded up and went right back. Finally, the third one I got was a perfect chamber. Actually tighter than my .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk cylinder. I can now take a once fired brass and drop it into the Blackhawk cylinder still. lol

I like Reloader7 under a 300 gr. bullet for a velocity around 1900 fps. I use mostly XTP Magnum 300 gr. J-words for these power loads. If you want information specifics on the loads and a link to the article, let me know. I have also shot a bit of Linbaugh level .45 colt loads, albeit I like the steady push of Reloader7 over the H110 kick. I do use H110 and a book load under a 300 gr. XTP Magnum when going into an area where brown bear could be an issue. Then I can use them in the Blackhawk or Carbine. I am also playing with some 330 gr. Gould bullets run through a .454 sizing die and plain based. Not enough data or accuracy testing to be sure if I like it. ;) I shoot a lot of Dardas Cast 200 gr. RNFP with 6.5 gr. Unique for plinking loads. Finally, my go to deer load is a 240 gr. Sierra Sportsmaster over 11 gr. Unique for the Blackhawk. It also shoots about 1.5" with irons at 50 yards in the carbine. So if I am keeping things lean for a hunting trip, it's my Blackhawk, box of these and the carbine. ;)

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

they are very visually appealing to me. Go for it
enabler aint I :-P

[timspawn]

they are very visually appealing to me. Go for it
enabler aint I :-P

Indeed!

[Bullshop Junior]

I have several H&R single shot guns, althought not a carbine 45 colt, since I have a puma 454. I really like the NEF/H&R guns and would reccomend one to anyone. With a little fine tuning and fitting most of the ones I have had would shoot quite suprisingly well.

[wgr]

mine will put 300 grain LBT bullets into 11/2 to 2 in at 100yd. loaded with 21 grains of H-110

[timspawn]

Somebody else bought it.

[geargnasher]

I have one. The throat is rather like a Marlin with no real step at the end of the chamber and then an abrupt angle into the rifling. It shoots my best pistol ammo so-so, like 4" at 50 yards, my best loads are a Lee 457-340 RF sized to .454" and seated over a compressed load of RX 7 and the same boolit sized .448", wet-wrapped in Meade heavy graph paper and again loaded over a case full of RX 7 with the boolit seated to where the patch engraves pretty solidly.

Fun gun and I'm glad I bought it, but I wish it had a little tighter chamber and a better throat.

This one is a 100-yard target using a 4-MOA red-dot sight:
http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w538/Geargnasher/thum_89094e91f85d4b95c_zps8090b9b8.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/Geargnasher/media/thum_89094e91f85d4b95c_zps8090b9b8.jpg.html)

This one is from 50 yards, velocity chrono'd at 1320 fps.
http://i1328.photobucket.com/albums/w538/Geargnasher/thum_89094e597bd333b83_zps50679a2c.jpg (http://s1328.photobucket.com/user/Geargnasher/media/thum_89094e597bd333b83_zps50679a2c.jpg.html)

Gear

[Good Cheer]

LBT WFN sized .454
:drinks:

And golly I wish they made a .41!

[bigtee]

Would love to find one myself, been looking for a while.

[Hammerhead]

I bought mine a few years back, paid more than I should have.
But I like mine a lot. Trigger is heavy, but very crisp, just the way I like a utility gun.
The accuracy really has impressed me since I switched to peep sights. Everything seems to shoot well. I mostly bought it to burn up my supply of .452" 200 grain SWC .45 auto bullets and it does that very well. Accuracy out to 50 yards is very good. My .454" round ball load shoots very well too and is as quiet as a .22.
I really like the ergonomics too. The double curved butt plate is very comfortable, far better than an SKS or AK. The droop comb fits me perfectly. I have trouble getting low enough for open sights on my Handi rifle, but the H&R 45 classic is just right. Respectable walnut too.

If you can find one, buy it, even if you have to over pay a little. It's a very nice, quick handling carbine.

[tacklebury]

Picture of mine with the .45 Colt Blackhawk. ;)

97029

[Hammerhead]

Nice kit.

[Bullshop Junior]

Very nice indeed.

[tacklebury]

Thx, great combo. ;)

[geargnasher]

Your receiver colors are a lot better than mine ever were, I think they must have been doing OJT on the acid coloring the day mine was finished.

Gear

[tacklebury]

I think they must have been doing OJT on the acid coloring the day mine was finished

ROFL, I almost spit my coffee on the monitor! I got pretty good color on both my Classics, but good wood too. 8)

[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. ;)

97996

[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.

9810698107

[161]

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

9810698107
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.