45-75 wcf

sakodude

Anyone have any experience with this caliber and more specificly the 1876 Winchester replica produced by Chaparral Arm Co?
Ran across what looks like a pretty good deal on these. Had not ever really considered one before but for the price I may be swayed if no one has had any bad experiences. What say you all?
Link for those who may be interested http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=735440&CAT=4798

Sako

Big Al1

Looks like a nice rifle, but ammo/reloading may be challenging $$$$! But do-able. 45-70 balistics in a bottleneck case!

sakodude

Big Al1 wrote: »

Looks like a nice rifle, but ammo/reloading may be challenging $$$$! But do-able. 45-70 balistics in a bottleneck case!

My thoughts exactly. Got to be a freaking huge case to be necked down to 45cal:yikes:

Sako

sakodude

Wambli Ska wrote: »

I'm thinking that is a typo and the rifle is chambered in 45-70

If you check the Chaparral website http://www.chaparralarms.com/prodotti/w1876rifle.htm
45-70 is not even listed as an option. The research continues.

Sako

Teach

Cartridges of the World" listing:



Sorry about the tiny pic- - - -it looks better in my picture hosting site!
Jerry

tennmike

A quick look on the net appears to confirm that there are several places loading cartridges for it.
Here's some info on the cartridge if you're interested. Cartridge has an interesting history.

http://www.oldammo.com/january11.htm

sakodude

Cool info. Thanks Teach and Mike.
Buffalo arms lists both brass and loaded ammo as available as well as die sets so while costly, hand loading should be no issue.
Mostly I guess my concern is in reagrd to quality of the rifle itself. Don't know anything about Chaparral Arms, are they the actual manufacturer or are these re-branded Uberti's. I have handled enough Uberti products to feel comfortable witht thier quality but can't say I have ever touch anything from Chaparral.

Sako

Jayhawker

Sako...the info I'm finding is all over the place....some info says, they are re-branded Uberti's (and if such is the case I would have NO problems acquiring one) the other info quaotes an "Italian" firm but does not mention Uberti specifically....That being said, I have a Cimmaron Winchester Model 1885 and it is marked as a Uberti, Taylors used re-branded Uberti firearms...On the other hand, my Uberti Sharps is a Pedersolli....AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH...

That being said....a very sharp rifle and at that price, it might be worth taking a chance on...I might even do it....

Bigslug

There's an original '76 in the extended family that we have loaded for. It is a NEAT gun. You'll want to keep your loads to black powder pressures. It is basically just a scaled-up 1873, and is not remotely up to loading levels appropriate to guns designed in the 1880's and later.

The cartridge itself seems to be a scaled up version of the .44-40 concept. They had limitations of action length, so they puffed out the back of the case to take a bigger charge. It worked well enough to approximate the longer .45-70 Government's ballistics, but the gun was ultimately swept off the field by JMB's 1886, which WOULD take the government round quite nicely, thank you very much.

The Canadian Mounties bought a bunch of them and used them for quite a while. It's historically very cool because it was one of the first attempts at a repeater not chambered for some girly little pistol round.

sakodude

Just got off the phone with a guy from Buffalo Arms,( nice folks there BTW ) there is only one available, oil finish on wood with blued metal 22" bbl. says it is a very nice rifle but not "fancy" like some you see.
If I can get the bosses approval :whip2: I think I might jump on this one. Unless Jayhawker beats me to it. Knew I should not have posted that link:bang:
More to follow.................

Sako