Ordered the H&R Buffalo Classic today. After I get it, and a date set up to work with my gunsmith (he's going to "teach me" stuff" I'm ordering the 45-120 reamer and go/no-go's, along with a recoil reducer,(or maybe some lead in the stock), a good recoil pad (not sure which), and a Williams target sight.

Eventually I'll be getting another stock set that is heavier, but that's down the road.

I'll either use Jeffeoso's loads from ammoguide or work up from 45-120 smokeless loads that are capped at <30K pressures until my shoulder hurts enough.

If you are going to re-chamber a 45-70 Govt. to 45-120 Sharps they have the same case rim thickness and same headspace. If you do not plan on cutting a complete chamber in an
un-chambered blank at some point, then you could order your reamer with a non-cutting surface on the rim. In other words it will cut the chamber walls and throat but will not cut the rim area deeper. The part that would normaly cut the rim deeper acts as a stop to prevent you from cutting too deep and going into excessive headspace. You will not need headspace guages provided your factory barrel is properly headspaced. Dave at PTG told me he grinds these reamers.

Thanks for the info, never thought about the headspace being the same.

Do you have a link for this reamer online? I can't find it.

Tyler,
I TOLD you the headspace was the same.

Rocky is my 45-120 nitro making buddy
jeffe

It is www.pacifictoolandgauge.com Pacific Tool and Gauge their phone number is 541-826-5808 call and ask for Dave Kiff. He may be busy but leave your name and number and he will call you back.He had one in stock a couple of months ago when I talked to him
Rocky

Here she is:





Hopefully it's like that ugly girl who looks good with lots of makeup! Sorry the pics suck, they're off my cell phone, dad's out on a business trip.

It's got a recoil reducer in the stock, and a big 1 3/8" Kick-Eez pad. I'm glad I chose brown instead of black. Eventually the stock and fore-end will be changed to something heavier and better looking, although I think it looks better than I expected.

Very cool, Tyler!!

Looks like it will be quite a thumper. Congratulations. Who are you going to get a new stock set from?

Tyler,

Way cool. I think you may have planted a seed for another project.

Great job Tyler! Those magnum Kick Eeze pads can look really thick on a rifle but on yours it matches up perfectly with it's overall length.

Adrian!

It's <9 lbs...gonna be a real thumper for sure. The pad is real thick which is exactly what I wanted. Thought the brown looked rather nice, makes my wood look better than it actually is.

My stock set will be from http://www.gunstocksinc.com/ in a high grade walnut. Better sights to come, although not a tang sight. I think with the intense recoil it will hit my nose quit hard. I have a turkey neck or something, as my thumb hits my nose a lot with normal calibers. A bigger front sight would look better in my opinion. Once it is "really" finished it will be 12-13 lbs I hope, and shoot very well at longer ranges. Wishful thinking, I know...

It'll be a thumper for sure, congrats, looks good.

Tyler, lookin good!! Here's a GSI stock set on Stuffit's BC.

I wonder if I can use that with a peep sight. If not I'll just sand 'er down.

You can order it any way you want, just talk to Ed when you order it. That would be a lot of sanding I think.

Tim

Yeah that's a monster cheekpiece. I would like more than the factory stock, less than that beast.

You don't need a special reamer for a45-70 to 45-120 conversion. Just put some dye chem on the rim recess in the barrel and turn till you can close the action on a dummy round, without " kissing" the dye chem. Your headspace will not change.-Rob

That's exactly what we did today.

Hey, maybe you could post some load results for this beast......after the chiropractor's visit? Wondering how much more I can get from a 45-120 as opposed to my 45-100.

I don't have immediate access to a chrono, but hopefully I can find one to use.

Tyler,
remember, FILLER for the loads...

and hold on tight!

Nice project!
Now you can add "We band of 45-120ers" to your signature (after the asprin kicks in).

Jeffeosso, what is the capacity of your fired brass?

