Buffalo Classic

[Maplicito]

Wow, I haven't been here for years, I almost forgot about GBO... anyhow, I just got myself a new rifle yesterday, and haven't had a chance to go out and shoot it yet.  I thought I'd see what others with experience with it can tell me to expect.


Anyhow, what I have is an H&R Buffalo classic in 45-70 (I believe that's the only chambering it comes in?)  I picked up some 350 grain rounds, and some 405's.


Essentially, I have magnumitis, I enjoy shooting the biggest gun I can get away with, but up until now, my hardest hitter was a Tikka T3-Lite in .338 win mag - this seemed to be the next logical step, but I have to admit, that steel butt plate is making me nervous.  Those of you who have shot it, what do you think?


Also... as far as reloading goes, I've heard a couple of times that it's a strong action and can take heavy loads - I don't know if that is true or not, but are there any good resources I can look at to get a better idea?  I'm just curious at this point, I need to see if I can handle factory loads first before trying any hot loads.


Thanks in advance!

[quickdtoo]

Welcome back and congrats on the BC!  I'd worry more about what you can handle than what the H&R can handle, harsh recoil is where most draw the line tho.  I had one of my BCs rebored and chambered to 50-140, it handles the 570gr Hornady DGS at 2200fps with smokeless loads with no problems, but it's a problem for me even in the leadsled!  Most keep their H&R 45-70 loads at trapdoor and low levergun levels, but the SB2 frame is the same as a Handi-rifle which is factory available in 500S&W which has a SAAMI MAP of 60kpsi and a larger case head, so 50k loads in the 45-70 aren't an issue.

One of my most accurate 45-70 BC loads is with the 350gr Hornady and H322 , cloverleafs at 100yds are the norm scoped, velocity is 2025fps.

Tim

[Maplicito]

Thanks for the response!  I'm quite excited about the rifle - I'm just having fears of having bitten off more than I can chew, and I guess I will until I have a chance to shoot it.  I had the same experience with my .338 when I bought it - hopefully I'll get the same thrill from the pounding of the gun that I do with my Tikka!


I'm kind of hoping it will be my eventual gateway to something bigger yet, but maybe for the sake of my wallet, I should hope the BC is my comfortable limit.

[quickdtoo]

I have an SS 338 WinMag T3 Lite, first thing I did after mounting a scope was add a Limbsaver pad, sure seems a lot nicer than the factory pad, had no problems with it with factory Rem 250gr ammo or 180gr Accubond handloads, give that Limbsaver a try on the T3. A slip on pad for the BC does wonders too, I use a Galco. 

Tim

[Maplicito]

I'll check them out, thanks!  Although, when I'm out shooting with people, at least once I've adapted, I don't think I'll take the pad with me... at least not until I'm convinced there aren't any smart alecs in the group that need to try out the gun without the pad 

[hunt-m-up]

I've found the curved metal buttplate on my BC actually fits the contour of my shoulder better than some other stocks and seems to distribute the recoil better.  Having said that, I always shoot hard-kicking shotguns/rifles  a few times from the standing position first to get a feel for them.

[hoytcanon]

I have one BC on a .45/70 that I chopped the buttstock square on and added a Pachmyr recoil pad to... The buff brown pad looks great on the BC set and the heavier loads are more enjoyable to shoot.

[quickdtoo]

What Hoyt said, I have a 22" Handi with a BC stock that was damaged during a BC barrel fitting, H&R sent a new one after I sent a pic of the damage,  I cut the damage off and fitted it with Limbsaver pad.

