finished my SMR

[Buff1958]

i finished my .45 SMR yesterday and coned the barrel this morning. I also coned my .54 and .62.
This afternoon i shot them all. 3 shots from the .54 and 3 from the .62 proved I didn’t hurt them coning.
I was so happy when I shot the SMR. I had never shot a .45 and after shooting the other 2 with 120 grains of FF the .45 with 70 grains of FFF was like shooting a .22.
I was thrilled that my first 3 shots out of the rifle were 4” low, perfect left and right and you could cover all three with a quarter.

I will tinker with it the]is week and hope to hunt a hog with it this weekend.

You fellows that have experience hunting with a .45, is 70 grains enough to hunt with or should i see how it groups with 90?

 

[Gtrubicon]

It looks beautiful, I’d like to see pics of the rest of the gun. Two of my 45’s are most accurate at 65g 3f schuetzen. I went no higher than 75. Accuracy was not there. 65g kills at appropriate distance.

 

[TDM]

Congratulations! Looks very nice from what I can see. I don’t hunt with my .45, for target and woods walk shooting I use 45 gr of 3F.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

90 grains is too much for the 45 in a SMR. I might be wrong but I'd ask ole' Jim Kibler himself. My straight walled 45 SMR in 45 when I took the class to build it was told with the thin long wrist to not go over 75 grains. 65-70 is about just right for deer.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Where did u get the peep sight? I like it

 

[olskool]

this SC buck thought 55gr. at 85yds was plenty! no complaints from him at all. the key is location, location, location. hit them right and they will die right, you don't they won't, no matter how much powder you use,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Mgbruch]

grains in a .54 and a .62. 70 grains in a .45. Waay too much powder!

 

[No Answers]

Doesn't it feel great to finish your build? Look real nice! I know my plain stock functions well but viewing the figure on your stock makes me consider making a new stock for my rifle.

When I worked up a load for my 50 caliber percussion cap underhammer I tried loads in 5 grain increments. The best groups were with 70 of FFF, which to me is a scary hot load, but works the best for me. I've thought of reducing the load but don't want to sacrifice the accuracy. If 45 or 50 grains of FF did the job well I'd use it.

I heard of a competition where all shooters were given the same measure of powder to use as they wished. A woman with a 32 cal loaded up with 20 grains per shot and scored way more points than anyone else.

 

[smokeum54]

Nice looking rifle. I wouldn't call 70gr to much, but plenty for a 45. I've only shot a few deer with a 45 and 60gr, all between 50 and 75 yds. It worked well.

I let my uncle use the same gun (a old jukar), to take his first ML deer. He scoffed at the site of the 45 ball. Couple hours later he took a big midwest doe at 50 yds, she stumbled 10 steps and dropped.

Shot placement is key, and with the group you stated with 70, id just stick with it.

 

[Buff1958]

thanks fellows…..

 

[IanH]

70 grains of 3F is bumping over 2000 fps in mine depending on powder brand. The super-slow twist of the GM SMRs wants more powder and speed for best accuracy, more than you'd normally use in a .45 with patched round ball. I'd like to use 45-50 grains but 65-70 groups better and hits harder.

 

[deerstalkert]

first 5 shots from the cherry stocked .45 i just finished.
40g fffg swiss. .010 spit patch.
50 yards from my bench.
the two outlayers were shots 1 and 2. got the proper sight picture and the next 3 clovered.
if the accuracy is there, placement of ball at those speeds will take home the venison.
i have killed deer with a 32-20 which is a poor relative of the .45 bp propelled ball.

 

[M. De Land]

It looks beautiful, I’d like to see pics of the rest of the gun. Two of my 45’s are most accurate at 65g 3f schuetzen. I went no higher than 75. Accuracy was not there. 65g kills at appropriate distance.

Ditto on my .45 cal SMR load in a GM hand lapped barrel. Big enough bore for deer and still flat shooting and low recoil for match work.
Both my match percussion underhammer gun and SMR wear the same .45 cal GM barrels.

 

[M. De Land]

i finished my .45 SMR yesterday and coned the barrel this morning. I also coned my .54 and .62.
This afternoon i shot them all. 3 shots from the .54 and 3 from the .62 proved I didn’t hurt them coning.
I was so happy when I shot the SMR. I had never shot a .45 and after shooting the other 2 with 120 grains of FF the .45 with 70 grains of FFF was like shooting a .22.
I was thrilled that my first 3 shots out of the rifle were 4” low, perfect left and right and you could cover all three with a quarter.

I will tinker with it the]is week and hope to hunt a hog with it this weekend.

You fellows that have experience hunting with a .45, is 70 grains enough to hunt with or should i see how it groups with 90?View attachment 296591

I have a friend that coned his .50 cal and said it was as accurate as ever. What I wonder about is if it will continue over time and use.
I don't think coning is used for dedicated match rifles as a rule and have to wonder why.

 

[mikesto44]

Shot several deer with a 45 BP gun. It' shot placement that counts. Not an excessive amount of powder.
Never had an animal I shot complain about how much powder I used....lol. Dead is dead..

 

[Siringo]

i finished my .45 SMR yesterday and coned the barrel this morning. I also coned my .54 and .62.
This afternoon i shot them all. 3 shots from the .54 and 3 from the .62 proved I didn’t hurt them coning.
I was so happy when I shot the SMR. I had never shot a .45 and after shooting the other 2 with 120 grains of FF the .45 with 70 grains of FFF was like shooting a .22.
I was thrilled that my first 3 shots out of the rifle were 4” low, perfect left and right and you could cover all three with a quarter.

I will tinker with it the]is week and hope to hunt a hog with it this weekend.

You fellows that have experience hunting with a .45, is 70 grains enough to hunt with or should i see how it groups with 90?View attachment 296591

70 grains or 2F or 55 grains of 3f will push the ball at 1800 fps. These are standard loads all over the internet. I use 55 grains of 3f swiss in my 45.

 

[ohiochuck]

Is the peep sight made by Tom A Hawk?
Looks nice
Jim

 

[longcruise]

I don't think coning is used for dedicated match rifles as a rule and have to wonder why.

OTOH, would their use of a false muzzle be providing the same service?

 

[M. De Land]

OTOH, would their use of a false muzzle be providing the same service?

Not really as false muzzle guns are generally shooting paper patched slugs not round patched balls as coned muzzled guns are. False muzzles are necessary for top accuracy and the coned muzzle is for convince .

 

[longcruise]

I have never coned a barrel although I've considered it. While the convenience is attractive, I'm not averse to the use of a short starter. I do go to great lengths to polish and shape the muzzles on all my ml guns.