OK , I just have to ask .

[IcerUSA]

How good is the H&R Buffalo Classic ? Thinking of getting something in a 45-70ish single shot . Thanks Guys for your replys .

Keith

[Lumpie]

I have one, and it shoots good. One thing you need is a decent tang sight. With the 45 cal. its pretty easy to find a good mould for it. Unlike the 38-55 which a grossly oversized bore,the 45 is easier to deal with. Its a cheap bang for the Buck. I shoot both smokeless, and black. Have good luck with both. Carl

[jack19512]

How good is the H&R Buffalo Classic ?








I really like mine. :)

[SharpsShooter]

Great gun for the money. The examples I've seen shot very good even with paper patch. The triggers are a bit heavy and occasionaly rough, but everything is a trade off in life.


SS

[C A Plater]

I just picked up a used one in .38-55. This one's barrel slugged in at .378" across the groves so it's not as bad as some I've read about. Also the trigger does not suck so it may have been worked on. It is missing the rear aperture insert but I have others and will likely replace the rear with a Foolproof or similar depending on what I can find. Seeing as it was on the rack for $250 I just could not pass it by. I need to assemble some ammo and see what it does at the range but it does look like it will be a fun lead slinger. Like many mass produced firearms, some come out better than others.

[hammerhead357]

I really like mine I've had it about 2 years and have only fired about 300 rounds thru it. To much work and not enough play time. I think they are a good firearm for the money. Mine is accurate if I do my part and if I remember to do all of the little things that make them shoot good...Wes

[crabo]

When you guys say it shoot good, what does that mean? Would it shoot good enough for silhouettes at 500 meters with good sights? Or is it a good 100-200 yard plinker?

I have been looking for an afordable 45/70 also.

Crabo

[lovedogs]

My wife and I both shoot BC .45-70's and like them real well. Both wear Lee Shaver Long-Range Soule sights and shoot MOA groups to almost 900 yds. using Saeco 500 gr. and 350 gr. bullets. Using a scope to develop loads we often get ragged hole groups at 100 yds. We use 5744 for cast loads and RL7 for jacketed bullets. Neither of us would trade them for any other brand. We have yet to see any other brand shoot as well. Snob appeal counts for nothing in a match so we'll keep our "cheap" BC's.

[crabo]

Lovedogs, what did the sights cost? As much as the rifle?

[littlejack]

OK fella's " I " have to ask. I have had my Buffalo Classic for about 3 1/2 years. I have put real close to 2000 rounds of cast bullets through it. They have been my own cast bullets of WW's , 20-1 , 16-1 and pure lead. My favorite cast bullet is the Postell 535 grain plain base. I have shot the 330 Gould HP, the 405 grain Lee hollow base, another custom 525 grain bullet, as the the mould was loaned to me and a 470 Lyman. All plain base bullets. I have not been able to get consistant groups with the rifle. With the hotter loads, 1500 fps and up, the action would occationally break open upon firing. I could see the wear mark on the latching shelf was only about .070 where the latch was locking. I was told to take a file and remove some of the shelf to get the latch to cover more of the shelf and create a better lock up. Well, I took a little too much off and now have to replace some and refit the latch.
Question. Have any of you had this type of problem? Either with the locking mechanism or getting your loads to group consistantly? Relay your load information to me. My best load was the 535 grain Postell and 27.5 grains of Re-7. The rifle does not like to shoot any bullet fast at all. Groups turn into patterns.
Have any of you had this expierience with you BC's? I have even went to paper patching my bullets but anything even naked bullets over about 1225 does not shoot well . All expierience appreciated.
Jack

[725]

Had the same lock-up problem with a custom .54 black powder barrel fitted to a H&R frame. Every shot would open the action. A little bit of study got me to the point I understood how it was designed to work and some judicious filing/sanding in conjunction with a black magic marker got it to lock up tighter than a bank vault. Put marker on the latch points and operated the action. It showed me where it was and was not working and I just kept at it 'till it was right. Do stop before you go all the way. I get the feeling it is designed to wear and wear and then just get tighter and tighter.

[garandsrus]

Littlejack,

Greybeard's site (www.graybeardoutdoors.com (http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/board,126.0.html)) has a great FAQ document and a very active H&R forum that can help with your questions.

John

[jack19512]

The triggers are a bit heavy and occasionaly rough, but everything is a trade off in life.


SS








I don't have a trigger pull gage so I can't tell what mine is for sure but it is on the light side and smooth. If I had to guess I would say 4 lb pull, but that is guessing. When I first got mine I actually had to get use to it because the trigger pull was so light.

[littlejack]

My trigger came with a clean crisp 4.5to 5 pound just guessing. I have no trouble at all with it.
Come on fella's share some load information.
Jack

[NickSS]

Well I have three H&Rs and even more barrels for them. I guess I am lucky because I have yet to find one that did not shoot. My 45-70 barrel will keep several loads into under 1.5 MOA out to 200 yards and my 38-55 shoots as good or better than my $2000 High Wall. The other barrels I have all shoot well as well. The only problem I have had was sights. The ones that come with the rifles are poor as far as adjustments are concerned. I replaced all of them with either scopes or better sights.

[jack19512]

The only problem I have had was sights. The ones that come with the rifles are poor as far as adjustments are concerned. I replaced all of them with either scopes or better sights.




I would agree with this. I put a scope on mine. I hated the adjustments for the stock sights.

[jlchucker]

My gunsmith had one at the range last fall. He had replaced the target front sight with a bead-type. It shot 405 cast bullets great. Impressed, I bought the 38-55 version and am less than thrilled with it in 38-55. It appears that many others have had problems with the latter caliber. Mine shoots commercially loaded, jacketed rounds with terrific results. Cast bullets are another matter. Much experimentation. If alteration of a new rifle is required, or custom molds, I will trade this junker off quickly. Beware of the H & R 38-55.

[SharpsShooter]

I don't have a trigger pull gage so I can't tell what mine is for sure but it is on the light side and smooth. If I had to guess I would say 4 lb pull, but that is guessing. When I first got mine I actually had to get use to it because the trigger pull was so light.

I have seen them be 4# or even a little better, but 4# is too heavy when you are used to shooting less than 2# triggers and some a good bit lighter.:-D That said, I do have a shooting buddy that has a BC with a fine trigger that will shoot MOA easily. If someone could figure out how to put double or even single set triggers on one, it would be super.

SS