Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots H&R 1871 Buffalo Classic

I know the 45/70 can be loaded from trap door levels up to Ruger No 1 heavy loads. Where does the H&R fit in?

I think your shoulder will give out before you get anywhere near Ruger levels. Not sure which frame those were built on, but personally I wouldn’t push one past Marlin/1886 loads regardless.

Do you have a goal, or just what-iffing? Even Trapdoor loads will work on any game in the Lower 48; why beat yourself to death. You’ll never make it flat-shooting.

I'd be happier with mild loads. Will take it out for deer occasionally but mostly on the range. I was just curios how strong the action is.

I agree with Pappy. Don't go further than the strong lever action loads. I have a CVA Scout and the Trapdoor loads are pussy cats. Starts thumping a bit with lever gun loads.

Had one. Even trapdoor loads can be punishing in that steel butted monster. That said, I now have an NEF Handing in 45-70. With a recoil pad.
If yours is a SB2 it is stronger than the SB1 but not Ruger #1 strong.

Have killed many deer and pigs with the Gould hollowpoint a 340gr going 1600fps. Many.

^^^^

Concur. That’s what I have found with mine.😁 The drop of the stock will probably keep you from getting too crazy with 300 gr bullets and heavy loads. It’s actually a fairly light rifle and it comes back and up quicker than I figured.

I load 300gr. to 1800 fps and 405s to 1650 fps. The load data comes from the lever gun section. To be honest, that's about all I want.

Mine is the 22 inch SB2 with a laminate stock.

How can you ID a SB1 vs SB2?

Greg,

I'd stick to trapdoor loads for the H&R.

I've had an H&R Trapdoor Officer's Model (replica), Ruger No. 1 & 3's and Marlin 1895 Guide Guns.

Only reason to bump the loads up is if you're hunting Big Bears, not many in NY.

I hotrodded the 45-70 up (in the Marlin's & Ruger's) looking to flatten trajectory... which is a journey that gets you nowhere in the end, due to bullet BC.

It kills just fine at trapdoor levels, though after about 150 yards it drops faster than a rock.

Jerry

Marked on frame or barrel.

Speaking of drop, my old Rolling Block 45-70 shooting 385 grain Lyman 457124 and duplex "trapdoor" level loads (5 grains DuPont bulk shotgun smokeless/55 DuPont ffg) required 24" of elevation to go from 100 yard zero to go to 200 yards.

When I had my 45-70 , it was on a TC Encore frame and had a light barrel. That stupid thing kicked so hard you could hardly shoot it. I went with about 13? grains of Unique and got about 1,300 fps. with a 350 gr. Remington bullet. The thing was downright nasty. Never did shoot anything with it. The gun was nice and light, but by the time I had 5 or 6 rounds in my pocket , I swear it added 1/2 lb. to my pack .

I can't find a SB anywhere

This will answer your question:

https://www.go2gbo.com/threads/how-to-tell-sb1-vs-sb2.380304/

The SB designations on the barrel are meaningless. Craigster is right, pull the stock off and check the receiver.

Every Buffalo Classic and Classic Carbine (45 Colt) I owned were all SB2 receivers. I have shot 405gr LFP hardcast bullets up to 2000fps in one. It was not pleasant but the H&R rifle handled it just fine.

try the old reliable 1200 to 1300 foot per second loads, the hot loads will make you sell it quick been there done that.

Take off the buttstock. Butt end of action will be webbed if sb2. Solid if sb1

Shooting an appropriate bullet will give better performance than a velocity improvement. Either a hunting type cast, or a soft jacketed bullet.

Just avoid hard jacketed bullets and the pointy cast ones.
The round has only been working well for 150 years.
Not much data yet!🙃🙃🙃