Uberti 1876 in 50-95

[tark]

Just bought a Uberti 1876 in 50-95 caliber. I decided to post here instead of "Rifles" because I am going to shoot BP in it. I don't see much ballistic improvement in the mild smokeless loads it can handle and black is a lot more fun. I think the best propellant for the old BP cartridges is the one they were born with. I know these actions are weak, compared to just about any other rifle action.....just another reason to stick with BP.

Damn, that thing is a monster ! A very beautiful monster. Can't imagine it has much recoil at eleven + pounds loaded! I will order up some ammo in the coming days. At 2/12 to 3 dollars a shot I won't be shooting it much, that's for sure ! Sorry the pics aren't a little better but the lighting in the store wasn't too good.

But my question is this, do any of you have any experience with these guns? I know I should have asked this BEFORE I bought it, but it is used, looks absolutely brand new and another person was after it. If it were an original it would grade out at 99+

I got there first with the money. I got it for a eleven hundred bucks even and I understand they go for over $1500 retail. I think that was a good price.

One specific question; if any of you guys have any handloading experience with this caliber, any info or tips would be appreciated.

 

[Missionary]

Greetings
Bought a Chapparal brand repro 50-95 6 years ago and shoot it every time north. Mine is in the 4xxx range and happily was made well past the Horror assembles they were turning out. As you said it is a hoot to fire.

First if you want to duplicate the old Winchester Express load you will need to use 3F. Winchester used 3F in that load to get the 1500 fps with a 285 grainer. Your rifle will easily take the load.
Remember the rifle system has a max overall length of 2.25" Whichever bullet you choose to load be sure it is soft lead (I use 40-1). My rifle shoots .510 diameter best. Yours should be close but you may need to try + or - diameters.

Hold a bullet next to the case and measure out the OAL of 2.25" and mark the case. That lets you know how much space that pill will take up. Load as much 3f into the case about .10 of an inch past the line as you can using a drop tube or tapping the rim on the table to "settle" the powder as much as possible. That is your powder amount to shoot. New cases are solid head design and do not hold as much as the old balloon head design. I generally place a "cereal box" wad of .510 diameter on top of the powder.

Then load the bullet as you would any bullet. The bullet should be lubed with a BP lube. I use a mix of 45% olive oil (vasaline is OK) to 55% beeswax.
I chose to load a 350 grainer in mine. 83 grains of 3f. Runs at 1462 FPS. Smacks a 100 and 200 yard gong with far more authority than a 285 grainer. Was more accurate out of my rifle also. I shoot off cross sticks also. That steel curved buttplate can be tamed by using a padded leather cuff shaped for the curve. In a "T" shirt my bony little 147 pounds does not do well with steel plates.

Well that is the simple story... Just another BP rifle... but now you have one powerful repeater to slay anything your hearts desire can be.
Mike in Peru

 

[tark]

Thank you so much, Mike !! I've dug up some info on the round, and I was shocked at some of the smokless loads. They were all listed as being safe for the repro 76s . Some of them developed more muzzle energy than an 06. One got 3000 ft. lbs at a claimed 25,000 PSI. The writer (It was in Guns and Ammo) said the action was OK to 29,000 PSI. That sounds high to me.

I'll stick to black.

John

 

[Dog Soldier]

I have been shooting Sharps B/P cartridges for a very long time. The original rounds were paper patched. They did not use lubes. There are modern lube such as SPG. SPG is used by most serious B/P target shooters and hunters. Learn to reload for that beauty.

http://www.blackpowderspg.com/

 

[Missionary]

Greetings John
You will do well to do so and your rifle will last all our lifetimes.
3F will burn clean and expand the brass nicely sealing the chamber. I find no blowback into the mechanism. No smudges on the brass bodies.
When you do start shooting carry a gallon jug of water with a dash of Dawn dish soap. 2/3 of the jug with water and about 10 drops of dawn. Dropped the fired brass in the jug after firing unless you are going to reload at the range.

The Winchester 50-95 Express round was not paper patched. This is a lever action not a single shot. Paper patched rounds tend not to hold together well moving through a loading gate, then a mag tube and finally a mechanical ram into a cylinder. But you can try if you desire. Exposed paper and "mechanical loading" can be detrimental to accuracy.

