It was a Winchester/Miroku Highwall with straight grip and lightweight octagon barrel. Just fired one shot -- gong at 220 yards with open sights. Load was 76 grains of Goex FFg under the Lyman Postell bullet. Accurate, but I would not want to shoot a whole match with that rifle.

Except for the light barrel part, that sounds like a nice rifle. I've recently ended up with an Uberti Highwall, straight grip, shotgun butt (thank goodness), 28" heavy round barrel, in 45-70 that has shown a definite preference for the 500 gr government bullet over 60 grs of Swiss 1-1/2Fg. The velocity is pretty low, but it's accurate as all get out and isn't quite as punishing as I thought it would be. 76 grs with the big Postell bullet sounds pretty stout; I'm sure one would have been plenty for me as well!

Except that is not a 45-90; you fired a Sharps 45-2.4.(clone)
The 45-90 was a Winchester thing with an express 300 grain bullet.
You know this however.

Steve, glad to hear you are getting satisfying accuracy from your Uberti High Wall. Uberti, like Pedersoli, can make a very good barrel.
Tom, you are historically correct, amigo.



Here is the entry for this cartridge from Frank Sellers's "Sharps Firearms":

.45 CALIBRE 2.4-INCH STRAIGHT
While this cartridge is commonly called the ".45-90" by today's collectors, the Sharps Company never loaded it with less than 100 grains of powder. It was used exclusively as a target load in the Model 1874, Model 1877 and Model 1878 Long-Range rifles. The cartridge was introduced on June 8, 1877. The common load in this was .45/100/500 paper patch.

No local matches, but I do enjoy range time with my Sharps 50/70. If I had been told that a 50cal could shoot like this one, I would have called them bonkers!



Likewise the 577 "Super Snider" which shoots a 620gn 58cal bullet ahead of 95gns of 2F black.

Left to right; 38/55, 40/65, 45/70, 50/70, 58/95 and 22 Hornet

Do you mind me asking what a “Super Snider” is? Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Bad Ass Wallace:
No local matches, but I do enjoy range time with my Sharps 50/70. If I had been told that a 50cal could shoot like this one, I would have called them bonkers!



Likewise the 577 "Super Snider" which shoots a 620gn 58cal bullet ahead of 95gns of 2F black.

Left to right; 38/55, 40/65, 45/70, 50/70, 58/95 and 22 Hornet

A normal Snider was built on a rifle known to have a "suicide breech. The Super is built on a Martini Henry action with a new Walther barrel. Much stronger allowing a full case of BP to be used.

Love your Super Snider concept, Bad Ass.

Cool!
Is the brass as strong as 577 Nitro?
Can you use shortened 577 brass?

quote:

Originally posted by boom stick:
Cool!
Is the brass as strong as 577 Nitro?
Can you use shortened 577 brass?

Am using reformed 24ga Magtec brass shotshells. The reamer was supplied by PT&G and is labeled as their 'drawn brass' version. The chamber is very tight requiring a special sizer die (CH4D) also labelled "Martini-Snider"

Some shells have been fired 8 times and still retain minimum expansion, in fact a fired shell will hold a new projectile firmly.

The project was to test the inherent accuracy of an old cartridge in a modern rifle; I believe we have achieved that!

You are a trailblazer. Awesome. I think there is a niche for a 577 NE shortly for smokeless powder in the length range of 2”-2.25” for game under 200 yards. 650 grains @ 2150 ish and 750@ 1900.

Gad. All I need is another rifle build project ...