Buffalo Classic

[Bodie Bascom]

I was just reading over at the NCOWS site and saw that the H&R Buffalo Classic is a prohibited gun.  I love that rifle!  Why is it a no-no?

Thanks,
Bodie

[Irish Dave]

It does not  "closely resemble" any rifle from the period as required by our bylaws.

Probably very nice rifles, just not historical.

[Trap]

   What Dave said. Several have said that there was a similar rifle but noone has gone to the trouble of finding documentation. We would welcome that effort.

[Bodie Bascom]

To me, it looks like a Ballard 1875 if you change out the trigger guard.  The Buff classic is supposed to be an 1871 model, but I cannot find an 1871 that matches.  Try looking at ballardarms.com under the traditional rifles.

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

So.....wheres the resemblance? The H&R is a rifle made on a break open shotgun receiver that never existed, the Ballard on the other hand was manufactured as a falling block rifle. There is not even a cosmetic resemblance.
OCB

H&R 1871

Ballard 1875
a
Ballard 1875 Long Range

[Bodie Bascom]

Just a similarity, is all.  Doesn't really matter.  I don't have any interest in a buffalo shoot at a match.  I just like the looks of the gun and wondered what the problem with it is.  I'm new to this NCOWS biz and tryin' to understand the nuances.  Now, what would be a good long range rifle?

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Just a similarity, is all.  Doesn't really matter.  I don't have any interest in a buffalo shoot at a match.  I just like the looks of the gun and wondered what the problem with it is.  I'm new to this NCOWS biz and tryin' to understand the nuances.  Now, what would be a good long range rifle?

Hi Wall in 45-70  (If you can find one of the Browning replicas from the 1990's, they have beautiful wood.  Winchester still produces these in small batches.  Both are made at the Miroku facility in Japan.)

or

Sharps Shiloh in 45-70

or

Winchester 1876 in 45-70

There are many other 'good' long range 1800 cartridge rounds, but the 45-70 is extremely versatile and can be loaded up or down depending on what you want to do. 

[Bodie Bascom]

Thanks Pancho.  Do the Ten Horns do a buffalo or long range shoot at the NCOWS shoots?

Bodie

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Thanks Pancho.  Do the Ten Horns do a buffalo or long range shoot at the NCOWS shoots?

Bodie

Funny you should ask:

We just finalized rules for a Cody-Dixon class at our NCOWS and SASS shoots.  We have two stages that allow for 75+ yard shots, so we will allow Cody-Dixon shooters to fire their rifle-caliber rifles at those targets.

http://www.texastenhorns.com/Cody_Dixon_Class.htm

We have a fair number of member who have Spencers, Trapdoors, & Hi Walls. 

We're hoping to offer this class sometime in the next month or so.

Pancho

[Ottawa Creek Bill]

Bois DArc....

If you want an inexpensive long range rifle, you can't beat the Remington Rolling Block. Cabelas had these on sale this summer for $699.00.

Below is the Wesson & Harrington 1871 rifle that the new one is supposed to be a copy of. This one breaks open like a shotgun, but again there is no real resemblance. This one happens to be in .38 rim fire.

Bill
Wesson & Harrington 1871, .38 Rim Fire

[Bodie Bascom]

Thanks, Bill.  I really like the looks of the rolling block, it may be a good choice.

Pancho, hope to see you next month up in Greenville.  Won't be doin' any Cody-Dixon yet though.

[Shotgun Franklin]

About the closest rifle I can think of would be the Smith Cavalry Carbine. It wasn't really a Buffalo Rile and there are real differences.
I've owned 2 Rolling Blocks over the years and loved'm both. Wish I had one now.

[James Hunt]

I'm new to this NCOWS biz and tryin' to understand the nuances.  Now, what would be a good long range rifle?

As I am sure you know NCOWS is a shooting organization with a historical basis. You might be best served by thinking where you would like to be in our historical period and build your appearance and your weapon selection around that time frame. Certainly no one will keep you from shooting a Colt navy next to a 92 Winchester, but as you start to enjoy the NCOWS philosophy you will want to narrow your approach to a tighter time frame. If you think now about who you might have been in history, and what period over several years you might have done that in, and then look at how someone like that appeared, and what weapons were available, it may help you make wise choices at the onset and limit unnecessary purchases.