SPG is a good lube. At $3.50 + a stick I reserve it for use in my Rollers and Ballard. But for ringing a gong off cross sticks the 45-55 olive oil & beeswax used gets the job done right nicely in my 1876 repro. The load listed in the rifle will shoot 2.5 inches at 100 yds. Some groups have come close to 2 inches.
Mike in Peru

 

[Missionary]

Howdy John
Just saw the photos ... good looking rifle. That long barrel will get your attention if you ever decide to haul it through the bushes. But for sitting on a high spot waiting on a corn cruncher to pass through it is hard to beat. Wait till the first time you rack that lever and a lifter gets to the bottom permitting the next round to smack into place. Out in the woods it sounds like an old pickup hood getting slammed. We have an original in 45-60 we refer to as "ol clank, rattle and slam".
Mike in Peru

 

[eastbank]

the top rifle is my 1876 in 45-60 made in 1883, i started shooting it with black powder, but found that imr 4198 and a soft cast 300gr bullet shoots best. i have killed deer with the four rifles shown and other older lever actions i have.

 

[Missionary]

Greetings Eastbank
That is a fine looking 1876. Well the whole group would make any shooter's heart thump !

 

[tark]

Thanks for the link, Dog Soldier. I used to shoot some Black powder cartridge matches years ago and I learned some tricks from Mike Venturino , who I met a couple times at the Shot Show. My 45-70 loads would shoot 1-1/2 " at a hundred. I used FFG with a lyman 500 gr cast, unsized, with SPG lube. Cereal box wad under the bullet, and Magnum primers. I've never loaded for a 50 cal cartridge. I'm told the uberti needs a .510 bullet, but we will see. Ought to be fun. Buying the gun pretty much emptied the coffers so it will be a while before I get everything ready.

 

[forward observer]

I bought one of the Chaparrals on close-out from a place in Texas which must have purchased the remaining inventory after this brand stopped being imported. These were all manufactured well past the point when every other rifle was having issues. This was maybe 4 years ago, and I've never had an issue with mine. The company who had them mainly dealt in surplus stuff, and they had these in maybe 3 models including the full stocked carbine model similar to one that the Canadian mounted police purchased from Winchester back in the day.

At only $600 brand new in the box, I took a chance that I wouldn't have any issues and that turned out to be the case.

I opted for the 45-60 standard rifle since one can easily make the the brass from 45-70 cases with a case trimmer. I got a set of Lee dies and so have avoided the problem of having to find and buy very expensive factory loads.

I don't get to the range much these days, so I have probably only shot about 75 to 100 rounds through it, but it performed well when I did my part.
It also drew attention at the range since not a lot of people are even familiar with the 1876. I always take one of my 1873's with me, so I can show them the difference in size or scale.

Cheers

 

[Missionary]

Greetings FO
Got mine the same way... CDNN had them on close out. First got the 50-95 then later that "Montie" model carbine in 45-60.
The 45-60 is a fine cartridge if you are willing to use 350 grainers or less and keep the range under 100 yards. It was noted as a good woods rifle for bears and any lesser critter. Have shot 400 grainers but they take up a lot of powder space. And if I need a bigger thumper in a lever rifle there is a 50 Alaskan that easily handles 525 grain slugs. But for a fun caliber to shoot all day or go woods hunting that 45-60 "Montie" is a right handy carbine.

 

[dh1633pm]

That's one sweet lever gun. Congratulations!

 

[tark]

Picked it up today. Hope these pics come through.

 

[tark]

Couldn't be happier with the thing. I think I would have bought it even if I knew I could never shoot it, it's THAT pretty.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

With that crescent shaped butt plate be sure you know how to mount the rifle to your shoulder correctly. If you mount the rifle to the fleshy part of your shoulder, recoil will drive those sharp points into your flesh and hurt like the dickens, even with all that weight. Crescent shaped butt plates should be mounted a little bit farther out on the shoulder, so the points encircle the shoulder joint. That way the points will keep the rifle from slipping up or down will not dig into your flesh. Mounting a rifle this way offhand may require a slight change in your normal stance, bringing the rifle more across your chest and not standing straight on to the target.

