45-70 BC BARREL for JACKETED BULLETS

[LONGTOM]

Lets ask the experts.
I have a friend who has a BC and it just won't shoot 300gr JHPs at all.
Best group so far is just a tad over 8" at 100.
It has been shoot by 3 different shooters including myself and I was the only one to stay under 9.5".
He has tried many of the tricks at my suggestion with poor results.
He has also tried two other BCs with although not nearly as bad but about the same results.
The best one shoot consent 3.75" groups.
Both of these two shoot cast bullets well under 2".
His will barely do 4.5" with cast.
He really doesn't want to leload for it, just wants to shoot factory 300 JHPs.
My main question is - Is there anyway of knowing if a BC will shoot the 300s with out buying and trying.
I know about the crap shoot posts and all but you all talk about the 38-55 barrels as far as YOU WANT ONE OF THE GOOD ONES MADE WHEN??? WHAT YEAR???
Does the same hold true for the 45-70s?
My BC is a 2003 HT, pure stock out of the box and will mostly do 1.5" to 2" scoped at 100 with the same ammo.

How about it, any help?


LONGTOM

[quickdtoo]

Sounds like he might have one of the 45-70 barrels that's got a bad bore, tight near the chamber and loose at the muzzle, have him contact H&R and get it replaced if you can't work it out. I don't know if there was any particular model year to be wary of, but I've got two of em, one is a 2004, the other 2005, they both shoot jacketed excellent.

I'd run him thru the Handi basics before sending it in tho, an oily latch/shelf can ruin accuracy as well as not pulling the trigger all the way to the rear for a couple simple fixes. It could also have too deep of a rim cut causing excess headspace which can be a problem too, an ejector will allow it to fire ok, but the case movement in the chamber doesn't help accuracy.

Tim

[LONGTOM]

Haven't checked head space. Missed that one!
Have tried most of the others.
Dried the shelf, make sure to hold trigger all the way back, with forearm, without, sand bag at different places including right under the barrel pivot, o rings, different factory ammo.

He did have the bore slugged and to the best of my memory it was .464 or .465.
A friend of his said he could fix it right up with over sized cast bullets but he wants to shoot JHPs.

My friend is the one who got me hooked on HANDYs several years ago while groundhog hunting. He let me shoot his custom 204 and the very next week I had my first HANDY RIFLE, in a 204.
Now look at me.
Don't believe I will ever catch you though!

He also has had the misfortune of buying a new limited edition HANDY in 223 for light bullets but no one told him the twist had been changed.
The only thing factory that will shoot in it is 68gr or heavier.
Needless to say he is getting very dishearted with the HANDYs!
Anyway, Thanks!!!


LONGTOM

[JonnyC]

Try the Remington 405 gr bullets. They are cheap and shoot extremely well in my BC. good luck

[Swampman]

Try the Remington 405 gr bullets. They are cheap and shoot extremely well in my BC. good luck

That's all I use.  The Remington 405 grain factory load shoots like a house a fire.  It has less recoil than the 300 grain loads as well.

[bishopgrandpa]

If you have been using lead bullets you will have to be sure to get the barrel extra clean before using jacketed. I have two BC's and they both shoot Hornady 300JHP and Speer 400 JSP within 1" to 1.5" using 4064. Never did get better than 3" using cast at 100 yds. However deer have fallen so I quess i'm O.K. with that. CLEAN-CLEAN-CLEAN when switching between cast and jacketed bullets.

[LONGTOM]

Not shooting cast only jacketed.


LONGTOM