L Ross
Well-Known Member
If it is not accurate enough to hunt with I had to ask myself who hunts prairie dogs with a H7R Buffalo Classic? It sure'nell is accurate enough to hunt deer with.Well I have shot 5 groups from 1200-1900 FPS Lyman 457-193 and 457-124 with no great results, sized .458, using IMR 4198 powder. accuracy is 2.5 inch is the best, averages around 3” at 100 not horrible, but not what I was hoping for. I was hoping to average 2 inches, that may be impossible with this rifle, but one can hope. I have some 457-122 HP that Ive got loaded to try if that doesn’t work out I was going to try a different powder, if that didn’t work I was going to go to a larger bullet size. It’s an HR Buffalo classic. Past the powder change and then sizing to .460? That’s the last ditch effort. If that doesn’t do I will have to reside to the fact it’s a 3 minute gun and will be fun to shooot many years at steel plates at 100-200 yards. 8 inch plates at 200 are still fun. It’s not accurate enough for me to hunt with which is fine I have another that is.
Just trying to squeeze the most out of it I can and leave no stone unturned so to speak.
I have a buddy who often laments to me that this or that old Winchester or Trapdoor Springfield, or Remington 141 just aint accurate enough to take in the field for deer. I'll ask him how far he wants to shoot a deer? I get a growl as a response and he'll say, "Well 200 yards if I need to." And I'll ask when's the last time you shot a deer at 200 and he'll say, "Well never, but I want to be able to." I'll ask something stupid like, "How many deer have you had to reach out to 100 yards for?" And he'll reply, "A couple." I will then point out that if the worst of his vintage rifles will hold a 3" group from a rest at 100 yards that means that his worst shot will hit 1 1/2" from where he is aiming. If we add another 2" to his group size for field expedient positions and make it a 5" grouper, then the bullet will alway land within 2 1/2" for the worst shot and since groups aren't composed of rings of the worst shots, most will hit closer to the point of aim than that. I point out that a worst case scenario hit 2 1/2" from the point of aim directed to the kill zone on even a small deer is going to result in a dead deer 100% of the time. Is there a price to pay if we decide not to hunt with a scope sighted bolt gun with a 3x9 scope capable of sub MOA groups, yes there is. However in the real world of hunting that I have done the vast majority of shots at big game come at under 100 yards.
One last thought Stihl, have you tried a 400 to 500 grain bullet cast of 1/20 or softer pushed by a compressed case full of decent 2fg black powder? If you really want to have some fun with that Buffalo Classic, try loading it like a classic rifle used to kill buffalo, just an idea.