h&r 1871 buffalo classic question

[sharpie443]

Need some advice on my latest purchase.

I've wanted a .45-70 or better yet a .45-90 sharps for a very long time now but the $1300 price tag is not going to be in the budget any time soon. I did however find out about the H&R 1871 buffalo classic this week. I had never run across one of them before and didn't even know that they existed. I like the look of them a lot and after reading a few reviews I went out and dropped the cash on one. It's on it's way to my FFl dealer now but i do have on question for anyone who knows about these firearms.

I'm not all that interested in firing the new hot loaded .45-70 out of it. I've shot those in a marlin guide gun and they beat the heck out of me. The reason I wanted the sharps was to shoot black powder loads out of it and see how far out i could get with it. I'm ordering some Creedmoor Vernier Tang Sights http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categorie ... CREED-5-WE from track of the wolf for the H&R for that purpose.

my question is whether or not this rifle will shoot a low velocity black powder loads well or if it is just set up for modern smokeless loads. I know that it would need a faster twist rate to shoot the black powder loads but i don't know if the manufacturer took into account people who would want to shoot it with black powder. I also don't know who much of a difference there is between the proper twist rate for BP vs smokeless so I don't know how big of a deal it is.

I've already ordered the rifle so it's not going to prevent me from buying it but i don't want to go loading up thirty black powder .45-70 cartridges or buy some cowboy action loads just to have them keyhole.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

[Greasemonkey]

I have both the .45-70 Handi-rifle and Buffalo Classic, either handles black powder great. Accuracy is not an issue with either powder from what I've seen. 3 years ago, I got a doe at 70 yards with the Handi-rifle and a black powder load. I have not done formal bench testing as of yet to see if there is a huge difference. The loads my cousin does use 405-grain SWC bullets, recoil is light, and a joy to shoot, compared to the Buffalo Bore stuff I tried once and stashed away.

I'll probably never own a Sharps either , I enjoy the heck out of the two rifles, these two I kept over some of my other commercial rifles when I started clearing it out. Still also have my .223 H&R, but it doesn't get much use.

Here is a great place to find all kinds of info on the H&R rifles http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php/ ... 264.0.html

[Junk Yard Dog]

The Sharps is an amazing rifle, I bought one back in the 90's from EMF, Pedersoli made I believe, a copy of the 1874 Old Reliable in 45/70, with the tang sight it is the most accurate 45/70 I own. I stuff that one with 405 grain round nose with 65 grains of FFG Goex, same load I make for the 1873 Springfield rifle, but it handles the 500 grain bullet loads just as well.

[Burrhead]

Remington Brass 405 grain Lyman sized .459 SPG lube and 67 grains of Gorex BP trickled down a 24 inch drop tube with a Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primer. Use a cardboard cookie the same diameter as the bullet between the base of the bullet and the powder, seat to compress about .100" and you should be ready to rock and roll with that Sharps or a Trapdoor Springfield. Thats my go to load for both rifles and I have shot some good groups at 100 yard with both of them. Oh ya when you size the brass and seat your bullet only size down about half way on fire formed brass this will get a little more powder in the case.