'58 Buffalo Revolver Range Report

[Dave Rosenthal]

Took the 1858 Remmington New Model Army Buffalo Revolver with 12" barrel & adjustable sights out to the Range today. Man can this thing shoot! Even though I haven't yet figured-out how to adjust the elevation just yet, I was able to set the windage and hit the 10-X ring! Scored a 92x100 at 25 yards the very first time out, after setting the windage. Not bad considering that the highest score that I've ever shot was a 95x100 with my Walker!

Used a 35 grain charge of 3Fg Goex, a pre-lubed ox-yoke wonder-wad and a .454 Hornady ball. This combo seemed to compress nicely by itself, leaving just enough room for comfort in the chambers so that the cylinder could rotate into battery.

Only other problem was that I may have caps that are too big. The #11's from both Remmington and CCI both wanted to fall-off the nipples. I'm thinking because it's a Pietta and not an Uberti, it might need #10's, or even those dreaded #10 3/4 caps from RWS in Germany! I didn't play with pinching them slightly to snug them up, but I might try this the next time out with this revolver!

Took the revolver out to 50 yards to see what it would do for the NRA Qualification Match at that distance. Shot a 69x100 at the end of the day with strong hand only. Not bad at all!

Once I get more used to just where the trigger breaks, or get the slightest bit of creep out of the trigger (after a thorough break-in), my score should go up another 5-10 points at least!

I'd recommend this revolver to anyone looking to do some serious target/novelty style shooting.

Recoil was very manageable with the 35 grain loading.

If anybody has any advice, I'm ALL EARS!

Keep 'em in the Black!

Dave

 

[Rebel]

I changed the nipples on my Pietta '58 to Uncle Mikes stainless steel nipples. #11 CCI caps fit on them perfectly. As for the elevation adjustment, are there 2 screws in the top of the rear sight leaf? If so you have to loosen the smaller one at the rear and then screw in the other one to raise, or screw it out to lower the POI, then tighten the small screw back down. Not the best set up but it works.My 8" barreled one does good with 40 grs of Pyrodex P, an overpowder felt wad and .454 rd ball.

 

[jdixon]

Took the revolver out to 50 yards to see what it would do for the NRA Qualification Match at that distance. Shot a 69x100 at the end of the day with strong hand only. Not bad at all!

69:100 @ 50 yrds strong hand only! - :bow:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

My rear sight has a total of three screws, with the front & back being average-sized and a tiny little set-screw in the middle that seemed not to do anything at all. I tried loosening the screw closest to the sight as well as the other screw too...couldn't get any noticeable movement out of either, so I just tightened everything down and adjusted point of aim to obtain proper point of impact, like I have to do with all of my Colts!

If I read what you're trying to tell me, I should loosen the screw closest to the sight, then tighten-down the set-screw, right? Or do I loosen the screw closest to the muzzle first to let the rear sight rise, and then tighten-down the set-screw? Sorry--I'm just a little bit FRIED tonight.

I'll take your advice on the nipples--as I don't have a thread gauge, I'll just ask for a part number and/or your supplier info.

Thanks again for all of your help!

Dave

 

[Rebel]

The threads on my '58's nipples are 6-.75mm. The sight loosen the big screw near the rear of the sight then turn the little tiny screw Little tiny screw in or out for elevation. Then retighten the bigger screw. The front screw is just to hold the sight on. The Uncle mikes order # for the nipples is #2865-0

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Thanks Rod,

I'll give it (the sight) a try tomorrow when I clean the gun. Shot at least 1/3 box of balls and the cylinder still turns freely! That will sure come in handy when I have to shoot 52 balls in a single Qualification Match!

The thread on the nipples may be the same size as the one for my Lyman trade rifle...I have a spare in my Range Kit, so I think tomorrow I will check it out for sure.

Thanks again!

Dave

 

[Rebel]

They may be the same thread pitch but they may not be the same length. They do shoot well though huh? :grin: Ohh and i don't know why, but they sure had that Little screw in tight on mine. You need a good fitting screw driver to turn it without buggering the slot up on it.

 

[jeepwj992002]

I have pretty much done everything Rod said to do with my '58 target. The caps stay on much better now. I ran a cylinder trough it this afternoon. Man that gun is a beast! I love it. Now I just got to sight it in. Maybe next weekend. Gotta hit the woods in the morning. :thumbsup:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

good going Smokin :thumbsup:

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Thanks, J.R.!

I need a combined score of 150 to make the Expert Classification with the NRA Qualification Match that our local Club participates in. You shoot 13 balls at a 25 yard target, throwing-out the worst 3. Then you shoot 13 balls at a 50 yard target, and throw-out the worst 3. That leaves you with 20 holes in the paper for score.

So far I've been able to shoot a 148x200 with my Walker, just 2 points from the Expert Classification. The Buffalo weighs about 2 pounds less than the Walker, so that should help the shaking arm syndrome at the end of the day at the 50 yard targets.

The Wife got me the revolver for Christmas :thumbsup: . I really LOVE my Wife!

