Single Shot Buffalo rifles

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Red Cent said:
Any one here that shoots the old guns (centerfire) and cartridges, replicas, custom builds? Sharps type, falling block, rolling block...………………………..
Either smokeless or black powder. Just plink or competition. I would like to pick a brain or two.
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It probably won't take you long to "pick" my brain clean, but yeah, I shoot my Shiloh-Sharps .45-110 (2 7/8" case) once in a while. I love loading for it too.
I only plink with my .45-110 Sharps. I've thought about shooting it in one of those BPCR matches though, and I've been to a few of them. Somehow, I just have never gotten into that kind of shooting.:)
 
Own, and competed with 1885s (.40-70 & .45-90) and an 1874 (.45-100) In NRA BPCS, Buffalo matches, CAS and 800, 900 and 1000 yds.

Only shot BP and cast bullets and even had an article about loading for BPCRs published in the "Single Shot Exchange" some years ago. Still have the rifles, don't have the time for matches. Still drag them out from time to time. I now shoot IDPA and 3Gun where an hour or two on the Dillon is a months worth of match ammo.
 
I just sold a Shiloh Sharps Hartford 45-70 about a month ago that I had ordered in 2005 - fun rifles to shoot - 405 LFN, 36.5 3031, Remington brass and WW large rifle primers. I have on order a Shiloh Sharps 45-70 LRE that should be shipped on or about September - I maxed the upgrade goodies this time around figuring that this will be my last order as I will probably not live forever - it too should be fun to shoot.
 
My keeper is a Pedersoli RB, heavy octagon barrel, Lyman globe front, Lee Shaver Vernier rear. Loves the 535 grs Postell and heavy compression of 73 grs Old Eynsford 1.5 fg. I have only ever shot out to 500 yards (at which distance I wasn't very good) but compete with it at 200 and 300 yards where I am solidly just above mediocre with sparse moments of brilliance. Better shots have done very well with it indeed and I have been offered good money for it twice.
 
Pedersoli Quigley sharps 45-70
IAB sharps 45-70
2 1873 trapdoor rifles 45-70
1 trapdoor carbine parts gun 45-70
2 Martini-Henry rifles 577-450
1 Martini-Henry carbine 577-450
2 Snider rifles 577
1 Snider Sargent rifle 577
1 Snider carbine 577

Mostly shot with Black Powder.
Fully loaded the MH and Snider will thwack the living you know what outta you.
20200630_014747.jpg


They let you know when they hit the 300 and 500 yd steel.
The 6.5 creedmoor next to me was pinging the steel at 300. I fired the snider; then after having a sandwich, finishing a coke, going to the restroom, checking Facebook I sat back down and heard THWANNNNNGGGGGGG! Yes! Top right of the 22 inch target.
Then started the questions from the creedmoor shooter. And boggling eyes at sight of the cartridges.

Lightest bullets are in the trapdoors at 405gr
Heaviest are the 750gr in the Snider
Photo is of 605gr Snider paper patched.

I love shooting these things.
 
I have a 1885 Browning BPCR, .45-90 (.45-2.4 Sharps). Unfired. Originally made for 1,000 yard matches. Beautiful. Just never used it.

If you’re interested let me know
 
Now that we have the catalog, what do you want to know?

P.S. I started with a Winchester Single Shot .38-55 and nitro for CAS side matches, then went to real black for BPCR metallic silhouette and midrange. It was not reliable on knocking down 46 lb rams at 500 meters, so I got a .40-65 Japanese Browning "Highwall." Because I didn't think a .45-70 was fun for long strings.

Weflyfast said:
I have a No 1 in 458 Win Mag does that count?
Click to expand...

There was a brief period as BPCR was getting reestablished and before cases other than .45-70 got back into production that a few guys loaded .458 with black powder and called it the ".45 x 2 1/2" Belted."

The .40-65 got firmly entrenched because it is a simple neckdown of .45-70. It was originally an Express type cartridge with 260 gr bullet for the 1886 lever action, but it is now routinely loaded with 400 gr bullets for single shots. You can get period correct .40-70 Sharps now, but the .40-65 still sells.

There is some modern interest in the .44 calibers. They were very popular in the 1870s before the market got flooded with .45-70s like the Army used. Buffalo Bill's "Lucrezia Borgia" "needle gun" was a .50-70 Springfield.
 
I'm not much of a BP guy (I never drank the Holy Black Kool-Aid...) but I load my Pedersoli 1885 with 405grn cast over IMR4198 (or AA5744.) I've shot out to 1244yds with it.
 
Sharps.jpg
Shiloh 45-70. A friend and I were shooting at an iron buffalo at a 1000 yards. Itchy came up and said "Can I try it?"
I explained the sights etc. She hefted the rifle to standing position and fired. She lowered the rifle and said "Did I hit...BONG!
She handed me the rifle and said "It's best to quit on a hit!" and walked away.

Trapdoor-Big.jpg
Resurrected 1879 vintage Trapdoor 45-70.
 
Standing 1000 yard shot by a female hefting a (approx) 12# rifle with (Vernier) sight with no magnification - Itchy” is one very good rifle shooter!
Google Censor Note: author has been directed to delete the word “open” and add the words “with no magnification” for the purpose of historical accuracy and the preservation of description integrity. There were no animals harmed or killed in the scripting of this response. All rights reserved.
 
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Steve S. said:
Standing 1000 yard shot by a female hefting a (approx) 12# rifle with open (Vernier) sight - “Itchy” is one very good rifle shooter!
Click to expand...
8f0b3f5b-971e-45a2-838c-ec08c5682c95-zps2604a274.jpg
She use to out shoot all of the other Deputies at the Sheriffs Office when she worked there 40 years ago. She still out shoots me.

You should see her with a tommyhawk.. Won contests in 3 states.

She's a keeper.
 
50/70 Roller

And I also compete with Civil War era guns in competition. One of my favorites is an 1863 Sharps. FWIW, we also compete with artillery in live fire competition.
 
I've got a Navy Arms Rolling Block and an H&R Buffalo Classic, both in 45-70. I don't compete anymore but they are just so much fun to shoot and load for. I would have to double check my notes but the load is about 60 grains of 3F Goex, a lubed felt wad, and a 405 grain cast bullet tumble lubed with diluted Lee liquid Alox. No leading. If I do my part it is accurate to 200 yards or more. I got more consistent results with BP than smokeless.

Just remembered. Decades ago I used to make up 'gallery' loads for the 45-70 by thumb pressing a .457 round ball over a small charge of Unique or Bullseye. Dab LLA on the exposed part of the ball. I recall they were pretty accurate out to 50 yards. I should try that again. It makes for inexpensive shooting and I always have a good supply of .457 balls to feed the ROA and Rogers and Spenser C&Bs.

Jeff
 
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Built a buffalo rifle from a smokeless '07 Rem rolling block action and a Numrich kit back in 1970. 5 grains duPont bulk shotgun smokeless, 55 grains Curtis and Harvey ffg, card, grease, card wads, breech seated bullet. 1.25" five shot 100, 3 5/16" 200 yard groups consistently with aperture sights. I seldom took first place. 30", 1 1/8" octagon barrel, hand lapped by me, Lyman 457124 mould, lapped out to .4585". Way too much fun.
 
Red Cent said:
Any one here that shoots the old guns (centerfire) and cartridges, replicas, custom builds? Sharps type, falling block, rolling block...………………………..
Either smokeless or black powder. Just plink or competition. I would like to pick a brain or two.
Click to expand...


So, what are your questions?

Kevin
 
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