quick question Buffalo classic

[towpro]

Just bought a Buffalo Classic in 45-70.  Waited about 6 months before I got it so you can say "I was looking forward to it"!

Anyway, last Sunday I put 50 rounds of 405 Grain Lead Hollow base bullets with the lowest load of Trail Boss.  It was fun, but needs more powder! At 100 yards the rear sight was all the way up!

My question is 2X the action opened after I fired it.  Having read all the FAQ and everything else I can find, I hear I need to close it hard when its new.  I do notice that the lock release only come up about 1/2 the distance when closed that it will when open.
Do I have a problem? or can I keep shooting and just remember to close it harder.  I was shooting from a bench so I know I was not closing it very hard.

Just loaded up the next 50 rounds with H4895 40 grain @ 1424 FPS (lowest load for H4895).  That's around 500 FPS faster then the trail boss loads I had last weekend, so its going to have a little more kick then last week.

Love this thing!  I can't wait to put my rear sight on it.  My goal is to hit the ram at 500 meters several times, then maybe switch to black powder and start over!

[quickdtoo]

That's normal, if all of the latch travel was used up as it is when the action is open, the barrel would be loose when it's closed, just make sure the latch and shelf are clean and dry. If you read the owner's manual, it says...close the action with enough force to assure it is securely locked in place, and cannot be opened without pressing the release lever. If it's opening after the shot, you didn't apply enough force. If you close it real hard, and there's no oil on the latch/shelf, and it still opens, it needs to go back to H&R for repair, but most likely you already figured out the problem, when the rifle is in bags on the bench, it's not easy to close it with enough force, specially when the rifle is new and the latch and shelf aren't well mated.

Tim

[handirifle]

A suggestion for when you go to black powder, or maybe before.  Over at the Marlinowners.com forum, you'll find a forum for "Ranch Dog Molds"  he has some molds he custom designed with Lee Precission, that cast .460dia bullets in 350 and 425gr.  I have both molds for my marlin Guide Gun, but haven't shot them yet.  However they get rave reviews over there.

Since marlin makes the H&R, and since my BC slugged a bit large as well, they would most likely be the perfect fit for the BC bore.

Congrats on the new BC.

[quickdtoo]

I'd slug the bore before you buy any oversize bullets, 2 of mine are pretty tight!

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,130474.msg1098481659.html#msg1098481659

[towpro]

What's the scoop on putting a tang sight on the Buffalo.

I got the RS-CREED-3-WE from Track of the Wolf.  My feeling are that since the sight has a curved base, I could mount it direct to the wood stock without cutting inlay into the stock.

Any input would be help.  How far back from the action/stock joint should I mount this?

[quickdtoo]

See the long range sights link in the FAQs.

Tim

[towpro]

thanks Tim, I read the FAQ, that is where I got the information on the sight.

the only thing I see about mounting it is "on the wrist or a false tang"
I assume on the wrist means both holes are mounted on the wood at some distance between the stock/action junction?

I have been asking at the range and been getting answers from it will be fine to it's not going to work at all mounted into just wood.

This is not a hunting gun, it just gets carried to the range where I shoot steel targets.  I am already hitting the pig at 300 meters with it, but I can't wait until I can set the sights instead of holding over the sights.

[quickdtoo]

That link is about as good as it gets, it has all the sights and methods of mounting. The smith ladder sight is good to at least 600 meters with a .404" front sight using 500gr cast bullets in trapdoor loads.

Tim

[321]

Browning Highwall 1885 - wanted atang sight on the rear - gunsmith brazed a piece on to fit exactly beneath the rear 1/2 of the overhanging tang

[towpro]

towpro -

You are correct, never mount any part of your sight into wood.  Good luck and let us know how it turned out!

     - Craig

Why don't I want to mount a tang sight direct to wood?  Its a hard connection between the metal gun and the wood stock, it don't move.
I do understand that moving a gun outside can cause the wood to change with temp/humidy differences, but just like a musical instrument, after it adjust to the outside temps, tune it and it stays in tune.

And as someone in the FAQ said, its a lot less stress on the screw then the one that holds a sling onto the wood stock.

[321]

FAQ's

[towpro]

thanks for the reply Craig. 
before I checked back here I was looking at some Trapdoor springfield pictures.  In the picture below, I see a tang sight that as far as I can tell is mounted to the wood.  Notice the screw behind the hammer, that is the end of the tang, but the sight is mounted rearward from this screw.

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/m75.html

Here is a picture of another trapdoor showing the top.  You can see the tang better.
http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/m65.html

[321]

good luck with that

[quickdtoo]

Here a couple past discussions on wrist mounted sights.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,92122.msg562171.html#msg562171

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,101242.msg1098269926.html#msg1098269926

[towpro]

thanks again Tim!  so I think I am reading that they just inlayed a piece of steel into the wood using epoxy and maybe wood screws out of the way of the tang screws, then drilled and tap it for the sight.
Looking at the pictures I see wood grain between the top of the tang and the receiver so I don't think its brassed.

I need to pull the stock and see if I can come up with more ideas. the sight was here when I got home, sure looks nice.
I picked up 200 - 405 gn lead round nose flat points and he gave me about 15-500 gn's he uses in his trapdoor. these are not the hollow base like the first 100 I had.

I did run the question about the trap door pictures above past him since he seems to collect them.  He said only the officers model came with the tang sight and he has never seen how one is mounted.

[quickdtoo]

I would PM Handirifle and ask him how Lee Shaver built the false tang for his BC, that would be the best choice, then you have the sight attached to a piece of metal attached to the frame, much more solid.

Tim

[towpro]

in case anyone is following this thread and thinking about period scopes.  check this link out.  1/4 of the price of others I have seen

http://cwsutler.hypermart.net/BCA_Scope.html