New Toy

[tbierley]

Today my wife and I went and got my new toy a H&R Buffalo Classic in 45/70 it is new in the box and I got it for 350otd. Please help me some load data and what they like and dislike. I want to load it in black powder. Any help I will love to have. Thanks

[Tatume]

If you decide to load smokeless powder, use published load data from a reputable source. For black, start with enough to be lightly compressed by your bullet and work up from there.

Note that the lube for black is different from the lube you would use for smokeless. For commercial lube to use with black powder, everybody seems to like SPG, myself included. To use with smokeless powder, I use and recommend LBT Blue Soft.

There are lots of good home-brews too.

What bullet do you plan to use?

Take care, Tom

[tbierley]

Anything. I am up in the air for moulds.

[Bullfrog]

I really like the 405 FP by Lee for my smokeless loads. I have not even attempted BP in it! If this is your first 45-70 be warned.... it is your first one and many will appear before to long! I love this caliber.

[chuebner]

My shooting friend had a 45-70 Buffalo Classic until he traded it off for a Pedersoli Sharps. I was casting several different bullets for him and all shot well in the BC. He specifically liked the Lee 340gr and the Lyman 457124 385gr. over 12gr. of Unique. Another good bullet for blackpowder is the Lyman 457125 over 65gr. of GOEX or Schuetzen 2F using Emmert's lube. Be forewarned, the BC is a light rifle and will kick the snot out of you with stout loads. I made a recoil reducer for my friend to be inserted in the buttstock and he still wore a recoil pad when shooting the heavy bullets with blackpowder. He just turned 80 and that could have something to do with it. Have fun with the BC.

charlie

[Tatume]

What bullet do you plan to use?

Anything. I am up in the air for moulds.

There are many good molds out there. Like Bullfrog, I like the 457 caliber Lee flat nosed, plain based bullet. My favorite molds are LFN designs by Veral Smith of LBT, casting 350 and 400 gr bullets. The Lee mold has the advantage of costing $20 and making perfectly good bullets.

[John Boy]

tbierley, before recommending all type of molds - what is the maximum distance you will ever shoot the rifle at? Good BP reloads can have bullets for the BC that range from 385 to 550 grs dropped from the correspond molds

Might note, the barrels are accurate. I shoot mine at 1000 yds using a vernier sight

[tbierley]

The range will 500 yards. Most of my shooting will be 250 to 300 yards.

[John Boy]

The range will 500 yards. Most of my shooting will be 250 to 300 yards

.
Lyman 457124 - BR2 primer - 68gr FFg - cardboard wad with a wax paper wad on top. Neck tension, 0.001 to 0.002 - finger seated, no crimp
500yds ... Lyman 457125 everything the same except 70gr FFg

[tbierley]

I took my H&R Buffalo Classic out today and shot with Remington 405 shells. I was shooting very low at a 100yds. At 25yds it was shooting point of aim. What are the sight marks on the rear sight in yds there are no marks for the range on it. If I can get this rear sight figured out I will love this gun. Any one can help. Thanks

[wgr]

you will have to put a shorter front sight on it. are change the back sight. i put a smith ladder sight on mine

[tbierley]

I am ordering a Lee 405 HB mould. Would have to use wad with my blackpowder loads. Any help.

[Junior1942]

Mine likes the Lee 450 FP with slightly compressed Pyrodex w/lubed felt wad twixt powder & bullet.