handi 45-70 accuracy problem

[irishtoo]

hi, i have a handi 45-70 apox 2 years old , bought new, it has about 200 rounds thru it, all cast. the issue is it is very inconsistent in grouping. today i shot a 3 shot clover leaf then later couldnt keep them on a 8x10 paper. the load im using shoots great from a 1885. 14grs unique, mihic mould, 415 gr .462, wlr primers. i have done all the tricks i know, forearm work, o ring on the forearm screw, i even changed out the scope thinking it was bad. i shoot 10 shots then switch rifles to allow a cool down period. there is no leading. no burr on the crown. i rest on sandbags at the receiver. and i have polished the bore with j.b. help!!!! irishtoo

[GhostHawk]

Well I am fairly new to H&R Handi Rifles, but I'd say that rifle is trying to tell you something.

You told us about load, but nothing about lube. Or it could be that it does not like that bullet.
Or that some are a little smaller than others.

The only real help I can offer is that the biggest collection of Handi rifle fan's seem to hang out over at Graybeard Outdoors.
They have their own section for just handi stuff over there. Might ask the same question there.

[kungfustyle]

Heat. What was the temp difference between am shooting and afternoon? I have loads in Florida for summer aka 1000 degs and the rest of the year. Seems once you get over 90 there needs to be a new load.

[dubber123]

Inconsistent lock up? Try giving it a firm snap closed each time. I have had break actions that "kinda" lock when closed gently. They will fire, but do weird stuff like fling high or low flyers.

[Bohica793]

I have found that my Handi 45/70 prefers 535 gr Postells over the 405 grain rounds. Think you have to find the right load for your rifle as they are all unique.

[brad925]

I wouldn't use unique in it unless i was using a dacron filler in it. Unique is position sensitive and if you don't think so get out the chronograph and try it with your barrel down and brought up slowly and shot then barrel up and brought down slowly and shot. that might be some of the reson your having accuracy problems. Try IMR 4198 or H 4198 in it. You might even try IMR 3031.

[curator]

Light weight Handis need to have a serious "support-hand hold down" to shoot accurately off the bench. Try holding the forearm as you would ordinarily from offhand on the front sand bag and place the hand under the fore arm screw, not the receiver. Holding the barrel down on recoil may help with your accuracy problem. I have a lot of problem with my .45-70 Handi until I learned how to shot it. For all things Handi, check with the guys at greybeard: http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/hr-centerfire-rifles/

[dlbarr]

I have found that my Handi 45/70 prefers 535 gr Postells over the 405 grain rounds. Think you have to find the right load for your rifle as they are all unique.

I agree you have to find the right load for your gun, however I've never shot a 535 in my 45/70 HR but it shoots 300-400 gr boolits just fine.


I wouldn't use unique in it unless i was using a dacron filler in it. Unique is position sensitive and if you don't think so get out the chronograph and try it with your barrel down and brought up slowly and shot then barrel up and brought down slowly and shot. that might be some of the reson your having accuracy problems. Try IMR 4198 or H 4198 in it. You might even try IMR 3031.

And my favorite load is 16gr Unique behind a RCBS 45-300-FN. Never use a dacron or other type filler. Have used both 3031 & 4198 loads which shoot well also.

Your 45/70 just needs to find the right load. I doubt there's anything wrong with it at all. Personally, I've gotten several good loads out of Paul Matthews' book: Forty Years with the 45-70. He shot Rugers & Marlins so his really heavy loads you probably don't want to shoot out of your HR. But I've shot several of his 1895 loads out of my HR and they all shoot well although recoil is fairly stout. Have to consider that....

[bubba.50]

340gr Lee's lubed with beeswax veg oil mix loaded with 4759 or 5744 to about 1100 to 1200 feet-per-second would shoot cloverleafs in my buffalo classic at 75yds.

[irishtoo]

thanks for all the replys. work is getting in the way of play right now. i free floated the forearm and im anxious to see if that has made any improvement, maybe saturday. irishtoo

[Silverboolit]

Make sure that there is no oil on the latch or the latch shelf. My Handi likes both dry and gives better groups when dry.

[NF Hunter]

I have two Handi's and both needed the forearm floated. What a difference that made! If that doesn't do it you need to look at your load. Both my 45-70's love IMR 4198 they are not Handi's though.

[irishtoo]

i have to agree. i spent alot of time with a scraper and a dremel digging out plastic. place one o-ring on the forarm stock screw and torqued it down to 30lbs. at 100yds i got 1.5inch groups off sandbags. 10 shot groups and repeatable. irishtoo

[tinhorn97062]

I shoot a Handi in .45-70 and have experienced almost identical issues.

Ammo: mine likes the bullet fat. It shoots a 430gr .460 WFN into groups you can cover with a quarter. 350gr Laser Cast sized at .459 shoot ok (~2" groups) as long as I don't try to hot-rod them. I use Trailboss and H4198 and keep the velocity ~1400 and less. 300gr JHP and 350JFN shoot fine up around 2000-2100fps. By shoot fine, I mean ~2" group at 100yds.

The biggest issue I've found with mine is the scope screws- all of them. My groups were all over the place and some wouldn't even be on paper. I got home and started pondering life, and in the midst of it all, I noticed a very slight wiggle to my scope. Upon further investigating, I learned that all of the screws were loose. So, i locked them all down with finger nail polish and the next outing was a night and day difference. Nothing I shot was larger than a 2" group, with most being a little under 2".

I shot some heavy's recently and noticed my accuracy fall away again. Low and behold- the recoil loosed up the screws that hold my scope down to the receiver.

Check your scope screws and adjust as needed. Not just the bottom ones, but also the screws in the rings.

[EDG]

I would reduce the load to 12 or 13 grains.

Sometimes annealing the brass and using a larger expander works wonders.

[irishtoo]

hi, work and other duties have got in the way of this .45-70. im hoping to have it worked out before deer season. irishtoo