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Author Topic: 45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot?  (Read 1985 times)

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Offline mac57t

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot?
« on: January 24, 2006, 09:15:22 AM »
How is the recoil compared to a 6" 629?
How is the quality compared to a S&W?
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Offline Redhawk1

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Re: 45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot?
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2006, 11:15:46 AM »
Quote from: mac57t
How is the recoil compared to a 6" 629?
How is the quality compared to a S&W?


My buddy has one and it is a hand full. It is fun to shoot in my opinion. I have a BFR in the 500 Mag and it is also a blast to shoot. The recoil is a lot more than a 6 " 629 44 Mag.  I have a 629 also and the 45-70 is a different beast in the recoil department. I like the quality of the BFR,  I have no issues with mine.  :D
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Offline mac57t

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2006, 11:27:00 AM »
When I checked out their site it stated that the recoil is milder than a 44 mag that weighs less than 48 oz.
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Offline darrell8937

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2006, 01:21:24 PM »
I can attest to the low recoil of the BFR. Factory ammo from winchester and remington are easy on the wrist. Factory ammo is kept on the low side of SAMMI specs due to a lot of old trapdoor rifles out there. For some real fun you can buy or reload some serious loads Corbon, Garrett Buffalo Bore.. up to 27,000 cup for the BFR. with the factory loads the muzzle jumps up to about 45 degrees but really don't notice the recoil. Just hang on tight and when the muzzle comes down you will have a big smile. The weight of the gun and the slower burning powders and cas capacity used produce a pleasant day of shooting. Recoil wont limit your shooting day, just the cost of the ammo. . Caution must be used when ordering or loading the good stuf as there are loads out there that are extremley powerful. Such as those avai;able for the Ruger Number 1 rifle. Would not want to shoot one of those, even in a revolver as strong as the bfr. They are big but they are a lot of fun.
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Offline osceola

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2006, 11:26:41 AM »
Taurus Raging Bull, 454, 300gr FA JHP @ 1,716 fps w/ 30gr of H110--Pressure 53,700 CUP.  

BFR 45-70 300gr Sierra HP @ 1,690 fps w/ 62g of H4895--Pressure 21,000 CUP.

The loads and pressures listed are direct from the Hodgdon website.  The speed of the 45-70 is from a chronographed load.  The fps data Hodgdon lists for the 45-70 is from a rifle, just don't seem to find load data for 45-70 under pistol--kinda crazy.

Personal experience is the BFR is tame compared to a full house from my Taurus and the BFR is just barely into its potential.  A 405gr at 1225 fps is joy to hunt with.  It'll go 1,500 fps with the 405gr for about 2,000 ft lbs of energy, if I want it to.
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Offline doncisler

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2006, 05:10:50 PM »
mac57t,

i have several hunting handguns to choose from but i always end up using the BFR in 45-70 for  everything out to 150 yards.
it is accurate with iron sights and nobody questions its effectiveness. it is not punishing even with stiff loads (the load mine seems to like is 300 gr jhp bullets with 60.0 gr Varget = 1840 fps - safe in this gun but check your manuals).  i am partial to 45-70's though.
nothing has ever gone more than a few steps after being hit with it and an admittedly small black bear went down like a buick was dropped on it. log pile behind it looked like it had been spray painted!
i don't think i have ever fired one that didn't have a great trigger pull.
if you want some real fun load up some cowboy loads and pass it around at the range.  when people get to shoot that Big F..... (finest) Revolver with some non punishing loads there are smiles all around.
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Offline darrell8937

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2006, 12:42:44 PM »
doncisler


I have often thought of that,, loading her up with some 45,70 cowboy loads... Does the solid lead bullet shoot decent in the Poly rifleing. Does she lead up quick,

I have a dmax in 45 colt, (the predessor to the BFR) same size. long cylinder, 3 inch long. Even maximum loads feel mild(corbon).. 45 colt cowboy would probaly feel like a 22 magnum.
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Offline doncisler

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2006, 04:16:03 PM »
ya know i couldn't tell you if it would lead up.
it is probably lame but my system of keeping my light loads for the older or weaker guns separate from my heavy loads is to use only lead bullets in the light loads.
i do down load the jacketed bullets but that way, if i only use the lead bullets in the old guns i KNOW they are safe.
i never load hot loads with lead bullets.
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Offline mac57t

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2006, 04:32:06 PM »
How does the recoil compare to a 240 grain 44 mag from say a 6.5" Smith?
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Offline doncisler

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2006, 01:19:55 PM »
i don't think it's bad at all.  certianly not as bad as a stiff .44 load in a sub-four pound revolver. not nearly as sharp as a .454!
it's an old saying but it is true that it is more of a shove than a sharp slap.
it is a big-bore round with a fairly heavy bullet and a lot of powder.  check your manuel but the load mine likes (which also works great in my marlin 1895 and contender) is 300gr jhp with 60.0 gr varget.
this load gives me 1810 to 1835-fps out of the bfr.
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Offline Bowhunter57

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Price Tag
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2006, 12:14:35 AM »
What kind of numbers are usually hanging on a price tag of a BFR Revolver in 45-70?

