Good deer hunting black powder cartridge

W

WV_gunner

New member
I've been wanting an older single shot to deer hunt with. I want a black powder cartridge that's obsolete, at least very uncommon. I was looking at the Remingtons and Winchesters mostly but I'd like around a $500-$1000 gun. I was looking at the .45-120 Sharps but its too hard to find an affordable gun chambered for it. Thanks for any help.
 
Go to Cabela's and look at the Pedersoli 1874 Sharps replica. They go on sale about once a year and can be had for less than a thousand dollars. They are a very well made rifle with an excellent barrel on them and a very, very good trigger. They are sold in 45-70 but can be easily rechambered to a 45-90 or larger. I personally wouldn't do that since you gain virtually nothing ballisticly. I've owned a couple of them and they are superbly accurate and will easily down any game animal on this continent.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pede...tt=pedersoli&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products
 
sharps

the sharps went through quite few modifications, refinements and upgrades during the time of it's original manufacturing.
Today it was made popular by the movie quigley down under. His was a 45-110 brass cartridge, made by shiloh manufacturing.
even the 1859-1863 bulk powder ones are very accurate and are typically going on line for $1000 to $1700.
They offer a special plastic and brass convertion cartridge for the older style.
Mine is the 1863 version from Pedersoli.
I have used both Brass cartridge (approx 55 grain fffg) with a 475 grain slug
and the bulk powder load of 80 gr fffg.
Both work just fine for target or hunting.
Mine has the ladder sight on rear of barrel. Calibrated to 800 yd. The tang sight (optional) is Calibrated to 1100 or 1200 yd
Nallistic test in the 1990's confirmed the slug has enough energy left at 3000 yd to be deadly.
So as in above Just keep looking you may find a good used one for a $1000 or less. And dpn't over look the percussion version. They work quite well
 
Uberti has some good chamberings in the 1885 Hi Wall sometimes you can run across a 38-56 or 40-65, if you want something more mainstream a 38-55 might do
 
Buy a neglected antique and restore it?

BTW, Trinidad's NRA Summer Single Shot Rifle class has a cult like following. The same guys enroll summer after summer. It's that good.
 
I have a Navy Arms ( way early version ) rolling block in 40-65, that I use for long range buffalo shoots at CAS competitions, that one has a long range vernier tang sight... I shoot smokeless in it, but it would be wonderful in black... also have a custom Remington #1 Rolling block in 32-40, again I shoot smokeless, but would also be a great deer gun in black, that one wears a 15X Unertl scope

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also have one of those Russian import Remington double rifles in 45-70... never shot black in it, but would make an interesting deer rifle if so loaded...

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or there are a lot of Enfield martini rifles out there that were customized in the past... here are a pair of mine... one in 45-70, & one in 50-70 ( also have a proofed Kyber pass Martini in 30-30 )

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I think from what I've seen price wise, Remington is going to be cheapest option as long as its not an oddball caliber. Under $1000 is doable atleast.

I already have a .45-70 NEF, it's a Handi Rifle, not a Buffalo classic but its the same action.

I find it hard to believe the price of most of the old single shots. Old levers can be had for less. I might just grab an 1895 instead. Although I really like the idea of an old single shot though. I was just hoping for some cheaper gun that's easily available used. Maybe I'll luck into a deal. I really don't want anything that's a reproduction.
 
The Handi Rifle has been around for over 100 years. It even qualifies as a primitive weapon for Ms. deer season. I understand wanting something different. You really shouldn't say no to reproductions tho.
 
Nothing wrong with a repro. I have more than a few. Mostly Uberti, but Browning and Winchester too. But it's all in what you like.
 
From what I've gathered the Harrington and Richardsons single shot rifles haven't been around very long, just the '60s. From what I can find they only made handguns and shotguns before that. Plus the military rifles. I did learn that NEF sells the Buffalo Classic in .38-55 so if I were to buy a new gun that would probably be it. But my real desire is for an old gun. I did find the Stevens Model 44, but like the Remingtons they start at around $1000 for the less desirables and go to crazy high figures.
 
 
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45-70 by far and away is a better choice. One reason: Having the ability to consume Black or Smokeless for their powder charge. Another: Easier to find brass for. 45-70s been knocking deer on their keister's for near 141 years. If your thinking 40-65 or 45-110. Whole different story then. Yup!! mise well step up to the BIG GUY> 50-70 Government. Its been around since 1866 for one's pleasure. Black and certain smokeless powders it too can fire up on. FWIW: Old Grand Daddy cartridge's never quite slip into obsolescent. They just fade a litt'l and wait for their ~~~"Resurrection!!" ;)

Check out the link's (below)

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.45-70+U.S+Government.html

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/246/1/CASE-50-70-PACK-050
 
Buy a Buffalo Classic and have it chambered for .45-120. :eek:

Seriously, those rifles are punishing enough in .45-70 as light as they are.
 
Howdy

I agree with several posters. The 38-55 of 45-70 is all you need. The bigger more powerful versions of the 45-70, such as 45-90, 45-110, 45-120 are over kill, besides, it is much easier to find brass for 45-70 than any of the larger cartridges. Loading Black Powder single shot cartridges takes some trial and error. There is much, much more information readily available about 45-70 than any of its larger cousins. This is also true about any of the other less common single shot rounds like 45-65 or 50-70.

In his book, Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West, Mike Venturino emphatically states to try the 45-70 first before any of the other more exotic cartridges.

You might try reading his book. Currently out of stock at Amazon, but not too hard to find if you look around. He describes all the old single shot rifles, all the old cartridges, and how to load all of them with Black Powder. Best book on the subject.
 
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