Uberti Hi-Wall 45-70

[PJ Hardtack]

Got a shot at a very nice Uberti Hi-Wall Sporter in 45-70. 32" barrel, PG stock, crescent butt, tang and globe front sight.

Did some some surfing and it's said to have a 1x20" twist. I thought all makers had gone to faster twists.

I had a RB 45-70 with 1x22" twist and it didn't stabilize heavy bullets very well.

Comments .... ?

[Abilene]

Howdy PJ,
Don't have any experience shooting the big bores, but FWIW a local monthly long range match (400 yds) near here with a dozen +/- shooters is often won by a guy shooting a 45-70 Uberti.  I know he's been shooting smokeless, but don't know how heavy of a bullet.

[PJ Hardtack]

That's interesting. It's out to 500m and beyond where it's supposed to matter.

After posting my query, I realized that I had NO idea what twist I had in my Farmingdale Shiloh 'Business Rifle". I did it three times and it came out between 1 x 21"-22" as near as I can measure. I am surprised.

It groups well at 300m and shoots well on steel out to 385m. Haven't worked with it beyond that. Once I prove it at that distance, I may be looking into a rifle with a faster twist - if necessary.

Theoretically, a lighter bullet should shoot well from a 1 x 22" twist, but the question is how well it would carry out to 500m.
Lots of experimentation coming up. That's what shooting BPCR's is all about and why we do it.

[DTS]

If watching through a spotting scope there is a HUGE visual difference between the trajectories and flights of a 400gr. vs. 500gr. and 550gr. bullets. Really an interesting observation, actually.

At Helfely Creek rendezvous, back in about 2008, a fellow won the first Quigley match using an original TrapDoor Springfield rifle, with bumped up #457125's amount of BP, grade and make, unknown. This was an offhand match. The horizontal distance to the steel plate was around 680yards, 750 on the angle.

Buddy Len won the Quigley match last August, same shoot, but mulltiple ranges to 650yards, offhand and a couple cross stick shots (their cross sticks only),  Len was using a factory Navy Arms Rolling Block with Lyman#457125's and 65gr. 2F GOEX.  He shoots it too well. Taylor and I came in second and third using Taylor's .50/90.  There were mostly .45/70's, Sharps, rolling blocks with a few 38/55's and a .45 2.4" along with a .32/40 Highwall used.