Using 113 grains capacity, your top 405 grain load on ammoguide almost fills the case, is filler still needed if there's just a tiny gap between powder and bullet? If so, is a piece of cotton ball fine? It's what I use for light 45-70 loads. Should be about top pressure for a the H&R action.

How is the recoil? Just got the recoil reducer in, it's just about 9 lbs, I'm slightly nervous about touching this thing off. I'm going to reduce loads a bit to get used the big recoil.

Tyler...
Congrats!
P.S. Are you going to start the "We band of 45-120ers"???
You are still in good standing with the 45-70ers

Am I honorary president?! Of course, I would be proud!

Tyler
How much do you weigh?
The lighter you are the more the rifle will move you. The heavier you are the thump you will absorb.

Jim

About 125 lbs...:O

Is there a point that moving with the recoil becomes flying?

Tyler.... Just do your push ups and get help with your shooting technique. U will be fine but please get some video of it. And get others your age interested in shooting

LOL I have 100 lbs on you and some here much more

Tyler,

We need video of you shooting it while wearing roller blades!!!



(Just kidding, don't try it because we need more intelligent young folks like you, but if you could lend it to those guys that make the "Jackass" movies...)

Whatever you do don't use a snowmobile helmet

congratulations!! Are you going smokeless, or black powder to start?

Rich
DRSS
knowlege not shared is knowledge lost...

I'm sure you will like your 45/120. I built mine on a Ruger No.1 with a 28" octaganal barrel and with smokeless loads it exceeds 458Lott loads. Not sure what twist in the H&R but mine is 1:14 and will stabilise cast loads up to 600gns.

Tyler
I took my H&R Buffalo Hunter to the range today and chronographed it. I used 84.5gr IMR 4350, Fed 215, primer, Norma brass and Rem 405gr fp bullets Velocites ran from 2074fps to 2091fps.
Accuracy was 5 shots under 2" at 100 yards.This is the same load that I use in my Pedersoli double and it shots about the same Dave

I've shot the 45-120 nitro loads in
6.25# handirifle
5.5# TC encore
11# enfield!

the recoil is brisk, with top loads in light rifles

Ok, so I can go right up to the top loads you listed on ammoguide in the H&R, jeffeosso?

Now, down to business! The 45-120 was SHOT today!
Bad news, it now has a couple small dings in the barrel. I'll explain. First shot was with the rifle on the lead sled with 25lbs of sand on the lead sled frame. A medium load with 405 grain bullets. Tied a string to it, hid behind the basement door to make sure the gun wouldn't kill me. Pull the string, BOOOOM, the rifle scoots the lead sled back about a foot, then flips the lead sled on top of it! WTF I exclaim, but with the real words. Luckily, only a couple small spots with no bluing left on the barrel, and a small, small ding in the stock.

Now, down to the real business, it was also shot off the shoulder by me a fair amount. As it turns out, the sights are totally spot on. I never missed a soda can at 25 yards with the rifle, and it penetrates quite well even with Remington 405 grainers meant for 1200-1300 fps. I'm expecting 2400+ fps with the 405 grain bullet. I will not lie, I have never dealt with anything that recoils like this before. However it doesn't "hurt" like any other hard kicking gun I've shot before. The Kick-Eez pad does work. Bad news, after a couple of shots I got a headache...but I can deal with it, because big-bores are just too much fun! And as promised...drumroll please....a video! And yes, I hit my target, a one liter tea bottle, and yes my voice is low, but the camera made it seem about 3 octaves lover, and yes the recoil really did about make me fly, I'm just too light I guess.

Tada!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKdAY30tWxg

If anyone can help me with my shooting stance it would be great.

And yes, that is a slight mohawk. I call it the "Secret Mohawk", as do others that were at basketball camp that night.

Great job!!!

LOL... you are a little skinny guy, just like my baby son.. and his pop gun is an 8.25# 458winmag!!

let the gun raise to the right a bit more

good job
jeffe

Do you mean on recoil? It does pull to the right, you can't really tell in the video. I think that's the rifling pulling the gun right?