H&R Buffalo Classic 45-70

[Duke Nukem]

Any Opinions on the H&R Buffalo Classic 45-70 ? Thinking about getting one. Hear nothing but good things about it. Dose it need a new rear site for CAS ?
Hear it is the best bang for the buck. Please give opinions and where to get one.
Thanks in advance.....

[Major 2]

I can't speak for the Buffalo Classic from ownership , but if it's anything near as good as my H&R Springfield Cavalry Carbine.
You will be pleased.
      At $339.99 and presently $328.88 On Sale!  I'd say the Classic is a bargain.

http://www.impactguns.com/store/736008018715.html

I love my H&R Cavalry carbine which I've owned about 12 years. One of the neatest things about it is H&R actually produced these on the Original machinery used by Springfield themselves.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I've had one for quite a few years now. Very accurate for it's price. When I got mine, there were no sights included with it. Yes, you will have to change out the rear supplied with the new ones to be SASS legal. A good one to try would be the Smith Ladder sight made to fit the already tapped holes.
Only picks I've got is the weight is kinda on the light side. I added leftover 38-55 slugs to the stock bolt hole to give it some more heft. Bench sessions can get kinda painful with the pointed butt plate after about 50 rounds or so, but can be helped with a Past shoulder recoil pad..........Buck

[Galloway]

This is another on my list gun, and I've also heard nothing but praise about it. Suposedly its authentic in that it was modled after the Frank Wesson rifle of the 1850's, however I've seen that rifle and it doesnt look like the BC. My only complaint is the look of the hooded front sight which I intend on changing when I get mine. Although it may not weigh as much as a Sharps at 8 pounds I didnt find it too light at all. Craig Bodington took one on a hunt and did a review in G&A a couple years ago and said good things about it. What I dont know about it is if the color case is real and if you can use Garret hammerheads in it. But regardless even a cowboy load would easily take a deer, pig, or black bear. Good Luck

[Duke Nukem]

Here it is not NCOWS legal.  It is not authentic enough, but they alow Rugers and stainless and nickel finishes.... They got kind of has  double standard in my opinion and being a newbie they will probably chastise me. They also do not allow Marlins or Wichesters with crossbolt safety, but SAA and rugers with transfer bars are OK.
I am a kind of confussed with their logic and some what put off with what is allowed and what is not allowed. DOSE NCOWS have a DOUBLE STANDARD ??

[Lone Gunman]

Good afternoon Mr Nukem,

I will endeavor to  combine this answer with the reply to the form you sent from our website.  I would hope that rather than viewing this as chastisement that you would consider it as a gentle nudge towards the path of true enlightenment. 

1. Nickel finishes.  It appears you may be unaware that nickel was a very popular firearm finish in the 19th century.  In fact some guns, such as Merwin-Hulberts, are considered extremely rare if they have a finish other than nickel.  Similar appearing finishes go back even further. The frames of the 1859 Sharps pepperbox and gripframes of 1851 Colts were often silver plated.  This is also the reasoning behind allowing polished stainless steel firearms.  While we don't allow any brushed stainless, we do allow the highly polished stainless since it has a very similar appearance to a nickel/silver finish.

2. NEF Buffalo Classic.  Our bylaws state that a firearm must closely resemble the original firearm that it is supposed to be a copy of.  The manufacturer states that the Buffalo Classic is modeled after the Frank Wesson tip-up rifle.

Here is a picture of the Frank Wesson:



And here is the Buffalo Classic:



All reports would indicate that the Buffalo Classic is a well built, quality firearm.  However, it would take quite a stretch of the imagination to say it 'closely resembles' the original Frank Wesson tip-up.  Basically the Buffalo Classic is a single shot shotgun design similar to those manufactured by H&R, Stevens, Savage, Monitor, etc except that it has a rifle barrel instead of a shotgun barrel. That doesn't mean it's not a good gun, it just means that it isn't an authentic 19th century rifle design and therefore not approved for NCOWS use.

3. Crossbolt safeties.  On review I guess maybe you could call this last segment a chastisement of sorts.  The prohibition on crossbolt safeties was rescinded quite some time ago.  In fact all references to that defunct rule were purged from our official website and all of our literature well over a year ago.  In another post you stated that you were brand new to CAS. If that is indeed the case then how did you come across such outdated and erroneous information?       All of our current rules, bylaws etc can be read at our website  http://www.ncows.org     , but you must have already found that since you used the 'contact Congress' form.  I would urge you to return there and actually read them, I think you will find they make much more sense than your initial impression.