Bullets - Shells - Ammo - Reloading

[MountainDon]

In a similar vein does anyone have any experience shooting 454 Casull's (or hi performance 45 Colt's in a rifle?

I guess what I'm asking is has anyone first arm experience in comparing the 454 Casull in a rifle, with the 45-70, using something like a Buffalo Bore 300 to 350 gr.+P load as the comparator.

... and the second part, any first hand experience with Puma as far as quality?

[John_C]

Until your post I'd never heard of Puma 

It would make a nice companion gun to your revolver.  The only problem I see is that many of the replica guns are built on the '92 and earlier actions and eject straight up.  It makes mounting any kind of scope a nuisance.  I'd probably put a Lyman peep sight on it.  My eyes don't work so well with normal iron sights anymore.

[MountainDon]

My eyes don't work so well with normal iron sights anymore.

Mine too!

With a long eye relief scope it would be possible to have an optical sight though.

[John_C]

I've never cared much for that type of mount either functionally or esthetically.  Have you ever used one?

[apaknad]

i had a .450 marlin guide gun and plan to get another one soon. they can kick a little. my buddy shot his 8 times and sold it. i shot mine 22 times the same day/range w/him and pulled a rib muscle. i still love it though. 6'2" and about 210 lbs. back then(wish i was now ).

[MountainDon]

6'2" and about 210 lbs. back then(wish i was now ).

What? 6'2"?     

  Have you ever used one?

I've used a Burris handgun scope on the 45-70, BUT it is a pricey addition as I can't see through the cheapies. The Lyman peep is probably a better budgetary choice.       [sigh]

[MountainDon]

I've answered my own question sort of... from what I've found online the Puma rifles seem to be strongly made and shoot well. The wood is Brazillian something or other and not up to Marlin walnut standards. But the gun works.

As for the 454 several owners found on line love them. 

[Whitlock]

Has anyone here ever build a flintlock?

[MountainDon]

I've seen flintlock kits spmeplace     but don't know anyone with one.

[John_C]

Kits & finished rifles

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/compchart/comp-chart.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/index/index-body.jsp.6_A&_DAV=false&chartName=trd_blk_pwdr_rfl&backLink=/cabelas/en/templates/index/index-display.jsp%3Fid%3Dcat20815%26navAction%3Djump%26navCount%3D1%26cmCat%3DMainCatcat20712%26parentType%3Dcategory%26parentId%3Dcat20712&backTitle=Rifles&hasJS=true

[peternap]

Has anyone here ever build a flintlock?

Built a bunch of them Whitlock...but never used a kit.

A lot of who I recommend depends on what style. (Lancaster, mountain, etc)

Jim Chambers of Chambers lock fame puts out the best kits I've seen. I know Jim and he's put in a ton of research and since Wallace Gussler who started the Colonial Williamsburg gunsmith shop, put in a lot of information, they're good.

They are not cheap but to be honest, a cheap flintlock isn't worth having.

Here's Jims site.
http://www.flintlocks.com/rifles.htm

If you are interested in having a rifle built from scratch, I know a number of builders personally that I can send you to. I do need to know the style though because they are all "One style builders".

I've posted this picture before. It's the last rifle I feel I'm capable of building from scratch. It's finished now and I guess I'd better get a picture.

[NM_Shooter]

Stopped by walmart today to look for a Christmas present (aren't I the romantic devil) and cruised by sporting goods to see what they had in stock at the gun counter. 

Walmart was sold out of .45acp and .44 mag ammo.  I asked the clerk what .44 ammo was going for, and he said that it was $36!!!!

Wow.  I can load up jacketed HP ammo for about $0.20 a round.  Less for target ammo.  What  ripoff.

[glenn kangiser]

I ordered .380 auto ammo- 100 rounds of them today from Sportsman's Guide.  I had to try about 4 brands to get them as the others were sold out.

[peternap]

Walmart was sold out of .45acp and .44 mag ammo.  I asked the clerk what .44 ammo was going for, and he said that it was $36!!!!

Wow.  I can load up jacketed HP ammo for about $0.20 a round.  Less for target ammo.  What  ripoff.

Yep....Handloading and bullet casting are cost savers again. There for a while, cheap ammunition was chasing reloading away because there wasn't a whole lot of savings.

[Whitlock]

Thatnks for the info Peter, My dad built a few flint's from scrach in his time wish I would of payed more attention
Jim chambers has some nice rifles[cool] Looked at his site before and was thinking about buying one of his guns. Might try a kit for the frist one. this way I can get the feel for it.


Thanks,W

[Mike 870]

While we are (or were) on lever guns, I was just given a Winchester Model 94 in .32 WS.  I'm pretty excited about it. I ordered 200 rds of hornady leverevolution through the mail at about $1 a round, ouch.  I get to shoot it this weekend for the first time.  I can't wait.

[peternap]

Don't leave them in the gun for any length of time Mike. The plastic points tend to flatten out and accuracy goes to.......,

[MountainDon]

That's good to know Peter. Thanks.

The Winchester 32 Special in a 94 was the first center fire rifle I ever fired. I think I was 14 or so.

Mike, and anyone else, if you're interested in finding out when that 94 was manufactured have a look at the link below. In the case of the 94 this page is only good to 1982, other models may vary. There's also a Marlin, Remington and a couple others that can be searched.

http://armscollectors.com/sn/windates.htm

[Mike 870]

peter, thanks for the advice, I won't leave em in there.

Don, Mine was made in 1926.  I will have to read the picture tutorial and figure out how to add a picture.

[glenn kangiser]

Put the picture in Photobucket - free account, then after it is saved copy the bottom IMG file line - and paste it into your message.  It is now easiest to click on the photobucket picture to show it then copy the line - they made another way to do it - - off the thumbnail -- copy the bottom line with control/c -then paste here.

[glenn kangiser]

Proper shooting technique?  Peter, is this one of your training videos? hmm

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=27635401

[apaknad]

holy mackerel, did he use some sort of trigger firing device to do that?

[peternap]

holy mackerel, did he use some sort of trigger firing device to do that?

It's pretty easy, just let the recoil fire it.
I never understood why people wasted Ammunition like that though.

Proper shooting technique?  Peter, is this one of your training videos? hmm


Now wait a minute...I may be a few pounds heavier than I was 20 years ago, but I can still see nmy knees

[glenn kangiser]

[Mike 870]

Webshots seems to work.