Navy arms rolling block

[Bob R.]

Hi WaddWatson,

I don't know, only having just got a BR myself. I've just been expending rounds trying to properly sight the rifle (and for fun, never having shot a cartridge sharps before), and finding out I need to drift my front blade to the left slightly. While you can theoretically put 16 rounds downrange a minute, I found 30 rounds were expended in 2 hours doing sighting strings.

[Otter]

WWE and Bob R -

20 rounds won't last you very long at a shoot. Where I shot regularly, several years ago, we had six steel targets set up at ranges from 100 yards to 600 yards, 10 shots per target = 60 rounds minimum for the shoot. Throw in sighters and just for fun rounds and you're looking at more like 80 to 100 rounds. And THAT is the reason most folks load their own. For my 45-70's, I have shot nothing but BP and bullets I cast myself. I bought 200 pcs of brass for each rifle and never, ever shoot them in the other rifles. I'm still shooting the same brass as when I first started. with probably well over 20,000 rounds total shot. I shoot real BP, I don't resize and I don't crimp, except for the levergun, so the brass will last a long, long time. I can load for my rifles at about $15-17 per 100 rounds, components only (not counting my time and casting electricity) - a far cry less money than buying factory rounds at $30+ per 20. Granted, I got onto a bunch of lead at a real good price, but rolling your own is a LOT more cost effective than not.

[cpt dan blodgett]

I got a navy arms Buffalo Rifle off the wire a while back.  26 inch Heavy Octo Barrel and some kind of vernier sight globe insert front (original sights and all the inserts for the FS in 2 film containers).

Looks good, only shot it once and it really did not like what I was trying to feed it.

Will only be shooting it at 300 yards or possibly a few plainsmans matches with reduced loads.

Will be interesting playing with lubes, different bullets, seating depths, powders, compression.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Sticking a over powder wad made all the difference in the world.  Have not found the mystical sub MOA load or bullet, but can stay on paper.  A little tweaking should produce some pretty good results.  It shots about 4 inches at 100 using Varget pushing the bullet out at about 1300 - 1350 fps from load data.  Shoots a round group 8 - 9 inches at 200 with same load.

[Skyrider]

My wife shoots a 45/70 with a 28 inch barrel.  She says it feels more like her .243 cal. Winchester while at the bench if that is any help to you. The 45/70 is just plan fun to shoot period!