|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
...I just bought a original High Wall in .45-90. Don't have it yet, but it is said to be circa 1900, and from the pictures is a thin side saddle ring carbine. Most of the finish is gone, but the wood is solid, and the bore and mechanicals are said to be excellent. I felt the price was reasonable, less than I had seen for other originals with excellent bores. Between the relatively light weight and barrel sights, I see it as a hunting rifle for fairly close range work, and probably shooting nothing bigger than a boar, or Nilgai. I'm wondering what bullet/load combos are likely to be good in it. I'm thinking one of the 405 gr grease groove, flat point bullets (intended for lever actions) as a short-range hunting bullet. Suggestions are appreciated
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383 |
A Lyman 457-193 is hard to beat. It will drop out at about 405 gr or the 457-643 if you can find the old Ideal mould. That bullet drops out at about 400 to .410 gr but it is a fine bullet for shooting "dirty" carries plenty lube and will work fine in the 2.4 case seated deep for fast load and shoot used for a hunting situation with black powder. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/categories/partdetail.aspx/239/1/lyman-457-643Kurt
Last edited by Kurt71; 01/03/13.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
I'd be interested to know what the twist rate on that Winchester comes out to be. 405s might be a good as I would not be surprised if this is a fairly slow twist barrel for something more like an express cartridge
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 383 |
It would be interesting what the 85 has for a twist.
If the original 85 has the 1/32 twist the .45-90 86 had then the 405 grain would be marginal. They used the 300 to 350 gr. I used the 457-643 bullet in my 86 but I think it had the nickel steel barrel with a 1/22 twist.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 633
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 633 |
It sounds like #457191 at about 300 grains would be right at home. Or even #457122, the 330 grain hollow point.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,955 Likes: 10
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,955 Likes: 10 |
Do show off some photos when it arrives. Envious here,
1Minute
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,275
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,275 |
If it's all original, you'll likely be seating the 300 gr bullet to an overal length of 2.6. There is some data in an old Ideal reloading manual I have for 405 gr bullets, but with the 1-32 twist common in those rifles whether or not that 405 gr bullet will stabilize is anybodies guess.
the most expensive bullet there is isn't worth a plug nickel if it don't go where its supposed to. www.historicshooting.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,867
Campfire Regular
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,867 |
I doubt if the 405 grain bullet will give good accuracy if the twist is 1-32. The 300 and 330 hollow point bullets will shoot in that twist and will give really great results on game. If for some reason the rifle has a 1-20 twist, it will definitely shoot the 400 to 420 grain bullets. Those are critter getters too.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
Many thanks for the comments; think I'll order both some 405's and 300's. If the big ones won't stabilize in it, I could always use them in a Shiloh - or a .45-70, for that matter.
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 53,303
Campfire Kahuna
|
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 53,303 |
WELL DONE, Sir !
Going by the caliber stamp, I doubt that's an original factory barrel. I think you've got a nice OLD "Custom" there.
Curious about the screw in the receiver bridge, too. can't really say I've seen that before.
Best of luck with a neat new thumper, regardless!
GTC
Member, Clan of the Border Rats -- “Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.”- Mark Twain
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 19,269
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 19,269 |
It has been a matter of great curiousity for me as to why Winchester didn't use a different twist in the 1885 High Wall vs. the 1886 levergun OTHER THAN the expense of two sets of tooling. The 45/90 had a rather good rep as both a fine LR comp. cartridge AND a big critter killer using heavy slugs.
Be afraid,be VERY VERY afraid ad triarios redisse My Buddy eh76 speaks authentic Frontier Gibberish!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
Simply because the fashion of the day - like now - was speed. Speed was (and is) more important than any other variable selling a rifle or a cartridge.
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,275
Campfire Tracker
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,275 |
It has been a matter of great curiousity for me as to why Winchester didn't use a different twist in the 1885 High Wall vs. the 1886 levergun OTHER THAN the expense of two sets of tooling. The 45/90 had a rather good rep as both a fine LR comp. cartridge AND a big critter killer using heavy slugs. Because the 45-90 winchester and the 45-90 sharps are two different creatures. The Winchester version was as Brent said,shows signs that magumitis isn't a new invention. It was an attempt to get more velocity and flatter shooting from the 86 wincester. Hence the OAL of 2.6, so they used he 2.4 case but seated a 300 gr bullet deep enough to keep the oal short enough to cycle thru the 86. By the time of the 85 and 86 introduction , long range shooting was disappearing fast, and the attention of the hunting community was geared more to deer and other light game,the need for long range heavy hitters wasn't there. The bigger question is why Sharps did not agree to sell the manufacturing rights to Winchester, when they folded for the last time.
the most expensive bullet there is isn't worth a plug nickel if it don't go where its supposed to. www.historicshooting.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
WELL DONE, Sir !
Going by the caliber stamp, I doubt that's an original factory barrel. I think you've got a nice OLD "Custom" there.
Curious about the screw in the receiver bridge, too. can't really say I've seen that before.
Best of luck with a neat new thumper, regardless!
GTC Thanks, I suspected it was a custom, as I'd never seen a saddle ring carbine before in an 1885, and the price was too low to be a rare variation. Maybe I lucked out and he also put a fast twist barrel in it, too.
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
|
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
I think you would be luckier if it has a slower twist. No need for those heavy bullets in a gun like that. The recoil would be substantial and that's a nice hunting rifle, good for 200, maybe 300 yds and a lighter bullet like a 405 would be great for that.
Interesting rifle for sure. Someone wanted that for a good reason that somehow, a lever gun couldn't do. I'd be interested to know more about the rationale behind it, but that is lost to time I suppose.
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
well, it's here now, and indeed the action locks up tight, the wood's solid, and the bore is bright & shiny. The bore is eight lands & grooves, and appears to be a 1 in 20 twist, as best I can measure. The barrel is slightly tapered - 1.050 across the flats at the breech, .977 at the end of the forend, .910 diameter at the start of the round, and .830 at the muzzle. The front sight dovetail is 3/4" from the muzzle. S/N is 872XX. I was told it dates to 1900. The sights...ummm...can't hardly see them, that might be an issue
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46,268 Likes: 2
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46,268 Likes: 2 |
Perfect, I'm jealous, Congrats Tex, hope she makes ya a good shooter.
Gunner
Trump Won!
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 22,274 |
Thanks, it is pretty light & handy. I don't have precision scales here, but I get about 7 to 7.5 lbs.
"...the designer of the .270 Ingwe cartridge!..."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46,268 Likes: 2
Campfire 'Bwana
|
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46,268 Likes: 2 |
A 7LB Sledge is right handy. , I'm gonna get one of those some day. Gunner
Trump Won!
|
|
|
|
633 members (06hunter59, 12344mag, 16gage, 10gaugemag, 160user, 12savage, 60 invisible),
2,865
guests, and
1,308
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,193,644
Posts18,512,374
Members74,010
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|