.45-70 BC vs .45-70 Handi Rifle Recoil

[Steve in Michigan]

I have heard that the Buffalo Classic in .45-70 is much more unpleasant to shoot because of the drop in the stock and the steel buttplate. Does anybody shoot both and can you make a comparison of the BC versus the standard wood-stocked handi with the stock recoil pad?

[marv]

I think the weight of BC has more to do with it Marv

[Big Blue]

ANY recoil pad is better than a steel butt plate. I still have case color embedded in my shoulder since the Spring. I added a recoil pad to the BC. I tried adding weight first, but NOTHING beats a good pad, at least with level 2 loads.  
Don

[Cottonwood]

When the Buffalo Classic first came out, I purchased my first one.  Knowing that it was too light at the factory 8 pounds, I knew it needed to be increased even for better ballance.

Your stock bolt hole is approx 8.5" in length there abouts.  I used a metal mop handle as by casing for what is called a dead mule.  Plugging one end of the 8" section that I cut from the mop handle with lead, then tappering the end to hold the lead plug.

Now you can do one of two things for fill:  

Secure the tube in an insulated holding device.  Melt your lead shot and pour into the tube, a little at a time so your end plugs do not melt.. this is actually the best way so everything is full.

The other way is to just use lead shot to fill up the tube then, pour out, and mix with epoxy and pour back into the tube until you reach a point where your below a limit line so you can plug that end.

When your "Dead Mule" is done you will need to use a piece of leather for the inside.  Using a light to see the bolt with, push this peice of leather down over the bolt head.  Then place your tube in the stock bolt hole onto the leather.  Having the leather inside will stop the jackhammer effect that will go on in there when you fire the gun off.  No also take a peice of leather and place over the part of the hole left uncovered that will be next to your metal cresant butt plate.  Screw this back down.

You have just now added over 2.25 pounds in weight to the Buffalo Classic which makes it more shooter friendly to recoil.  AND you can now shoot it all day long in a T-Shirt with no recoil shield.

Just my .02 cents on it.

Jon

[riverjackal]

Montanan,
 I have used this idea a few times and the best way to fill your pipe with lead that you put in the buttstock is to cut it to length, get a 3 lb coffee can full of sand and cover one end of the pipe with aluminum foil and the bury that end about 4 inches in the can of sand. Pour in the lead and let it cool, no problems. The sand and aluminum foil will hold it in place.

[Big Blue]

I did about the same thing as Montana. I used a 3/4" piece of copper pipe, it fits the bolt hole perfectly. I put one end in sand, and poured molten lead into the pipe, leaving a 1/4" space at the end. Once it cooled, I used silicone caulk to fill the 1/4" space I left both ends of the pipe. That acted as a good buffer in much the same way as Montana used the leather. My T-shirts aren't all brand new, but they aren't that thin, even with all of that extra weight in the stock, it still hammered me when shooting level 2 loads from the bench. I stress from the bench, because of the angle your holding the rifle at the bench, and leaning into the steel butt plate. Offhand the rifle shot fine, and you didn't notice the recoil nearly as much. I spent quite a bit of time shooting off the bench while working up loads for this rifle. After installing the recoil pad, I no longer needed the extra weight in the stock bolt hole. The rifle can jump off the bench when fired, and still the recoil won't bother you in the least. I bought mine last January, and it's by far my favorite rifle. Without that weight, it becomes much easier to carry while hunting, with the weight, It was somewhere near to 12 pounds total. BTW-I took a deer with it a month ago. A one shot knockdown.
Don

[Cottonwood]

Big Blue

I hardly ever shot off the bench because of the posture of leaning into your shots.  I usually shoot up on a pasture that for the most part has been converted into a shooting range from targets that are 50 to 300 yards.

Having never shot level 2 loads I can not relate to the effects.  Now the effects of using black powder cartridge loads are a real hoot and quite addictive.

[handirifle]

Mine with the added weight was fine even with level 2 loads.  Never even got whacked by the tang sight.  Of course I had Lee turn it around so it sat further forward than factory position.

I felt the dropped stock actually helped when sitting upright, but no real prob from the bench either.  Just brace for it BEFORE you pull the trigger. :grin:

[Steve in Michigan]

I guess I should reword my question a little bit. I was concerned how the recoil on the BC compares to the standard handi-rifle, both in out-of-the-box configuration. Should I buy a BC or just get the regular handi-rifle?

[Cottonwood]

Steve

Now that is the only question you can answer.

The Buffalo Classic has a 32" barrel and the Handi-Rifle/Ultra has a 22" barrel.  On a 22" barrel models like the Ultra they have good recoil pads on the buttstock, if ya need more you can buy a Limbsaver which by the way IMHO is the very best you can get.

So, what is your intended purpose of use, if you get a Buffalo Classic.... Cowboy Action Shooting, Long Range Target work beyond 200, 300, 400 yards or more.  With the proper sight one can shoot a 1,000 yards with the Buffalo Classic 45-70 using a proper load and bullet weight.  Then the Buffalo Classic is the right choice because of the sight options one can do on them for Long Range shooting abilities.  

But if your intended use is just for hunting and the shooting range... the 22" barrel models would be my take because in the field for hunting it has a much better barrel swing etc.

Your call