You don't want to invest in a 76 if you decide you are a southern herds hunter in 1872, you don't even want to be shooting a Sharps .45-110 in that year, and you probably wouldn't want to be using an early .50 gvt trapdoor on the northern herds in 1882. Lots to think of but that is the fun of it.

Not that a single person in NCOWS put forth that much forethought when they got started (and that is why we have duffel bags with clothing stored in the garage and a gunsafe protecting firearms we haven't seen in years), but you might be the first.

Have a grand time.

[Dr. Bob]

IIRC, the Winchester High Wall is allowed in NCOWS Long Range shooting, but not in the Buffalo competition since it was first offered in 1885 which was past the practical end of Buffalo hunting.  I don't have a big rifle so you should check the Bylaws at NCOWS.org !!

[Colt Fanning]

Hi Bodie,
Haven't seen you at the Tin Horns for a while.
There is a group of long range black powder shooters in the Fairfield-Mexia that shoots twice a month.
They shoot NRA Silhouette, Buffalo, and Creedmore events at 200 to 1000 yards.
Their web site is yauponcreek.org.  I have been thinking of checking them out as this is only about 2 hrs. from Dallas.
Regards
Colt Fanning

[Bodie Bascom]

Pancho (or anyone else in the know),  I went and looked at the Cody-Dixon page that you linked.  It stated that the Marlin 1895 would be an acceptable rifle.  Is this the modern style with the side eject, or is there an older model?

Bodie

[Montana Slim]

Bois DArc....

If you want an inexpensive long range rifle, you can't beat the Remington Rolling Block. Cabelas had these on sale this summer for $699.00.

Below is the Wesson & Harrington 1871 rifle that the new one is supposed to be a copy of. This one breaks open like a shotgun, but again there is no real resemblance. This one happens to be in .38 rim fire.

Bill
Wesson & Harrington 1871, .38 Rim Fire

Yep, la number of repro rifles are available. If interested in possible use for a NCOWS "buffalo match", be sure to select something used heavily in the actual buffalo hunting period such as the Springfield, Ballard, Sharps (1874), or Remington RB.

BTW, My Pa has a Wesson civil war carbine resembling the one Bill pictured. It's a .44 Rimfire. We load it using reloadeable DGW cartridge brass and it's quite accurate out to 100 yds.

Regards,
Slim

I'm not trying to prrovide an exhaustive list, please research before purchasing any NCOWS firearm before use.

[Dr. Bob]

The list of approved and disapproved firearms can be found at NCOWS.org in the Bylaws.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Pancho (or anyone else in the know),  I went and looked at the Cody-Dixon page that you linked.  It stated that the Marlin 1895 would be an acceptable rifle.  Is this the modern style with the side eject, or is there an older model?

Bodie

Approved rifles from the NCOWS Tally Book:

Winchester Models 1860, 1866, 1873, 1886, and 1892 manufactured by Armi San Marco, Uberti, and others
Winchester '94s if they retain the physical characteristics and appearance of 1894 models manufactured prior to
1899, in approved cartridges.
Marlin '94 and '95s if they retain the same appearance as the originals prior to 1899, and as long as they are
chambered in approved calibers/cartridges and safe in operation.
Colt Lighting models by Tri-Star and the Taurus Thunderbolt and US Firearms Lightning clone and Beretta Gold
Rush Carbine
Spencer, all models
Sharps by Pedersoli, Armscor, and others
Remington Rolling Blocks
Winchester 1885 High and Low Wall
Ballard, all models
Springfield 1873 Trapdoor, all models
Remington Hepburn models
Marlin 1894CB in32H&R Magnum
Taylor & Companies "73" in 32H&R
Taylor & Companies "66" in 32H&R

[Dr. Bob]

The Marlin 1895 rifle that is approved was made from 1895 - 1917 and has an action that looks like the 1894 that is being reproduced.  It is NOT the current one with the round bolt.  If I am wrong, somebody please correct me.