Sort of Lever Gun question, but not exactly

[Doc Hudson]

It does have a lever to open the breech anyway.

Something just popped into my head this evening as I was taking Mattie for a walk.

Would it be possible to take an H&R Handi-Rifle barrel chambered in .500 S&W Magnum and rechamber it to something like .50-70 Government, .50-90 Sharps, or maybe .50-110 Winchester?

Would the bore size be proper for the old blackpowder cartridges, and would the rifling work well enough with cast bullets?

Considering that Mississippi allows single-shot cartridge rifles in the primitive weapons season, I thought that this would be a jim dandy rifle for our skinny Southern Whitetails.

What do y'all think?

[TedH]

I could be wrong, but I thought that the 500 S&W used a .500" bullet and the old black powder cartridges used a .510"-.512" bullet. The rifling should work fine as there were factory loadings with cast bullets from the start for the Smith.

[JustaJeepGuy]

Those cartridges sound like a lot for a little skinny whitetail.

[Blaine]

Doc, if they consider a BP 45-70 a primitive, NEF makes the Buffalo Classic already set up really nice for hunting the old fashioned way.

[mescalero1]

I keep tying to talk myself out of one of those.

[JustaJeepGuy]

My wallet does that for me...

[Don McDowell]

It should work fine for something like the 50-70. I don't think anything bigger would be a very pleasant experience in that lite weight handi rifle.

On the other hand , could you simply load the 500 with black,properly lubed bullets and go?

[Doc Hudson]

Doc, if they consider a BP 45-70 a primitive, NEF makes the Buffalo Classic already set up really nice for hunting the old fashioned way.

I know Blaine, and I have a real hankering for one of those Buffalo Classics, but i also have a hankering for a .50-caliber cartridge rifle.

BTW, those .45-70's are OK even with modern smokeless loads. I've been trying to get my neighbor to try some of my 510-grain bullets with FFg, but he's too lazy to clean behind the black stuff.

[nemhed]

Considering that Mississippi allows single-shot cartridge rifles in the primitive weapons season

Do they allow any cartridge from a single shot rifle, or just black powder cartridges?

[Doc Hudson]

Considering that Mississippi allows single-shot cartridge rifles in the primitive weapons season

Do they allow any cartridge from a single shot rifle, or just black powder cartridges?

As I understand things, rifles like .45-70 and .38-55 single-shots are legal where a single-shot .30-'06 would not be legal. I believe the cartridges must have been originally loaded with blackpowder when originally introduced, but may be used with smokeless loads.

What is even worse, you can use scopes or electronic sights on those Blackpowder Cartridge Rifles. Whether or not something like an original Winchester Model 1886 in .50-110 would be legal i do not know. I will try to find the most recent FW&P booklet and see if repeaters are permitted..

[AJMD429]

Get a .45-70 NEF "Buffalo Classic" . . .

. . . and put a laser sight on it.

Just to irritate people...!

[Cast Bullet Hunter]

From the Mississippi MDWFP web site:

PRIMITIVE WEAPONS
"Primitive firearms" for the purpose of hunting deer, are defined as single or double barreled muzzle-loading rifles of at least .38 caliber; single shot, breech loading, cartridge rifles (.35 caliber or larger) and replicas, reproductions or reintroductions of those type rifles; and single or double-barreled muzzle-loading, shotguns with single ball or slug. All muzzle-loading Primitive Firearms must use black powder or a black powder substitute with either percussion caps or #209 shotgun primers or flintlock ignition. Breech loading single shot rifles must have exposed hammers and use metallic cartridges. Cartridges may be loaded either with black powder or modern smokeless powder. Scopes of any magnification are allowed on primitive weapons.

Sounds pretty straight forward, says "single-shot". The 1886 Winchester isn't a single-shot by any stretch if the imagination. Cartridge guns loaded with smokeless powder and with scopes does sound odd to be classified as "Primitive" weapons, though.

[Doc Hudson]

. Cartridge guns loaded with smokeless powder and with scopes does sound odd to be classified as "Primitive" weapons, though.

So you understand why these regulations chap my butt.

[Rusty]

You can't use a Ruger #1 in .45-70 but you can use a Handi Rifle??? Strange.


FWIW there is video on youtube of a guy firing a Handi that's been rechambered to .45-120.

Watch it carefully though.

[Bruce Scott]

You can't use a Ruger #1 in .45-70 but you can use a Handi Rifle??? Strange.

Yeah.

And old timers of the likes of a Sharps-Borchardt and Martini-Henry are also disallowed.