I got my first H&R! It's a 45/70 BC, and I have a sight question

[Rinella]

Hey guys, I have been doing a bunch of reading on this site, and after seeing the Buffalo Classic in 45/70 at Sportsmans Warehouse on Tuesday night, I decided that I had to come home with it!

My neighbor does a bunch of blackpowder cartridge shooting, and he loaded me up about 30 BP rounds to play with.  I took the gun out last night, and I had an absolute blast.  I set up a target at 25 yards, and set the gun on a bench rest.  My first shot was in the black!  I was excited. 

I had a three shot group in about 1.5" that was down and to the left of the center, so I decided to start playing with the sights to move the groups just above the center of the bull.  This process didn't go very well...  I raised the sights as high as they could go, and no matter what I did, the groups didn't raise.  What could I have been doing wrong?

Also, I'm coming from a world of open sights and scopes, and this is the first time I've used peep sights before.  What are the different apertures that came with the front sight used for?

Lastly, I would like to participate in an event where we will shoot at full-sized buffalo clangers at 100, 200 - all the way up to 1000 yards.  So, even if I do figure out the rear sight situation, I think I will need one that will raise significantly higher.  Do you guys have any suggestions on what brands or types of rear sights will work for this on my gun?

Thank you very much! 

[wgr]

at 25 yards your bore is probably still below your line of sight . tryshooting it out father see were it hits. i would say higher.

[stimpylu32]

Rinella

Welcome Aboard , click on the FAQ sticky at the top of the page , then scroll down about 1/2 way , you should find 4 or 5 links to awnser your ??s .

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,26264.0.html   ( shortcut )

stimpy

[petemi]

Stimpy, you're a superb guide and an excellent person to be around!  Thanks, Richard.

[petemi]

Rinella, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude.  Welcome!  I know you'll love your .45-70, I do mine, but I can't help you much with the iron sight question.  Mine are all scoped....Old eyes. 

I guess the best advice I can give you is don't be afraid of the recoil.  Hold tight to your shoulder, but keep your body loose to roll back with it.  Don't lean into it. I probably weigh less than you being a skinny little guy and it takes a lot of rounds to bother me.

[aldar]

I've had my B C all summer now and just love shooting it. I don't use black powder just yet but I have developed a good hunting load using 300grHP behind some H4895. The front sight apertures are there for you to play with to see which one suits you best for what you intend on shooting. I just use the post and ball sight. you'll find that the front sight is also a bit high making sighting in some loads a bit difficult. i was shooting some 500gr Buffalo Bore with the stock front sight and couldn't get it high enough either.  Had to buy a lower front sight to use the big bore loads.

[Rinella]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the replies.

I took the 45-70 out again yesterday, and did some more shooting at 50 and 100 yards.  That sight just won't bring the groups high enough.  I'm still consistently down and to the left. 

I was shooting BP rounds again.  So, Aldar, do you think I should try some smokeless rounds and see what happens?

Ultimately, I want to shoot BP rounds up to 200 yds on a regular basis.  Occasionally, I will want to shoot out to 1000yds though, and even more infrequently, I will load up some shells with smokeless powder.  It sounds like the only way I will be able to accomplish these goals is get a new rear sight?

Thank you for the help!

[quickdtoo]

If you spend some time in the FAQs as Stimpy suggested, you'll find more info that pertains to your problems and what to do about it, there have been many down the same path before you, you're not covering new ground, so start reading, there are long range sight links to many previous discussions, get a .404" tall 17A front sight and you'll be on your way to your goal!! 

Tim

[Rinella]

Thanks Quick!  Believe it or not, I did a little bit of reading, but obviously not enough!   

I found in an old post where you said that H&R was putting an incorrect sized front sight on these rifles?  You said they should have a .494" 17A, but many were coming with a .584".  Is that still true for the current production runs?

I am at work, so I won't be able to determine the height of my 17a until this evening.  I'll report back when I can measure it.

If I do indeed have the .584", will H&R send me the correct size, or am I just SOL and will have to buy a new front sight?

Thank you.

[quickdtoo]

I wouldn't even mess with trying to get the .494" sight, specially if you're interested in shooting 1000yds, the .404" 17A sight will get you anywhere that's possible. If you order it from BA, get the Lee Shaver insert set too, you'll be glad you did. You may even want to invest in a spirit level sight instead, just be aware that you'll spend more money on sights than you do on the rifle!!

Tim

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,49.htm

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,1727.html

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,993.html

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4606.html

[tykempster]

But when you hit something at 1k, it'll all be worth it.

[mechanic]

I also had some elevation problems with my Buffalo.  I shoot only 405 grain and have experimented with loads, but the factory Remington stuff works as well as anything I have tried so far.

In the packet of sight apertures for the front sight is one with a shorter fatter post.  I took that and a needle file and worked with it at the range, until I got a comfortable sight in at 50 and 100 yards.  At 200 yards I have to do a "hold over". 

These just aren't long range sights.  At normal hunting distance they should do fine.

My eyes don't work well enough for me to try and shoot much beyond 100 anyway without a scope.

Strangely enough, the 405 grain bullet has a highe point of impact at 50 yards than the lighter ones.  Who knew?

Ben

[aldar]

Quick is right. If you want to shoot at all those different distances you'll most likely have to get a lower front sight and a rear ladder sight. then you'll be set at any distance with just about any kind of load. i chose not to, i did buy the .404 front sight but then i couldn't get my smokeless loads low enough and reinstalled the factory front sight.

[Rinella]

Well, I measured my sight, and it is definitely a .584!   

A new 17A .404" is on it's way, and hopefully it comes before the weekend. 

I'm going to keep the original rear sight for now, but a new one is definitely on the horizon.  Will the Williams FP with Target Knobs work for out to 1000yds?  I think the longest shot I've seen someone talk about here is about 600yds. 

[quickdtoo]

I think you'll want to use a vernier tang sight or at least the Smith long range sight for 1000yds, I don't think you can get there with the FP-TK.

Tim