Author Topic: My First Handi  (Read 555 times)

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Offline Nicemarmot

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My First Handi
« on: October 27, 2012, 11:07:36 AM »
Hello all.
I just bought my first Handi - a 45-70, standard model with iron sights. I've had her to the range once. The windage was dead in right from the factory. At 50 yards, she puts them six inches high, which may be ideal really. I like to hold low so I can see what I'm shooting at. The Remington 405 factory stuff was pleasant to shoot. The Hornady Leverevolution ammo produced brisk recoil, but it was manageable. The recoil from the HSM Bear Loads was fiercely unpleasant. I live in Alberta. We have griz here. The 45-70 gives a certain amount of comfort when one is in the bush. I also like the ability to use .410 shotshells to shoot the odd grouse.
Cheers!

Offline Spanky

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2012, 01:08:37 PM »
A 410 shell will drop right through the bore of the 45-70. You might be thinking of the 45/410 Survivor.
Welcome to Handi Land... you're among friends here. ;D
 
 
 
Spanky

Offline mechanic

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #2 on: October 27, 2012, 01:20:04 PM »
Welcome to the forum and to Handi's.  You can experiment around and load yourself some shot in a 45-70 case.  I've played with it, but the pattern leaves a lot to be desired.
Ben
Molon Labe, (King Leonidas of the Spartan Army)

Offline Nicemarmot

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #3 on: October 27, 2012, 01:47:46 PM »
It's nice to be among friends. Thanks for the welcome!

Offline Nicemarmot

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2012, 02:20:48 PM »
I was able to do the .410 shotshell thing in my Guide Gun. Sort of had to pick the hulls out of the chamber after the shot. Guess I was lucky not having them drop right through. The pattern was so bad it would only work for very close range birds.

Offline Rustyinfla

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2012, 04:16:45 PM »


   Could you make up some low powered round ball loads for use with the grouse or do they have to be taken with shot?
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tuff

Offline Brian P.

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #6 on: October 27, 2012, 04:21:13 PM »
Sounds like a 20 gauge barrel should be on the list :D
Lead me not into temptation but point me to it instead.

Offline Nicemarmot

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #7 on: October 27, 2012, 04:35:57 PM »
Hmmmmm. Round ball loads. Are they tough to make?  Don't know where I'd get a 20 gauge barrel fitted in Canada. I would think trying to do that across the border by mail would involve a blizzard of red tape, and too much money. I'd be better off to buy another Handi in 20 gauge.

Offline tacklebury

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2012, 06:01:32 PM »
Not too hard at all.  Just purchase some Hornady .457 Round balls to put into the case mouth.  I personally use no wads or fluff with 10 gr. Unique in my .45-70 Buffalo Classic with a 32" barrel.  Since yours is a 22" barrel, I'd start at 6 gr. and work up.  Just make sure each shot you try fires correctly and doesn't stick in the bore by running a cleaning rod through the barrel if you aren't positive it exited.  I have mine accurate enough to hit a groundhog at 100 yards, did so once anyway, but the POI (point of impact) is about 4" right of where I aim, so I kentucky windage it.  ;)  Don't go too fast with em though, because they will strip and lead your barrel fiercely over 900 fps.  I use fireformed brass and keep it separate from my others.  I never full length resize these as it will make very unaccurate ammo pushing the ball in as it will shave off or smush the diameter some.  I do use my Lee Die sets case mouth expander die for .45-70 to seat the balls to a consistent depth, right at the hemisphere of the ball.  Actually, about 30 thousandths past 1/2 way.  Then my last step is to kiss it, and I mean really lightly, with my Lee FCD die.  If you overcrimp this, you will have inaccurate ammo also with these.  They are about like a light .45 ACP shot for energy, so the roundball isn't too powerful by 100 yards.  Energy is down to about 164 foot pounds at that range, so you can see it's definitely not for hunting larger critters.  It did smack down that ground hog though.  ;)  One last word of advice, I find that these round balls tend to ricochet a little more easily than flat point bullets, so keep it in mind until you play with them some.  ;)
 
Tacklebury --}>>>>>    Multi-Barrel: .223 Superlite, 7mm-08 22", .30-40 Krag M158, .357 Maximum 16-1/4 HB, .45 Colt, .45-70 22" irons, 32" .45-70 Peeps, 12 Ga. 3-1/2 w/ Chokes, .410 Smooth slugger, .45 Cal Muzzy, .50 Cal Muzzy, .58 Cal Muzzy

also classics: M903 9-shot Target .22 Revolver, 1926 .410 Single, 1915 38 S&W Break top Revolver and 7-shot H&R Trapper .22 6" bbl.


Offline Nicemarmot

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2012, 06:39:45 PM »
Interesting Tacklebury. A few of questions: If you keep them below 900 fps, do you still get some leading? What do you use to remove lead? Does "Lee FCD" mean "full-length collet die"?

Offline OldSchoolRanger

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #10 on: October 27, 2012, 06:52:36 PM »
Nicemarmont - Welcome, always nice to have new members aboard.

Regarding your question; Lee FCD = Lee Factory Crip Die. 
"You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." - Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan

When you allow a lie to go unchallenged, it becomes the truth.

My quandary, I personally, don't think I have enough Handi's but, I know I have more Handi's than I really need or should have.

Offline Nicemarmot

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Re: My First Handi
« Reply #11 on: October 27, 2012, 08:43:49 PM »
I have one of those. I love Lee equipment. Lee is a genius.