 

[Runner]

Just for S&G's try 25 grains of 2f compressed under a 250 grain REAL.
The long barreled pistols give the hand/arm a work out! The Daisy 747 makes for a good in the house practice gun to build the muscles up. Stick on wheel weights will allow you to use it just like lifting weights as you get stronger. The best thing is that it shoots to the same hole at 10 meters, every shot, all day long. I don't practice the single hand stuff much anymore, since I hunt with the pistols. I practice two handed and use a side rest at the wrist when I can. The Crosman revolver lets you practice with a closer grip design. It isn't as accurate, but it is accurate enough to teach your mistakes. Some folks like to practice with a swinging hammer pistol that handles pretty much the same as the gun they are practicing for. Mine is pretty accurate, but having to buy CO2 is annoying.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I've begun thinking about the REAL slugs since I read Blizzard's post about the hog shoot. Don't have a set of calipers, so don't know the bore diameter, BUT it shaves just a smidge from a .454 Hornady ball. Do the REALS come in various diameters and is there more than one brand? My regular source doesn't carry them, and being LEAD, I don't want to have to send them back!

If 25 grains will fit into the '58 chambers, I bet I can squeeze at least 35 or 40 into the Walker with the REAL slug...at over 4 pounds, the Walker could handle it! .44 Mag owner since '79, so I'll get a "kick" out of it too!

Dave

 

[Runner]

The base band is one size and the next one bigger. In my dragoon they sat in the hole deep enough to be rotated to the rammer. The two forward bands both cut in the dragoon. Each one is bigger yet with a sloped back that is supposed to center each band as it is pushed into place. You can use big powder in the dragoon or the walker, but sooner or later you will bind it up with a ball or a bullet bounced forward by recoil. 40 under a 250 is a great load in the big heavy guns, and that is not a compressed load. That way you don't get the bullet creep under recoil. An afternoon, some lead, a bag of charcoal, and a 20$ mold puts you in business.
A Dragoon loaded with a 50 grain compressed load under a 250 REAL gives up very little to modern revolvers on anything except reloading!

 

[Blizzard of '93]

last I shot my ROA I tryed some 200 gr. REAL slugs w/great results. the 250's I haven't tryed yet, don't have that mold, but I have shot many of the Lee mold conicals at 220 with great results.
In my '58 Buffalo I haven't tryed the 200 gr. REAL slugs yet but have shot many of the Lee conicals at 200 grs. with great results over a max charge of powder using a O.J. carton 'disc' over powder. I greased the slugs by dipping them into a hot mixture of synthetic toilet ring wax and boot grease(mink oil), 50-50 mix. it sets up a little messy so I'm planning on experimenting further with a grease to fill the lube grooves. hopefully something that is faster to acheive the desired results. shooting the 200 gr. REAL slugs is next on the list.
I have used both revolvers to take feral/wild hog using the Lee conicals. both times I had a hunting buddy w/me that carried a 20 ga. caplock loaded w/00 buck.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I'm using a mixture of wonderlube and beeswax...seems to really stick nice to the rings of the conicals that .410er sold me in July! Not too messy and easy to re-melt in a used pot...just stand the conicals pointed up and let the lube harden around them. Then I use a spent .50 cal BMG shell as a cookie-cutter to cut them out of the lube...could do the same thing with a .44 mag shell too for the Lee's!

Dave

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I've never tryed lubing the
slugs in that manner but I'm near certain it would require a 45-70 or so case, something sized for a .454 slug. or maybe even larger.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

:redface: Yeah, you're right about the case diameter! I should have said something like an expanded .45-70 or possibly a .458 Magnum with the primer pocket drilled-out so you can poke a small dowl through to get the lubed bullet out of the case.

The .50 BMG case with the dowl does a great job!

Happy New Year!

Dave

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Liked it soooo much the first time, I had to try it again!

Shot a 78x100 at 50 yards strong hand only. I'm getting used to the sight picture and the trigger break! Right now it hits about 2" low at 50 yards, so I cover most of the bull with the sights. Since the novelty shoots are all at 25 yards, I'll shoot dead-on target for maximum effect!

Nice revolver...cylinder still didn't stiffen-up at all! The #10 caps I bought work great!

Dave

 

[Blizzard of '93]

ah my man you've got the fever BAD! I love my '58 Buffalo, it's my fav. gun to shoot. I'm working on a loading stand to speed things up a bit. bought a spare cylinder to take hunting if needed but so far one-shot, one kill!

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

The loading stands that my Son & I use are custom-built by Lance Brunner, the BP League Chairman at Old Bridge Rifle & Pistol Club. He makes them to order, and has sent some to Dixon Muzzle Loading Shop in Kempton, PA for consignment sale. He makes them so that they are usable for everything from the '58 Buffalo to a single-shot Patriot to a Sherif's Model revolver with short barrel. It fits the shorty with a second hinged lower barrel retainer that folds-up out of the way via a screw-eye & hook arrangement. I bought one of the two that we have and won the second one at the annual blanket shoot in December '06!

Due to a rain-out, the Blanket Shoot had to be postponed until THIS Sunday. Highest score Pistol & Rifle combined gets first pick! There may be one on the Blanket...If I get first pick do you want me to get it for you?

In the meantime, you can get his phone number as well as read about the League by going to our Club's web site at: [url] www.obrpc.org[/url] . Click on the newsletter in the upper-left of the home page. His Wife Anna is the Gunsighter Newsletter Editor. I write several pieces a year, including one called "Fuzzy Sights" that's in the December issue.

Yeah, I GOT THE FEVER!

Dave