[Ithacaman]

I'm seriously thinking about purchasing one of these rifles. I would greatly welcome reactions from owners .

I enjoy shooting from a bench and using iron sights. I just want a new gun that I can shoot a lot and not worry about being careful because it's a collectable.

The price is right and it looks presentable.

What do you think?

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[Steve F]

Ewwwww:cool: got a pic? :DThat sounds like a nice rifle ;)

[24kshooter]

They are a nicely made rifle that shoots accurately. Gives you a bit of a kick so be prepared.

[Onmilo]

These rifles are extremely popular at our local steel buffalo shoots,(steel targets to 200 meters), they don't win much but they place pretty close to the top in points.

These rifles were, classically, never used to shoot real bison, they weren't even around during the bison culling of the late 1860s-early 70s.
Some early H&R single barrel shotguns may have been used by the bison cullers for shooting prairie chickens for supper but H&R wasn't making rifles way back then.

[Infidel]

.... but H&R wasn't making rifles way back then.
Wesson & Harrington were, starting in 1871, and the design, by Frank Wesson, goes back to antebellum days. Harrington bought out Wesson about 1875 or 76. The current H&R rifle is a pretty faithful copy of the Harrington and Wesson rifle.

"Culling"? They were slaughtering bison, not removing selected animals.

[Onmilo]

For the record I have no listings for a 'Wesson and Harrington buffalo caliber rifle from that era.
More info and a picture please.

Frank Wesson did indeed manufacture large quantities of light caliber, rimfire, double trigger, falling block rifles.
By light caliber I mean .44 rimfire and under.
By large quantities I am referring to quantities for that era, less than 100,000 in all variations
These were not suited for the heavy game fields but did see some service during the American civil war.

Frank Wesson did indeed make some falling block rifles in calibers that could have been used in the buffalo fields, however the quantities of rifles are so small, less than 150 total in three different variations, and the guns were so expensive, it is doubtful that even one saw that form of use.

None of these designs from that era remotely resemble what H&R is today offering as a "Buffalo Classic" rifle.

You call slaughter what I call culling. Same thing, different word.

[frankandjesse]

Looks like a neat rifle, but I don't like the looks of the rear peep sight.

[Infidel]

The rear sight is easily replaced. Smith Enterprises makes a buckhorn/ladder sight that uses the same holes. They offer a peep sight slider for it, also. http://www.smithenterprise.com/1400_Ladder_Tang_Sights_Page.htm Scroll down to "Wesson and Harrington", no. 8005.

Marble's makes a tang sight for the high wall without a tang; it uses wood screws to mount to the wrist of the stock. Stock # 9813

A gunsmith can inlay a false tang and mount a regular tang sight.

[Jim Watson]

These are quite popular for Cowboy long range side matches. The .45-70 is easier to get to shoot accurately than the .38-55 (which isn't really a Buffalo Classic anyhow) but it is going to have a good deal of recoil. I recommend a Rand or PAST shoulder pad.

[1911 guy]

and the barrel is capable of great, awesome, etc. accuracy. The problem is the trigger, but if you're shooting from the bench it will be easy to manage. As for recoil, your 12 ga. kicks just as hard, if not harder. The 45-70 is a slow moving bullet, so the recoil is a shove, not a sharp whack. Unless you're of relatively small stature, don't waste your cash on a recoil pad.