 

[tark]

Thanks Driftwood. I have heard there is a proper way to mount a crescent buttplate to your shoulder but I wasn't sure what it was. Now I know. Thanks again.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Thanks Driftwood. I have heard there is a proper way to mount a crescent buttplate to your shoulder but I wasn't sure what it was. Now I know.

I learned this the hard way, many years ago. I used to have a nice 30-30 Winchester Model 94. It had originally been of a rifle configuration, with a crescent shaped butt plate. Somebody had cut the barrel down to 20 inches, and cut the magazine down to half length. I found it on sale at a yard sale. I was only about 18 years old at the time and knew next to nothing about firearms but I thought the rifle looked very cool. The first time I took it out into the woods to shoot it I loaded it up with about 4 or 5 rounds of commercial 30-30 ammo and mounted it just like any other rifle, against the meat of my shoulder. I touched off a round and the pain was amazing. That light rifle recoiled like the dickens and those sharp corners dug into my chest like knives. Not knowing any better I fired another round. After emptying the magazine I had had enough punishment and went home. It was not until many years later I learned the proper way to mount a rifle with a crescent butt plate, and own quite a few of them now. Which I still had that old 30-30.

 

[CraigC]

No experience but have been wanting one ever since they announced the .50-95 version.

 

[tark]

Ammo is on the way. Was disappointed to see the Buffalo Arms black powder ammo is discontinued. Getting three boxes of 350 GR. loads from cheaper than dirt, loaded with smokeless. Bummer. At least I will have cases for loading with the proper propellant.

 

[tark]

Got ammo today. Jamison 350 gr. lead. Loaded with smokless.

 

[tark]

OOps , hit wrong button, before uploading the pic. Along with the ammo I was blessed with an abscessed tooth which kinda put the dampener on a range session. I did fire off a couple of rounds. Very light recoil, but I suppose that is to be expected with an 11# rifle. I see that Buffalo Arms has replaced the "discontinued" below the 50-95 picture with "ample supply". Will order that soon.

 

[Don McDowell]

I would suggest you get some Olde Eynsford 1 .5 f. Figure out the seating depth of the bullet, then fill the case to that point with powder, weigh that charge and set your powder measure. Then take the case primed with a remington 9 1/2 primer ( regular not magnum) Slow pour the powder charge thru your powder funnel, them a .060 fiber wad into the case mouth and compress the wad into the powder to the depth the bullet will seat without deforming the bullet nose. Don't use anymore crimp than necessary.
Bullshops NASA lube is a great lube for bpcr shooting. Cast your bullets from 20-1, or 16-1.
You can also order cases from Jamison direct.

 

[David Greene]

I envy you sir. Uberti makes fine reproductions. The .50-90 is truly a fine rifle that can pack a wallop from both ends. While the toggle link is a weak system by design, modern metallurgy and strict production quality from Uberti gives you a little wiggle room than you may think. Stay with Black Powder or Substitutes. Stay within specifications, keep it under 23,000 CUP, and you will enjoy years of fun. I wish you the very best....enjoy!

 

[tark]

Thank you for the kind comments, David. I look forward to a range session as soon as I take care of this abscessed tooth. I am right handed and the tooth is on my lower right........ not much fun shooting right now!! Ill be ordering some of Buffalo Arm's 300 Gr BP ammo soon. Will be really curious to see how the two propellants stack up against one another. I'm betting the black will be more accurate...

Don, I shot BPCR for years with my home made rolling block copy in 45-70. Just a local club with more or less impromptu matches. I won my share of them. My pet trick was using a funnel to feed the drop tube. I would dump the powder all at once into the funnel, which fed the drop tube at an even, consistent rate, which dribbled powder into the case......which was sitting on a vibrating plate. I used an electric shaver taped to the plate to provide the vibes. The powder was settled and packed into the case so well I was getting a full 70 grains into a Winchester case, using Swiss FFG. SPG lube. One cereal box wad over powder, with light compression. I had better luck with magnum primers.

Thanks again to everyone. I have been away from the BP scene for several years. Good to get back to real guns using real gunpowder again.

 

[Don McDowell]

Swiss will foul to hard to shoot a magazine full with accuracy and no leading by the end. Olde E will stay soft enough to keep the gun running the same as it would of in the old days.