45-60?????

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cant_rope_the_wind01

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who shoots a 45-60 or a 40-65????
what model rifle???
what are your likes and dislikes on these calibers???
i,m looking into getting one for silhouette shooting
and am looking for as much info as possible that i can get
 
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cant_rope_the_wind01 said:
i,m looking into getting one for silhouette shooting
and am looking for as much info as possible that i can get
Click to expand...

I think what you are really asking amounts to what action rifle and what caliber should I shoot in black powder silhouette matches. Your post seems to indicate that you would like a 45-60 but are still a little undecided. With that in mind, my thoughts are

I would chose a falling block action such as Sharps, Winchester Highwall or Ballard. The Sharps and Ballard would have my preference because fouling does not get in the lock mechanism and they can both be easily stripped and reassembled for cleaning. They also allow most any length of bullet to be loaded as opposed to a Martini for example where the bullet goes down at an angle then levels out to finish entering the chamber. They also permit cleaning from the rear

I would chose a cartridge based on the 45-70 shell because you can buy the empty brass cheap like borscht and then form it to your caliber. I think you need a bullet weight of 300 grains or more to be sure of knocking the farther targets down and I would lean towards the 38 - 40 caliber shells because they give you a longer bullet for the same weight (better BC) as well as having less recoil. Also keep in mind you may be looking at a custom barrel because standard barrels for a 38-56 for example would probably have a twist too slow to stabilize a 300 grain bullet.

cheers mooncoon
 
I've had a couple of original Winchester Model 1876's chambered in 45-60. 300 grain bullet out the barrel at around 1,300 fps. With a tang sight and a good bore, you can put five rounds into 1 & 3/4" at 100 yards. Recoil is hardly noticeable due to the rifle's weight. I believe Uberti makes a modern repro of the model 1876. Mooncoon's advice is good and solid.
 
The reason that I did not include rolling blocks, I should add, is that if you have a tight chamber, you need to lower the hammer then tap the ear of the block to seat the cartridge the final little bit. My principle cartridge gun is a rolling block with a long throat and a tight chamber and I have to run a brush through after every shot when shooting black powder, because the fouling in the throat won't allow the bullet in all the way. I suppose a Sharps or a Highwall would be probably worse because their breaches more or less go straight up and down. The Ballard angles forward a small amount in closing.

Something else which comes into play is how much you can do yourself. I started with a rolling block action for roughly $200 - $250 and bought a barrel blank for I think $400 and the walnut for the stock cost about $30 plus a cheap Italian tang sight for $40. Were you to buy an antique action and have someone else do the work you are probably looking at $1400 - $1500 or more. At those prices, some of the Italian reproductions are a more economical route and I believe they shoot fairly accurately

cheers mooncoon
 
the reason i,m asking about a 45-60 or a 40-65 is my wife wants to start shooing with me i have an original winchester 1885 chambered in 45-70 and a 1874 sharps(pedersoli) IN 45-110
and a 38-55 h&r buffalo classic which i found the 38-55 to be a little on the under powered side for the rams, so my wife tried a 45-60 at a shoot once that i couldn't attend, she was very impressed, with the low recoil so i was looking for more info on these calibers as her birthday is coming up and i have found one in each caliber the models are 1874 sharps with tang and soul sights(made by uberti)
I know I know spaghetti sharps. but for the shooting we do they work just fine, as we do our shooting for the fun and not competitive shooting. my wife enjoys the black powder stuff but doesnt like the smokeless guns, dont ask me why ( never try to figure out a woman)
 
Mooncoon's advice is solid. Unless you are married to the 45-60 cartridge, others will serve as well, or better. The 45-70 is certainly the default .45 cartridge, brass is easy to find, and lots of guys have dies and molds if you don't reload. (You will have to start reloading if you aren't already, if you want to do much shooting of the old calibres). I personally shoot a 45-90, Winchester 1886. In the real world, it isn't the ideal BPCR rifle. It's hard to clean, and recoil is not for sissies, but mine shoots like a champ. I looked at a few Sharpes repro's this winter, and they are pretty nice, but the American ones cost lots of coin, and there is a waiting list for a new one. I don't see a damn thing wrong with the Italian ones, Pedersoli looks pretty nice, and is half the money. I owned a Browning 78 single shot for awhile. It was a really nice rifle, but it had the same trigger problems as every other '78. There are other Hi Wall repros out there, in a variety of calibres. (I have had a love affair for years with the Winchester Hi Wall.) Back to the 45-60, as I said, if you aren't married to it, the longer cases and bigger powder charges in some of the larger calibres will give you a bit of extra oomph at longer ranges. Having said that, you can expect more recoil, especially in the likes of the 45-125. OBTW, there are a few 45's for sale on the Equipment Exchange right now, some even appear to be reasonably priced.
 
I have a Winchester '86' in 40-65 cal. I got a couple boxes of PMC 260 gr. ammo, says travel at 1350 FPS. The gun is heavy, 8 & 1/4 pounds empty, with the 26 inch oct. barrel. It is quite accurate, and with the length and weight, it kicks like a 25-20. Very nice to shoot, but not meant for for hiking. (that's why I don't hike).
 
I would suggest one of the 40 calibers if they are offered in a Italian Sharps and a bullet weight in the 300 - 350 grain range. I wouldn't choose the heaviest of the 40s but something more like a 40 - 65 in a bottle neck case that can be formed from 45-70 brass. While I shoot a 38-56 with a 300 grain bullet, I have a faster twist (custom barrel) to stabilize it and it is unlikely you would find a production gun with a twist rate to stabilize a bullet heavier than the original factory ones. The reason that I am suggesting the 40 - 65 or similar is that it should have relatively low recoil while having a better ballistic coefficient than a 45 -60 with the same bullet weight.

cheers mooncoon
 
oldiron said:
I have a Winchester '86' in 40-65 cal. I got a couple boxes of PMC 260 gr. ammo, says travel at 1350 FPS. The gun is heavy, 8 & 1/4 pounds empty, with the 26 inch oct. barrel. It is quite accurate, and with the length and weight, it kicks like a 25-20. Very nice to shoot, but not meant for for hiking. (that's why I don't hike).
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Thats nice stuff. I picked up 700 rounds of it a few years back, at 50 cents a round. Made with Starline brass.
 
Red River Sights
Dept. B, 206 Oxford Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3M 3J6
Phone: (866) 239-9451 (best to call after 6 pm CST)
Email: red.river.a.a.p@mts.net
The above guy, I think, sells Ukranian made sights that are pretty well reviewed on other forums. For a look, check out Buffalo Arms website, they are also for sale there. If the sights happen to be to your liking, it makes things slightly simpler by buying Canadian. OTOH, my dealings with Buffalo Arms have been very satisfactory indeed. I would not hesitate to recommend them, and they carry a very good selection of sights by a variety of makers. Good luck with the High Wall, I am green with envy...
 
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