I started with full factory sights, but seemed to have difficulty grouping. Thinking it was me I kept trying everything I could to hold it steady. No luck! I then tried the sights, thinking they were loose. Still no groups.
Next I thought I'd replace the sights and went on the net looking for the best setup. I came across some very knowledgeable people with experience with the Buffalo Classic. Trapdoor style sights were recommended. The barrel had to be drilled and tapped to accept the new sight. The sight was a Pedersoli Trap Door style sight, with windage adjustment. Everything seemed ready to roll, until I noticed the sight was very sloppy in the elevated position. This I noticed BEFORE FIRING A SINGLE SHOT WITH THE NEW SIGHTS.
Now I was getting very bummed out, I emailed the online shop I got it from. They were very willing to refund my money, and they did.
Back to square one.
My next move was to have a tang style Soule sight mounted. In order to do this I sent it off to Lee Shaver in Mo.
He installed a false tang in the stock, near the receiver and mounted what appears to be a fantastic sight, and then shipped it back home to me. I say appears because, when the receiver was off to Lee I decided to push a lead slug down the barrel to slug it and find out exactly what size bullets I should be using. I made a very disturbing discovery!!!
| My bore
is at it's tightest just past the chamber. In theory the bullets will be squeezed to
the bore diameter near the chamber and rattle their way down the rest of the barrel.
This would really explain the poor groups. I hope to go out this weekend and try out
some loads with the new sight and hope beyond hope it is cured. I do not believe it is. Well the sight made no difference whatsoever. Still shot patterns and not groups. I placed a call to NEF and they seemed very upset, since the Buffalo Classic barrel is their best barrel (their words, not mine). Will update
About February of 2003, I sent the rifle back to NEF after a call explaining it was on the way and why. About 8 weeks and several calls later it arrived WITH a new barrel installed. Yahoo!!!!
Now to the reload bench. I spent most of my time loading my first boxes with black powder and substitutes. I had a few smokeless loads in there as well. What I found was disappointing. Black powder is a whole world of it's own and is going to require a LOT more time to learn than smokeless.
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The BP loads were still patterning and I was beginning to second guess my decision to get the new barrel. Then I shot a few of the smokeless loads I had brought along. I only had time for about 10 rounds before scurrying off to ready myself for work. The groups looked very promising, and I decided to concentrate on smokeless for the next trip.
I loaded several types of smokeless with different bullet weights. Some time and ammo was spent getting the tang sight on the money and it was starting to look promising.
Once the sight was set, I let go for some groups. My first load was using the Remington 300 grain jacketed hollow point (JHP) in front of a load of IMR 4895 powder. I'll purposely omit powder charges here for safety's sake. By the way, my set-up range is always 50 yards, whether it is for sighting in a scope of iron sights. I have wasted too much ammo to start out farther. The first group was 3 shots, two cut each other in half and the third about 3/4" inch away. Not great but promising.
Pictured above is typical 2 shot 50yd group
The next loads were using the same powder but pushing the Speer 400 grain jacketed soft point (JSP). All three bullet holes are nearly touching! Wow!