1876 Winchester 45-60 buffalo hunt

[Big Goose]

It's been awhile since I've posted anything here, but figured folks might find this interesting.
Montana buffalo hunt , original 1876 Winchester 45-60 caliber. Though I've never preferred hollow point boolets, this cast of 40-1 shoots the best in the old Winchester, and I guess I can't complain about the performance. Boolet recovered in the hide on the off side, broke through ribs entering and exiting, really excellent in putting her down. She only went maybe ten feet , of course shot placement is critical, but it was good to see. Shot was at a little over 90 yards and she was moving a bit.
Boolet is cast at .460, and weighs just shy of 360 grains, 60 grains of Olde Eynesford 2ff, .2" compression, and thin card wad, she'll keep 'em all on a playing card at 100 yards if I hold steady enough.
Deer hunting starts in a couple weeks, I'll be toting the ole' 76.
Good luck hunting all,
Big Goose

[Walks]

That's IMPRESSIVE. Good shooting, and good eating.

[rodwha]

Wow! Most excellent!

[falmike]

No ground shrinkage there, terrific hunt

[rodwha]

Boolet is cast at .460, and weighs just shy of 360 grains, 60 grains of Olde Eynesford 2ff, .2" compression, and thin card wad, she'll keep 'em all on a playing card at 100 yards if I hold steady enough.

Any idea what the velocity of your load is?

[woodbutcher]

:D Whole lot of good table fare there.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[hockeynick39]

Nice!!!!! Just loaded my original 1876 with a 305 gr FNPB and 15.9 gr of Trail Boss. Wish I could chronograph it, but the range I belong to currently won't let me set one up and I can't justify the cost of the LabRadar or the bayonet one. Supposedly, according to QuickLoad, it is traveling at approximately 1303 fps. This could be +/- 100 or 200 fps.

[Beerd]

From the looks of things, that old rifle gun is most appropriate for both the hunted and the hunter.
Where abouts did this hunt take place?
..

[Brad Cayton]

Very nice!!!! That's awesome taking a buffalo with an original '76! Looks like the Gould boolit.

[smoked turkey]

Wow! What a neat experience. Congratulations all the way around to you on this buffalo hunt. You did it just exactly right. I'd be safe in saying that what you have just done, complete with firearm, load, and all is on almost everyone's bucket list.

[nagantguy]

Most excellent! Very nice shooting. And as there has been some chatter here as of late that HPs are not effective on game and only wide flat noses kill big animals this is a very timely post. Hunting an American bison is on my bucket list and I’m now living vicariously through you!

[ammohead]

Good on you. Great boolit!

[skeettx]

Well done, well done
Thank you for sharing
Mike

[DeputyDuke]

Goose is a friend, and this is far from the most exotic firearm he has used to take a buffalo. He is a true hunter, historian, and black powder expert.

Duke

[missionary5155]

Good morning and Congratulations !
Fine old caliber in a fine old rifle. We have one also.
Mike in ILLinois

[.45colt]

Great All the Way around!!! :smile:

[BigMuddy]

Congratulations!!!

I had very similar results in 2009 on a hunt in Kansas. I used a heavier bullet in my 45-60. I loaded a 410 gr. 20:1 flat point with 50 grains of Pyrodex Ctg. My shot was 118 yds and I too found a perfect mushroomed bullet in the off side hide. We stayed in tepees, rode out on horses... It was a great experience.

Thanks for sharing.

Dan

[Nathanj]

Definitely a bucket list hunt for me. Congrats on a great hunt

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Good shooting! How fast do you think that boolit was moving?

[Big Goose]

Thanks all, and those are kind words Duke; but I just really like using original old guns for their intended purpose with black powder and cast boolets. I haven't had a chance to connect with a deer yet this year, and this will be the last weekend of our firearms season. We'll see how it goes, if I dont get one with the 76, the muzzleloader season starts after Thanksgiving, and I'd like to take a nice fat doe with that sweet little .45 cal. flintlock.
I didn't chronograph the 45-60 load, but would guess the velocity would be about 1250fps. After Thanksgiving I'll have a bit more free time and will verify that for sure.
I haven generally been fond of hollowpoint cast boolets, but this experience has got me thinking they're OK . m at least with this load and cartridge, and they group the best by far in the 76. (Also in my son's Uberti 76)