SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

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dagger dog
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SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by dagger dog »

Any blackpowder cartridge rifle shooters ?

I've just started shooting 45-70 or Sharps 2 1/10" , in a H R Buffalo Classic, (hey a guys gotta start somewhere).

I did away with the Williams peep, and installed the Pedersoli medium range (cheap) Creedmore style tang sight on a false brass tang I partially inletted into the top wrist of the stock. The rear aperture I drilled out to 0.052" and with the disc close to the eye the Lyman front sight is very clear.

Have been shooting BP only and it's a whole bunch different ! I do have some smokless loads rolled with the Hornady FTX's, but the BP has been so fun I haven't shot one yet !

Would like to hear from anyone elses experiance with their single shots , plus I'm all ears on any how to's !
larryp
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by larryp »

I have an Uberti 1885 Hi-wall clone in .45-70 that I'm currently learning how to load blackpowder cartridges for. Like you I'm still learning. One thing I've found is that you want a soft non-petrolium lube and to blow down the barrel every few shots to keep the fouling soft or else accuracy drops off greatly.
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dagger dog
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by dagger dog »

larryp,

That's a GOOD LOOKIN' shooter !

I'm using beeswax,crisco, canola oil, and pan lubing, on a Lee 405 gr FPHB "Trapdoor" boolit, cast out of stick on wheelweights, and 60 grs FFg.

The barrel on the BC is 32" and it is running out of lube ,can feel the soft fouling at the start when running a patch through the bore, but right at the last couple inches it gets dry and crusty, thats after 5 rounds.

The new load is 65 grains with a .015" index card wad with the hollow base of the boolit filled with lube. Hoping the xtra lube along with the card acting as a scraper will keep the fouling soft all the way.

Have been blowing into the chamber, but plan on making a blow tube with a case and tubing.
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by akuser47 »

nice love that rifle
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by larryp »

akuser47 wrote:nice love that rifle
Thank you.
janoosh
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by janoosh »

I am shooting 45/70 out of a Navy Arms (Uberti) Rolling Block. 28" barrel and using the Holy Black Powder. I compress the charge and use a grease cookie between an over powder wad and the bullet. At times I sandwich the lube cookie between two wads. This cures the lack of lube towards the end of the barrel. I'm using Lee dies I purchased thru Pat Wolf. I use a soft lube that I mixed myself. Oh..... I use the Lee trapdoor bullet, 405 hollow base, and @65 grns of powder.
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Re: SINGLE SHOT SHOOTERS

Post by Model 52 »

I have Cimmaron's Quigley Sharps in .45-70. I bought it for long range BP shoots out west in SD, WY and MT when I lived there, and I shot it quite a bit for about 6-7 years before transferring to the DC area 5 and a half years ago. All things considered, if I did it over again, I'd go with a 32" tapered barrel, like Cimmaron's Billy Dixon model and the 34" un-tapered octagon barrel is a bit of a beast to carry, while you might actually want to take a 32" sporting rifle hunting.

Quality is quite good in terms of fit, finish, color case hardening and wood work, although I think the Pedersoli rifles shoot better than the Armi Sports. I paid $800 for it about 12 years ago, and I think they have almost doubled in price since then. Then I paid around $400 for a Pedersoli soule tang sight, globe front sight and an adjustable aperture. The sights still sell for around the same money now. They are expensive but they do help you get the long range accuracy potential out of it.

There was not much opportunity to shoot a BP rifle in the DC area without driving 2-3 hours one way, so it's mostly sat in the safe since then. However, now that I'm in NC, I'm moving through the existing stock of loads and when they're gone I'll get back into loading for it. Learning to feed it was an experience as I've never shot a smokeless load through it so it's been an entirely BP loading experience with a fairly long learning curve. I found that it prefers FFg rather than a substitute, and it prefers softer lead alloys with 1.5% to 5% tin as opposed to anything harder. Lube is important to control fouling and I've stayed with SPG with good results. A blow tube is pretty much a must have item and a few breaths between shots keeps the fouling soft and it also helps keep it from steadily accumulating. Still, now and then a quick cleaning with a BP solvent and a half dozen patches through the bore will get you back to where you started.

On my muzzle loaders, and 1859 Sharps (using nitrated paper cartridges) I've always cleaned with hot soapy water. However on my 1873 Sharps I've just use a BP solvent and more or less normal cleaning techniques. I can't quite bring myself to use water on a rifle that looks that nice.

My rifle continued to shoot better as the amount of FFg increased and ultimately I used a 3' drop tube and a compression die to get up to 82 grains (by weight) of FFg in a .45-70 case under a 500 gr RN bullet with about 3/16" of compression. I also use a cardboard wad (cut with a wad cutting die from the backs of legal pads) The leade is pretty generous in my rifle and the bullet can be seated fairly far out.

Loading in the field with a hand press is also fun, measuring charges by volume, and you can brush out the same small batch of cases and shoot them pretty much all day long. Provided you don't get carried away with belling the case mouth or crimping the case, a .45-70 case will last an incredibly long time with BP loads. I'm still working on the original couple hundred cases I bought 12 years ago.

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