SHOOTING BUFFALO RIFLES OF THE OLD WEST

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................... 11

2) What Constitutes a Buffalo Rifle?................................................ 18

3) Understanding Buffalo Rifle Cartridges........................................ 22

PART I: THE RIFLES

4) Trapdoor Springfields ................................................................ 27

5) Sharps....................................................................................... 34

6) Remingtons............................................................................... 48

7) Ballards..................................................................................... 56

8) Winchester Single Shot............................................................... 60

9) The Rifle Reproductions.............................................................. 63

PART II: BASIC RELOADING FOR BUFFALO RIFLES

10) Introduction to Buffalo Cartridge Reloading............................... 70

11) Basic Reloading for Buffalo Rifles.............................................. 77

12) A Paper Patch Bullet Demonstration........................................ 100

Author’s Note....................................................................... 114

13) .40-70 Bottleneck (2 1/4”)..................................................... 116

14) .40-70 Straight (2 1/2”)......................................................... 120

15) .40-90 Bottleneck (2 5/8”)..................................................... 125

16) .44-77 (2 1/4”)..................................................................... 128

17) .44-90 (2 5/8”)..................................................................... 137

18) .45-70 Government (2 1/10”)................................................ 141

19) .45-90 (2 4/10”)................................................................... 148

20) .45-100 (2 6/10”).................................................................. 152

21) .45-110 (2 7/8”)................................................................... 155

22) .50-70 Government (1 3/4”).................................................. 160

23) .50-90 (2 1/2”)..................................................................... 164

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SHOOTING BUFFALO RIFLES of the OLD WEST

9

PART III

24) Modern Competitions for Buffalo Rifles................................... 168

25) Reloading Match-Grade Ammunition...................................... 179

PART IV: MISCELLANEOUS

26) Sights.................................................................................... 202

27) “The Buffalo Hunters”............................................................ 213

28) “The Legend of Billy Dixon”.................................................... 223

29) Modern Hunting with Buffalo Rifles......................................... 236

30) Modern Bison Hunting........................................................... 246

31) The Buffalo Rifle in Combat.................................................... 257

32) Cleaning Chores.................................................................... 265

33) Favorites............................................................................... 271