Chamber Reamers for BPCR

[Dragoon 45]

I have a Pedersoli Quigley Sharps in .45-70 that is too heavy for BPCRS, weighing over 13 lbs without sights. I really like the rifle and do not want to shorten the barrel to get it legal. I have been playing with the idea of running the chamber out to either .45-90 or .45-110. and using the rifle for BPCR long range events.

I have been browsing various suppliers looking at either buying or renting a chamber reamer to do this, but am somewhat confused on what type of reamer I need to get. I have seen Small Pilot Chamber Reamers and Chamber Finish Reamers specifically and have seen two other types that I can't remember their names at this time. Also none of my local gunsmiths have any BPCR chamber reamers and tell me that if I want this done I need to supply the reamer.

What type of reamer do I need to get to run out the chamber for this rifle? I would like to be able to shoot either PP or GG bullets to have the max choices for load development.

Thank You.

[RMulhern]

Call Dave Kiffe at 541 826 5808 which is Pacific Tooling and tell him what you wish to do!

[Lead pot]

Deepening a .45-70 chamber to a .45-110 wont take enough metal off to make weight 12#2oz for silhouette legal weight. for long range matches you can use the weight you have now under 15#.

Kurt

[Doc Highwall]

Before doing any work on the rifle I would just shoot it as a 45-70 with a good bullet and load you might just be happy with what you have and the 45-70 can and is competitive at 1000 yards if you do your part.

[montana_charlie]

If you want to retain the Pedersoli throat, you will need a custom made reamer. I mention that because you said you want to shoot both GG and PP bullets.

The PGT (GG bullet) exactly fits the Pedersoli throat...and that throat already comes with a low angle chamber step (10 degrees) which should be 'PP friendly'.

The type of pilot would be your choice, but I am pretty sure you would want a 'finish reamer'.

CM

[NickSS]

I have shot long range BPCR matches clean out to 1200 yards with the 45-70 and it works just fine. By going to a 45-90 you will gain about 150 fps and the 45-110 will give you a bit more but with more recoil. Most guys I know who do not use a 45-70 use either a 45 2.4" for 2.6" case but I have never felt under gunned with a 45-70.

[Dragoon 45]

Thanks everyone for the replies and info.

The main reason I am thinking about running the chamber out is that as I understand it; in some of the BPCR competitions there is a minimum velocity requirement that the .45-70 has a hard time meeting with the longer 530+ grn bullets. I have no doubt that the .45-70 will shoot accurately out to 1000 yds, but the velocity requirement has me a little concerned.

I am leaning towards .45-90 if I do rechamber the rifle for the simple reason that brass is readily available and relatively cheap compared to .45-110 brass. Also I have been told that the .45-90 has no problem meeting the velocity requirement. All my .45 cal moulds should work fine in whatever chambering I do decide on.

I had thought about possibily rebarreling the rifle in a .40 cal with a 30" barrel length. But all my local gunsmiths claim they can't do that as they have no way to thread the barrel for metric threads. I know this is bunk, but these characters are pretty convinced they can't do it. And I don't want someone working on my rifle with that type attitude.

[Don McDowell]

There's only a couple of "creedmoor" type paper matches that have velocity requirements. Those requirements are not difficult to reach with a 45-70.
I'ld either leave the rifle as is, or rebarrel it. 90% of the time if there isn't enough barrel that the exixting chamber can be mostly cut off and then the new chamber cut, you'll find nothing but headaches getting the thing to shoot like it should.
For an example of this take a look at Ricks 7* chamber thread. Nice 110 went from being a tac driver , to something along the lines of a modified choke.:-?

[cajun shooter]

Dragoon45, I have the Pedersoli Competition model with coin finish that weighs over 13lbs. I was going to do the same and rechamber it to 45-90. Now for healh reasons I am unable to travel and shoot the matches that I intended. After reloading and shooting the 45-70 local in matches I am leaving it stock. It has done all that I need.

[John Taylor]

As stated before, Dave Kiff http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/can tell you what you need as far as the chamber reamer goes.
I have met several gunsmiths who say they can't cut metric threads just because they don't understand how. One sends his barrels to me for threading even tho he has a new lathe that will do the job.
I have the 45-90 and 45-110 reamer from PTG if you would like me to do the work for you I can. I can also rebarrel to most of the old black powder cartridges. I have several of the 40 caliber reamers up to 40-82.

[Dragoon 45]

As stated before, Dave Kiff http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/can tell you what you need as far as the chamber reamer goes.
I have met several gunsmiths who say they can't cut metric threads just because they don't understand how. One sends his barrels to me for threading even tho he has a new lathe that will do the job.
I have the 45-90 and 45-110 reamer from PTG if you would like me to do the work for you I can. I can also rebarrel to most of the old black powder cartridges. I have several of the 40 caliber reamers up to 40-82.

Thank you for the offer. I am not sure yet what I am going to do. I am gathering information so I can make an intelligent decision when I am ready to do whatever I decide on.

[montana_charlie]

I had thought about possibily rebarreling the rifle in a .40 cal with a 30" barrel length. But all my local gunsmiths claim they can't do that as they have no way to thread the barrel for metric threads.
I agree that your local gunsmith(s) should not be working on your Sharps. I'm not talking about their skills...but about their ingnorance.
The Pedersoli Sharps barrels are fitted to the receiver with the same thread found in the Shiloh, C. Sharps, and original rifles.

Lee Shaver used to be the gunsmith who did all of the warranty work for Pedersoli. I looked hard (online) for a 45/90, and missed out on one at Gunbroker just as my patience ran out. So, I bought a 45/70 (from a store in Missouri) and had it sent to Lee (also in Missouri).

He deepened the chamber to 45/90 and sent it on to me...and charged ninety bucks for the work.
His reamer does not cut the Pedersoli throat, but it's a decent chamber.
(One caveat here...his chamber is 2.410" deep. Knowing what I now know, I would instruct him to go no deeper than 2.400".)

If you have a gunsmith who is capable of unscrewing a barrel and screwing it back on...you could mail the barrel to Shaver for the modification if you don't want to send the whole rifle.
You should not need to use an third-party FFL holder for shipping (of the complete rifle) unless Shaver has let his FFL expire. No license needed for the barrel alone.

With care, you could probably do the screwing yourself...just punch a small witness mark before you start so you know where to stop during reassembly.

There are bullet designs that work well for long range shooting. Some of them are available (or can be made) with reduced diameter driving bands at the front...which allows the bullet to be seated further out of the case.
Using these, it's possible to get 45/90 performance from a 45/70 cartridge.

The advantage of a 45/90 case over those modified bullet designs is that 'hunting ammunition' is not as fragile when being handled in the field because the bullet sits deeper in the mouth.

But, the option does exist...if you decide not to deepen your chamber.

CM

[Calamity Jake]

Contact Steve Bauldwin in Jones Okla. I don't have his # but he is in the OKC phone book he is one of the main builders of long range sights for the BPCR shooters and a BPCR gun smith/shooter and will have the reamer you seak, he may rent it or he may not.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have two Pedersoli's both originally 45/70's but one now has a recut match grade 45/90 chamber. My gunsmith ran the reamer in fine then cut .010 of freebore and a 1.5deg leade with a special throater. The 546gn PGT boolit now sits with one driving band out of the case and the nose perfectly aligned in the bore. It shoots very accurately to 1000 yards.

I gave up on blowtubing in favour of a method used by the New Zealand shooters at Creedmoor 2006. A single pass through the bore after each shot with a patch dampened with "moose milk" and the bore left 'wet'