Thread: Another Vintage project and what happens when .....

Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

45-110?
45/120?
450 BPE?

No I'm actually most likely to go with 45-60 because its easy, won't chamber any of my hot nitro 45-70 rounds, will get a lighter 458 bullet up to 1500 + fps easily, will be barely 7 pounds and very comfortable round in that weight and layout and 100m effective with open sights.

It would be a whole lot easier and more sensible to just go with 45-70 because that is always a good idea.
But as the hoard increases in size I want to avoid potential problems with the wrong cartridges getting in a light nitro or BP rifle.
So just easier to take a bit more time and effort and make this one a unique to me caliber, run it light nitro which is nice for a rifle you do intend hunting with a fair bit.

All those listed calibers are pretty cool
45-110?
45/120?
450 BPE?
But they really come into their own with bigger bullets.
If I want a bigger bullet I pick up a heavier 500 3" rifle that is already firing 450 and 500 grain bullets as fast as I can handle !

45 long Colt?
You should be able to get them steaming along without lotsa recoil.

that 44/70 idea that popped up recently.......

but yeah you already have .458 barrel so whats inbetween 45lc and 45/70 ???? pretty sure there is a modern handgun round or two.
of course the LOGICAL step as you say would be go 45/70 and as for how to avoid ammunition mixup...colour coded powder coating perhaps...a nice grass green for this one only???

45/120: Then you can shoot a host of other rounds in the same chamber. Plus it sounds cool so will have more value when you sell it to buy a nice Martini.

Dave that is a lovely old shotgun! When Heath dropped of off to me to hold onto intill Tony T picked it up we had a good look over it, couldn't believe the overall original condition of it and the bore was like a mirror, it clearly had a very sheltered life! Good luck with the new build.

You could leave it original... As something different to what you already have
The 40-90 tickles my fancy tho... Or the 33wcf...although modernize that and call it an 8.6BP

indeed a slip in insert that can be removed later....would be really interesting to load up a few rounds of 00buckshot and see what it patterns like without wad and do same with birdshot....would be much more fun for bunny outside the back door than boring old silenced .22lr even if the 22lr is unique in its own right. no need for load them hot at all..black powder ones would be ideal,you already got the cleanup sorted.

Neat project , lovely old gun

Originally Posted by Boxton

You could leave it original... As something different to what you already have
The 40-90 tickles my fancy tho... Or the 33wcf...although modernize that and call it an 8.6BP

I did the calculations on the weight of a 40 and 45 cal liner and the 45 won.
Because the weight being added is all forward of the breech face I want the biggest bore that fits safely into the 16 gauge barrel as is.
I don't want to make it any more front heavy than I absolutely need to
Because it has no butt plate I cant easily add weight to the butt to balance it up when the liner is in.
I could add a butt plate if I do need to hide some weight, but the existing checkered wood butt end is in mint condition and I would like to keep it as is if I can

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

indeed a slip in insert that can be removed later....would be really interesting to load up a few rounds of 00buckshot and see what it patterns like without wad and do same with birdshot....would be much more fun for bunny outside the back door than boring old silenced .22lr even if the 22lr is unique in its own right. no need for load them hot at all..black powder ones would be ideal,you already got the cleanup sorted.

I do have 5 rounds of 16 gauge 00 Buckshot and I will try them.
But no bunnies outside my back door here on Banks Peninsula, some hares I prefer to look at and a pet cock pheasant.
So a 16 gauge not much use.

But I am planning a 410 2 1/2" falling block garden gun for the quail that raid the vege garden if they find a way under the nets

I did do an interesting comparison of foot pounds of recoil with this shotgun

16 gauge 350 grain slugs at 1500 fps in a sub 5 pound gun
30 foot pounds

Lined and chambered 45-60 ( well my wildcat version ) 300 grain bullet 1400 for and weight now over 6 pounds
15 foot pounds recoil

Which explains why it was so unpleasant when i first fired it.
Should feel more like a 308 to fire when I'm finished

Formed 45-60 brass and dummy round used to cut chamber
Bottom is 45-70 with the same 300 grain JHP bullet

This project is complete and test fired
IMR 4198 300 grain JHP increasing loads all shot well
But even as pressure increased unburned powered stayed high.
So some work to do there

All two shot tests ( need to make more cases ) placed together
Some sight adjustments but really only interested in how close together the 2 shots are



Ghost ring Williams rear sight on reciever



Blade front with twink



It's really a vintage " Bush Pig" point and shoot straight at anything inside 100m
Sights are basic but easier to use than express sights

Recoil is nice for a 6 pound even rifle
Stock is perfect height comb for these sights

Happy to try it on Stewart Island next time I'm there
Lol