Good hunting, Bowhunter57
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Offline Redhawk1

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Re: Price Tag
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2006, 01:14:20 AM »
Quote from: Bowhunter57
What kind of numbers are usually hanging on a price tag of a BFR Revolver in 45-70?

Good hunting, Bowhunter57


Any where from $850 to $999.
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Offline darrell8937

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2006, 10:26:17 AM »
I have two bfrs and a dmax sidewinder. If you are paitent you can often snag a BFR for around 700,, I paid 725 brand new for one, and 625 for a like new one.. both in 45/70.. the dmax is almost identical.. the predessor to the BFR as Magnum Reaserch has named. GunBroker and Auction arms are a great place to start.
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Offline nasem

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2006, 03:19:19 PM »
How the heck is the recoil on a BFR with 45-70 ????, Im pretty sure you hold on to it with 2 hands lol, does it ever fly out and hit you in the face ?, does it have a muzzle break ? magna-ported ?
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Offline darrell8937

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2006, 11:27:00 AM »
Nasem

.. The recoil of the 45/70 "factory" ammo is "absolutly no problem" These Guns(BFR'S) are heavy and eaisly tame the recoil. It is more than just gun weight working here. The 45/70 has a lot ,, and I mean a lot .. of case capacity.(shake it) sounds like a salt shaker' This extra capacity(volume) alows for extra expansion  and spreads out the recoil over a greater time. We are talking about thousanths of a second but it does work. you get 454 casuall performance at far less pressure(gun lasts longer.. and I mean decades).. about 2/3 less pressure..  Factory offerings in 45/70 from Winchester and remington run about 17000 cup in pressure.. the 454 I beleive is around 60000. Put aside all the technicial mum-bo-jumbo. and the Bfr in 45/70 is just fun to shoot. Yes you want to take a firm grip. you will do this automaticly at the size&weight of the gun and hold on tight.Both hands until you are used to it.. gently squeez and the gun will come up to about 45 degrees and it will be over. And you will say.. wow,, I thought that would be worse.. You will then load a full cylinder. You will have a big smile! They are fun. You will become very accurate as you quickly loose you fear(reluctance) Any one who says the 45/70 in the Bfr is painful.. harsh etc. is absolutly uniformed. Hell,, I would rather shoot a box of factory ammo from the bfr than my marlin 1895 or gibbs frontier. And when you get real comfortable and probaly bored with the factory loads.. move gradualy up to premium Plus ammo from Garrett/Corebon/buffalbore etc.. and then there is reloads. This platform will keep a smile on you face for years. There are a lot of people that fear a gun this size. they are just not informed. I have yet to find a shooter of average size that would not shoot another round or even another.. Then I say "enough .. unless you brought some ammo. Oh yea.. you can also have a 450 marlin cylinder fitted by the factory.. That is an entirley diffrent story... No muzzle brake required,, no porting.. and no facial lacerations.. Honest...
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Offline darrell8937

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #15 on: March 05, 2006, 08:08:11 AM »
here are my bfrs.. two in 45/70 and the predessor to the bfr.. the DMAX Sidewinder,   45 Long Colt?.410. a few others thrown in for a complete picture.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e97/darrell8937/Darrellshandguns.jpg
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Offline Redhawk1

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #16 on: March 05, 2006, 11:23:20 AM »
Quote from: darrell8937
here are my bfrs.. two in 45/70 and the predessor to the bfr.. the DMAX Sidewinder,   45 Long Colt?.410. a few others thrown in for a complete picture.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e97/darrell8937/Darrellshandguns.jpg


Nice looking bunch you got there.  :D
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Offline sawfish

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45-70 BFR who has one and how does it shoot
« Reply #17 on: March 07, 2006, 09:46:43 AM »
The 45/70 BFR is very effective as a hunting gun (see Avatar).  MRI now offers a premium version of the BFR which has been factory tuned by their in-house gunsmith.  They start with the most accurate specimens, and hone and tune the actions.  Similar to what S&W did with the Classic-DX guns.

Because most of the heavier bullets (350+ gr.) that are available for the 45/70 were designed for rifles, you will have problems getting them to consistently expand at handgun velocities.  In my 6+ years with the 45/70 BFR, I have settled on a 405 gr WLN cast bullet over a healthy charge of AA-2200; H-322; or H-4198.

These faster powders have given me more complete burning than those in the 4895 range.  Good luck.
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