.45-70 BPCR's

N

North Star

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British Columbia
Looking at getting one for target shooting and hunting. Who out there has one and what load/bullet weights do you shoot ?

I like the Winchester/Browning 1885, C. Sharps 1875, and Pedersoli 1874's. Rolling blocks are nice too. At the last BP shoot I was given the chance to fire a couple shots with C. Sharps 1875 45-70.

Loaded with 70 gr FFg and 405 gr bullet. Recoil was surprisingly light. Fired at a clay skeet target off hand at 200 meters. Almost hit it by a few inches.

Love the boom, smell, and cloud of smoke from black powder. I shoot muzzleloader's often. The modern lever/bolt actions rarely get taken out of hibernation. Maybe once or twice a year.
 
500 grains Lyman 457125 government round nose is my old standby. Eather over 67 grains of FFFg or 32 grains of reloder 7 this bullet is very reliable. I've tried the Lyman postel, 405s and still have the pointy "schmitzer" bullet design that's not been used yet but the government round nose has proven the most reliable over a variety of powders. This is out of a 32 inch Shiloh 1874 Long Range Express.

The 405 bullet would be light recoiling, go up at least a hundred grains and after a few shots from prone over sticks you will start to feel it. But the guns were supposed to kick.

Prefer the pistol grip stock for comfort and control-ability, picking your first one you're making the right choice choosing 45-70. If I were to start all over again I think the Pedersoli "John Bodine" to be the best bang for the buck as far as a good single shot goes, especially considering our low dollar value (wont stay that way). Second place goes to C Sharps 1875, if it weren't for the low dollar I'd be getting one of their target models tomorrow.
 
I like the Montana made sharps, but the low dollar value would end up costing at least $400 more right now for one, compared to a few years ago, plus import fees and shipping which is another $400, so the Pedersoli is quite a bit cheaper, and most seem to be happy with the quality.
 
i started off many years ago with a custom built rolling block with a badger barrel. Then i got bit by the bug real bad and bought a Ballard,Sharps,Highwall, and many others over the years,stick with a common 45/70 round that you can get components for. Then play with loads and bullet styles. Buy the best that you can afford in sights.At my range that i shoot at 45/70 is overkill , a 38/55 would be perfect.However if you plan to go to some of the big shoots where this LOTS of wind (Bethune Saskatchewan) you will need that 45/70 and all the windage your sights can dial in. I like my Shiloh Sharps and my Remington Hepburn, both are in 45/70,but the Hepburn is up for sale to be replaced with a 38/55. You will soon find out it is a sickness....welcome to the dark side
 
Another thing to consider is butt stock shape. The curved steel butt plate on a stock with lots of drop will beat you up more than a straight stock with a flat butt plate. Makes a huge difference in recoil if you shoot a lot.
 
In the .45-70 my bullets are generally in the 530gr range. There are a lot of good designs, but they need to fit the throat well. I am mostly using Buffalo Arms Money bullet and the Brooks Creedmoor. The Saeco 745 is also a really decent bullet.

Chris.
 
I bought a rubber slip on butt from Buffalo Arms that i use on the Hepburn it helps with the recoil but more important it stops the rifle from slipping. A lot of the shooters use the big leather shooting pads I just find that they move around too much.When shooting chickens ,most people have a chicken bullet/load that is way less recoil.Then you move back into the 520gr plus bullets / heavy loads for the pigs,turkeys,and rams. I shoot a two day match with just the rubber recoil pad and at the end of match my shoulder is just starting to get tender.

lll
ryan said:
Another thing to consider is butt stock shape. The curved steel butt plate on a stock with lots of drop will beat you up more than a straight stock with a flat butt plate. Makes a huge difference in recoil if you shoot a lot.
Click to expand...
 
For an action, I would choose a Sharp's or any of its replicas first, Ballard next and then a Rolling block. The reason is the degree to which fouling is isolated from the action / or how easily you can strip the action to clean it. In some ways the Ballard is preferable because the top of the breach block has a small bevel and the breach block itself moves slightly forward as you close it. Both features mean that if a cartridge is not completely into the breach, the block will push it in for the last little bit. Falling blocks which move only up and down will not do that. I have single shot rifles built on other actions but the above would be my preference if I were to chose one action only for shooting black powder

cheers mooncoon
 
On 1874's the strength of the butstock concerns me. The right side is hollowed out for the lockplate with a horizontal screw going through the wood. Just next to it is the vertical screw that holds the stock to receiver.

sharpsaction.jpg


The rolling block, 1885 and Csharps 1875 are a more modern design. The rolling block is quite simple with only a few moving parts.

ROLLINGBLOCKCARBINEHUNTINGSCHEMATIC.jpg
 
I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having a problem with a Sharps buttstock. I certainly haven't and my .45-110 loads have some thump. It probably doesn't hurt that C. Sharps and Shiloh have excellent wood to metal fit.

I think they are all really neat rifles though. If I had to pick only one action type it'd be the 1885 single shot, but primarily because I like the look of them.

Chris.
 
I'm not trying to sidetrack this very enjoyable thread, but I lost the contact info for a mould builder from Regina by the surname of Bumphrey.... can anyone help, PM if necessary.

Many Thanks fellas...
 
The hardest part is deciding on one. On looks alone I like the 1874/1875 sharps and 1885 more than the rolling block.

The nice old fellow who let me try his C.Sharps 1875 said he was thinking of selling it because he has another C.Sharps 45-70, an 1874 model.

Has a ladder rear sight with post front. Looks like a 30" barrel, maybe #1 heavy. Pistol grip stock with single trigger. No set trigger but felt light at 3lbs. He has two vernier sights for it. Didn't ask what kind.

The rifle's been shot with BP only and lead bullets. If my memory is right he was asking $1,000 including the vernier sights. Here's a picture:

CSharps187545-70.jpg
 
That sounds like a pretty good deal NS, are you located in the Lower Mainland ?
My reason for asking is that I'm always looking for fellow BPCR shooters to punch paper with as they seem few and far between sometimes...
 
that is a great deal, get your self a MVA front globe spirit level sight and start making some loads. That barrel should be a Badger Mfg. and they are one of the best.
 
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