I want a lever action rifle...

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Last Post 07 December 2012

Standard Member

biddulph posted this 04 December 2012

Hi all,

I've got a real hankering for a lever action big bore rifle.

I've been salivating over the files on the Wild West web site in Anchorage and think that the break down 16” barrel .50 Alaskan is the bee's Knees...

In reality, any rifle of .458” would be just fine.

What I really liked about the Wild West conversion was the 16” barrel and the ability to unscrew the barrel easily, and the way it could be stored in a small bag!

Anyway, how do i get my fix? What do I do??

cheers'

James

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14 Comments

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72coupe posted this 04 December 2012

Considering your address, wouldn't that be difficult to import?

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CB posted this 04 December 2012

Hi James. Here in the US the craze is the Marlin Model 1895 in 45-70. I don't have one, but those shooters that do have nothing but praise for the rifle. It shoots lead well, also.

Don't know what you can get there down-under in US arms, but you better git on it right away. There is UN discussions going to stop all international sales and shipment of small arms:X...........Dan

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Standard Member

biddulph posted this 04 December 2012

Hi guys,

Importation to Australia is not problem, just got to get the police permit from here and give it to someone with an export licence and away they go. Applications to the State Dept. get dealt with fairly smoothly.

I have an order with Buds now that I'll add the lever action to.

any one got any idea of moulds in 50 cal?

Cheers James

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Standard Member

onondaga posted this 04 December 2012

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=2607>biddulph: Consider this one, it is a seriously better thumper than a wimpy .50 Alaskan. I shoot the 500 S&W in a single shot NEF with cast 340 grain plain based bullets and it kills. LINK to Lever .500 S&W:

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Available for order here: http://www.bighornarmory.com/products/carbine_specs.php>http://www.bighornarmory.com/products/carbinespecs.php

The 500 S&W has higher potential than a 45-70 and bullets are available to 600 grains.

Gary

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onondaga posted this 04 December 2012

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=2607>biddulph:

My favorite 50 cal bullet is the RCBS 50-340-SWC:

For deer I use the Lee R.E.A.L. 250 grain 50 cal Muzzle loading bullet cast in #2 alloy, sized .502” and Tumble lubed.

Gary

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Standard Member

biddulph posted this 04 December 2012

Hi Garry,

there is nothing like the sight of crisp, clean well filled out bullets to wake a man up in the morning!

I'm in he hospital in Adelaide getting a metal plate pulled out of the pelvis and your photos really cheered me up!

I'll check out the 500 S&W

Cheers

James

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Standard Member

72coupe posted this 04 December 2012

biddulph wrote: I'm in he hospital in Adelaide getting a metal plate pulled out of the pelvis and your photos really cheered me up!

Is that what everyone does in Australia for fun?

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CBA Member

Ed Harris posted this 04 December 2012

Hope you got the metal plate doing something fun like falling off a horse while drunk or chasing women while on a motorcycle, and not in some boring way lkke jumping out of a perfectly good airplane while carrying a rifle.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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CBA Member

JimmyDee posted this 05 December 2012

.500 S&W? I had no idea. I first thought, “It must be a handgun cartridge."

Its on-the-paper performance exceeds the 45-70 with chamber pressures up to 60,000 PSI.

Handgun? Maybe so. Ouchers!

A bit more reading brought me to these (mildly edited) excerpts:

Cylinder bore is given as .500.
A barrel with a bore of .4880 and a groove of .4983 is recommended.
While the bore diameter is consistent with other firearms which fire a .500 bullet, the groove diameter is an oddity.
ost firearms which fire a .500 have a groove diameter equal to the bullet.
egular cast lead bullets should not be fired in the revolver as excessive leading will lead to excessive pressures.

Now, #5 is unsettling. Is it specific to revolvers? Is it nonsense? I can't imagine cast loads approaching metal jacket load pressures with “normal” powders. I can't imagine lead doing anything useful at those pressures. And I can't imagine so much lead building-up that it would obstruct the barrel. Am I missing something?

Gary, did you slug your bore? Are you sizing to groove diameter?

(These are just curiosity questions; I can't see myself buying one of these. 45 Colt and 45-70 are enough for me.)

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Standard Member

Michael K posted this 05 December 2012

Hi James,

I have been yearning for an 1895 Marlin for quite a while, but other things keep cutting in line. Having known a fair number of shooters from Oz over the years component availability has been a common discussion point. Anyone would be hard pressed to do better than the Marlin. It is affordable, brass, bullets, and moulds are readily available. It can be loaded very mild that you can quitely snipe the neighbors moggy with, up to beyond what many would consider comfortable. In the event you decided to part with it, finding a new home for it would not be difficult. Another option one might want to consider looking into are the Win/Browning 1886 repoductions or even the Uberti 1876 Win repos. A buddy of mine has one in .50-95 WCF, just way to cool and Bertran makes brass, that's good for you.

All the best and a speedy recovery.

Michael.

P.S. So tell me, with you being laid up in hospital, is your wife out wife shopping or making the grand tour of all the vineyards.

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onondaga posted this 05 December 2012

http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=968>JimmyDee:

I slugged my bore and size +.002” over the G to G diameter. This is .502” for my bullets. My loads go nowhere near MAXIMUM and are targeted to be a bear load and a deer load with manageable recoil and 1000 foot pounds at the maximum range I expect to shoot game. I tried a hundred copper plated 335 gr. Rainier bullets and some saboted loads with cast bullets that approached MAX pressures. Their accuracy was ho-hum near MAX and the recoil was abusive even with the 2+ pound weight that is still in my butt stock.

The Bear load I shoot is manageable in recoil with the stock weight. The deer load is milder with the light bullet. I can get equal accuracy with higher velocity; it is the recoil line that stopped the powder measure. I have gone to 2450 fps with saboted 200 gr bullets but they grouped 3+ inches at 100 yards. I demand better accuracy than that.

Either of the 2 loads I use group 1 inch at 50 yards consistently for my grandson or my self. I have never had even the slightest leading. I use 45:45:10 Recluse tumble lube on all bullets, but my fit is more important. My bore is highly polished with the method I have posted on this forum in the “accuracy” topic.

The .500 S&W has only a very slight edge on the 45-70 ballistically. I have fired a .500 S&W pistol 5 times with factory level loads. The owner just had to try some of my really speedy sabot loads and let me try his rig. I could hang on to the revolver but it was not “fun” and I would not want one. He had the pistol set-up with a scope and neck sling copying my style of hunting pistol that I had recommended to him. He held a 3 inch group at 50 yards with my speedy sabot loads, but he does better with his pet load. I didn't do as well with his handgun !!!! But, it didn't fly out of my hands and crack my skull.

Gary