Tim

[tacklebury]

I love my buffalo, but that steel plate really bites the shoulder if you get that point in the wrong spot.  lol  I personally started using a Limbsaver small slip-on recoil pad, so I can have my pretty wood and steel plate, but not have it tear me up.  I have loaded up 300 gr HP's, 325 gr. FTX and 350 gr. RNFP bullets with from 34 to 52gr. Reloader7 and it's great throughout that spread.  The 34 gr. are trap door loads that are safe in any firearm even antiques, and I typically use my go to load which is 48 gr. Reloader7 with the 350 gr. RNFP bullet for deer hunting.  I have got the shorter 22" barrel now for carrying though because the long classic gets a bit tip heavy after a while.  Especially sitting with it across my legs in a stand.  The 22" is really nice for hunting. 

[Maplicito]

Thanks for the responses guys!  I finally got a chance to take out my BC tonight, and I love it.  I was quite relieved, it doesn't kick nearly as bad as I was afraid it was, at least not with the ammo I took.  I did learn a lesson though - when getting your ammo, don't just pay attention to what the salesman says, look at what you're getting.


I bought two boxes - a box of Winchester Super-X 300 grain copper jacketed rounds - the other box I bought were 405 grain lead rounds, I bought them because the salesman told me that they really kick compared to the 300's - well, when I went to shoot them today, it turns out that they were Super-X Cowboy Action, so they actually kicked less than the 300's.


I could shoot that rifle with those rounds all day long, it's actually a lot gentler than my T3-Lite in .338 win mag.  However, I'm seeing that there are 3 types of 45-70 loads, and I'm assuming the rounds I got were probably the lightest loads, meant for all 45-70's.  I saw there are also "lever action" loads and "bolt action/single shot Ruger" loads.  I'm guessing those other 2 load levels can make the gun kick a lot more.


So my next question is - my gun is neither a lever action, nor a bolt action, nor a Ruger single shot - of the three load types, what is safe in the H&R Buffalo Classic?  I'm assuming it will safely do at least the lever action loads.  Is it safe doing the blot action/Ruger loads?


Thanks again for the responses!

[quickdtoo]

H&R will tell you levergun loads are fine, I've shot ruger loads in mine, but they aren't what most would call fun, if you think the T3 338WM kicks, you got a surprise comin!! 

Tim

[Maplicito]

Thanks Tim.  I don't mind the .338 rounds, they're just not something I would shoot all day - but I definitely plan to try levergun loads before trying Ruger loads.  If I survive the levergun loads though, Ruger loads should be fine?  Or is that one of those "proceed at your own risk" types of things?

[quickdtoo]

For comparison the H&R Handi is factory available in 500S&W, same SB2 platform as the BC, it has a bigger case head, .530" vs .505" for the 45-70, and a much higher SAAMI maximum average pressure of 60kpsi, top handload data goes to about 53kpsi, so shooting 50kpsi loads in the 45-70 isn't gonna hurt the rifle, even tho it isn't as strong a platform as a Ruger or bolt gun, it's not gonna be a disaster for the gun, your shoulder is another matter tho, I'd venture to say that Hodgdon/Hornady 40kpsi levergun loads will test you as much as you want to be tested without adding a recoil pad and/or some weight to the stock. 

Tim

 http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

[Maplicito]

Thanks for the info Tim, that really helps.  I doubt I get to maxed loads, but it's good to know what I have room to play with!  Maybe I'll change my mind, and add a butt pad, or use that slip on pad you showed me earlier, but if I can work up some reasonably fun loads, and keep that original look, at this time I think I'd like to keep it as it is.  Right now I'm just plinking with it (if you can call it that with a 45-70).


If I ever decide I want to try my hand at hunting something big bodied that might try to bite or trample back, that might be a different story - in that case, I think I'll want to maximize my capacity to comfortably handle some hot loads 

[cudatruck]

Maplicito, you and I are traveling down the same road. I am trying out different loads to see what my tolerance is for the recoil this gun can generate. Mine is a 22 inch handi with the stock recoil pad. So far I have shot 485 grain lead bullets to top trap door levels. Next time out I will try out 400s in lever gun loads. Tim is sending some 300s to try. I think I will load them in lever gun range and if I can stand that and they prove accurate they will get tested on an asian water buffalo!