Buffalo Classic loads

[Tencubed]

First day on this forum and have been reading a lot but haven't found an answer to a question.

I just recently purchased a Buffalo Classic and need to know what level to load too.  I have a few other 45-70 rifles including an original Trapdoor, couple of Winchesters and a TC so am familiar with the problem of different rifles MAPs.  Where does the H&R fall into the lineup?  Do I need to keep the pressures way down or can they be run up a ways?

I use black powder in the Trapdoor and smokeless in the rest.  Usually shoot cast bullets but have been known to run a little copper down the bore.

Thanks for any help.

Mike

[quickdtoo]

Welcome Mike! Start by reading thru the FAQs and Help sticky, it will pretty much answer any questions you have, see WHAT LOAD LEVEL FOR 45-70.

Tim

[Tencubed]

Thanks for the welcome!

I saw that in the FAQs but being new to this line of firearms didn't know if the BC was on the same order as the Handi-Rifle.  I take it from your answer that they are pretty much the same.

That makes it real handy for me as I have a number of loads with different weight bullets that shoot well in the TC and the lever guns.  Hopefully the flag pole barrel of the BC will consume the same fodder in a friendly way.

Another question that has come to mind, do these rifles tend to have a tight or loose throat?  Stuff I load for the TC has to be a bit shorter than for the lever rifles and the old Trapdoor you can almost drop a 500 grain slug in the chamber and stuff the cartridge in behind it.

Thanks for the quick response.

Mike

[quickdtoo]

The BC/Target SB2 frame is the same as the SB2 Handi/Ultra frame, it's just case colored, you can have any high pressure barrel fitted to the BC frame as long as it was made '99 or later.

H&R 45-70 barrels typically have short throats, see the recent thread on the topic and the 45-70 throating link in the FAQs, I have 4 H&R 45-70s, although one has a very extended throat being a 45-120-3¼" Sharps Straight, but I throat reamed all three of the others so I can load long, my own version of a WWG 457 Magnum, if you will.   

Tim

[Tencubed]

Tim:

I appreciate the quick responses to my questions, missed the thing on throating in the FAQ area I guess, will go back and look for it.  I've looked around but been unable to find where anyone has done anything in the way of case expansion measurements when working up loads for these rifles.  Is this another thing my computer illiteracy is keeping me from finding?  Between group sizes, a chronograph and a micrometer it's usually not too hard to figure out which combinations are working and which aren't.

I would say that a 3 1/4" Sharps chamber could be considered a "long throat" for a 45-70.   I'm prone to not use a crimp on the stuff I load for single shots and set the bullet very close to the riflings for that first bit of resistance.

The more I read in this forum the more I see what a following these rifles have.  This BC is the second one I have bought, the first being a 17HMR that is going back to the factory as it will not hold a decent group.  Best I was able to get from it was 1 1/2" at 50 yards.  This was with a 24 power Leupold and off sand bags.  While there I'm having them fit a 22 Mag and 22 LR barrels to the frame.  We'll see how it all works out.  I suspect I'll be well satisfied as as many folks as visit here can't be wrong.

Mike