Buffalo Bullet.

Hey, with the hunting season upon us, this is a good time to tell you about Buffalo Bullets. These are pre-lubricated maxi-bullets, and they are unlike any others on the market. Briefly, these are hollow-based on flat-based, sharp-shouldered cylindrical projectiles with their own double gas seals molded right into them. The bullets are cold formed in precision dies from pure lead, so there are no air voids, sprue marks or imperfections to mar their accuracy. Buffalo Bullets also feature a tapered base for easy thumb starting in your muzzle-loaderS, more bullet to barrel bearing surface, and hollow points for better expansion.

I've been playing around with a variety of these Buffalo Bullets for some time now and am guite impressed with their performance. They not only offer good accuracy, but display excellent penteration and expansion to boot!

During my testing with these unique bullets, I tried a variety of bullet weights and calibers in a selection of currently produced percussion muzzle-loaders. The bullets performed well in each of these rifles; however, because Buffalo Bullets are cylindrical projectiles, rather than round balls, better accuracy will result when they are used in rifles with medium to fast twist barrels. For example, when shot at 50 yards from a benchrested position in a CVA .50 caliber Hawken rifle, with a rifling twist of 1 turn in 66 inches--ideal for a patched round ball--my best three-shot cluster with 410-grain hollow-point, flat-base Buffalo Bullets measured 2-3/4 inches in the black. This same rifle, when benchrested at 50 yards with a patched round ball laod, is capable of producing an average of 2-inch groups--which is to be expected from a .50 caliber caplock rifle.

On the other hand, with the Thompson/Center .50 caliber Hawken rifle, which has a rate of twist of 1 turn in 48 inches--maxi-ball rifling--my groups were cut to 1-5/8 inches in the black (50 yards benchrested, using the same 410-grain Buffalo Bullets). All loads in this comparison were using moderate charges of FFg black powder.

Whe stoked with Buffalo's lighter 385-grain hollow-point, hollow-base bullet, the T/C .50 caliver Hawken produced an average of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2-inch groups, benched at 50 yards. This lighter bullet performed best with a moderate load of 60 grains of FFg black powder, and the bore was swabbed out every three shots.

Thompson's .45 caliber Cherokee rifle produced the finest groups of G&A's testing, with Buffalo Bullets' 325-grain hollow-point, flat-base maxis; but that is to be expected with a .45 caliber rifle, when compared to a .50 bore. Nonetheless, theT/C Cherokee scored its best trio of hits with a neat 1-inch group in the black! Again, this was done from a benchrest position at the 50-yard target. This lightweight muzzle-loader has a rifling rate of twist of 1 turn in 48 inches, which can handle both maxi and round ball loads without sacrificing accuracy.

In the evaluation, I also compared the penetrating qualities of a .50 califer round ball and the same bore sized Buffalo Bullet. Again, the Buffalo Bullet, with its greater mass, proved to be most effective projectile. Using a charge of 95 grains of FFg black powder in the CVA Hawken rifle, one round ball and a couple of Buffalo Bullets of varying weights were fired into a stack of telephone directories. the test was repeated with an 11-inch-thick block of Duxseal. The range was 50 yards. The first round ball penetrated 4 inches of the telephone directories and expanded to 12/16 inch in a slightly distorted mass. The round ball that had been shot into the Duxseal penetrated 3 inches and haf mushroomed perfectly to 13/16 inch, leaving a 2-1/4-inch entrance hole. The 385-grain hollow-point, hollow-base Buffalo Bullet that was fired into the phone directories burrowed 8 inches into the stack of books, expanding to 13/16 inch. It tore a wound channel 1-inch wide by 1-3/4 inches high. Although this bullet partially disintegrated, it is till remained in two large enough fragments to do plenty of damage to a game animal. The largest piece had mushroomed out to 13/16 inch. An 85-grain charge of FFg black powder was used to propel this bullet. With the same loading, another 385-grain HPHB Buffalo Bullet was shot into the block of Duxseal. This maxi-bullet traveled 4 inches into the Duxseal, leaving a gaping 3-inch entrance hole. When recovered, the bullet measured 15/16 inch across.

Moving up to the 410-grain HPFB Buffalo maxi, I reduced my powder charge to 75 grains to compensate for the additional weight of the bullet. From the 50-yard distance, this 410-grainer punched 4-3/4 inches into the phone books, breaking into two pieces--one large and one small--yet still tearing an oblong wound cavity about 1-1/4 inches wide by 2 inches high. The larger shard measured a full 3/4 inch by 1-3/8 inches in diameter. This heavier bullet penetrated 5-1/4 inches deep into the Duxseal, tearing a 2-inch wound channel. This bullet stayed together and expanded out to a full 1-1/8 inches!

I suspect that, because the telephone books offered more resistance than the Duxseal, which is similar in texture and density to wet potter's clay, the bullets hitting the tightly packed pages would be like hitting bone.

I haven't had the opportunity to try these bullets out in the game fields; but in a recent conversation with my amigo and fellow gunwriter, Rick Hacker, he revealed that he had taken a trophy-sized boar in Texas with a 435-grain, round-nose, hollow-base .54 caliber Buffalo Bullet at about 65 yards. Rick commented that he was quite impressed with the stopping power this maxi-bullet had, and he went on to say that a single shot put that pig down for keeps! Hacker also stated that the bullet penetrated and mushroomed beautifully!

If you shoot any of the faster twist muzzle-loaders in .45, .50 or .54 caliber, and you're looking for a bullet for the upcoming hunting season that offers both excellent penetration and expansion qualities, then Buffalo Bullets could be what you are after. They are reasonably priced for carefully produced hunting ammo, and prices range from around $5.10 to $6.75 per box of 20 rounds--depending on the caliber and grain weight you select. I am impressed with them and think these bullets will be around for a long time to come. With the proper combination of gun and load, these Buffalo Bullets offer powder and accuracy for the muzzle-loading hunter, and when you're out to put meal on the table or a trophy on the wall, that's certainly the name of the game!

For further information on these unique maxi-bullets, get in touch with the Buffalo Bullet Company, Dept. GA, 7352 Whittier Ave., Whittier, CA 90602.

ALLEN FIRE ARMS MOVES

Allen Fire Arms, importers of some of the finest replica percussion and metallic cartridge revolvers and longarms, have recently moved to a larger facility. Their new mailing address is: Allen Fire Arms, 2879 All Trades Rd., Dept. GA, Santa Fe, NM 87501, or you can call them at their new phone number, (505)#471-6090.

If you haven't seen or handled any of their firearms, send $4 for their full-color catalog of reproductions of such famous guns as the 1851 Colt Navy, 1858 Remington, 1873 Colt Peacemaker, Hawken muzzle-loading Plains rifle, 1866 and 1873 Winchester lever-action rifle and carbine, the Henry repeater, various Confederate revolvers, Colt's Pocket models, Dragoons and Walker revolvers, Remington's 1875 Model six-shooter, and others. Many of Allen's replicas are available in a choice of the old-time charcoal blue or modern blue/black finish. They also have an extensive line of stainless steel reproduction cap-and-ball revolvers. I've handled lots of guns from Allen and have been impressed with every one. Allen Fire Arms is a company well worth getting to know. Get in touch with them today.

OLD REMINGTON CATALOGS

The Rolling Block Press, who has published the excellent reprint versions of the old 19th century Remington Arms catalogs, has recently offered a trio of new and interesting reprints. Included in their latest lineup is the Catalog of Rim Fire and Central Fire Pistol, Riple and Military Cartridges, Manufactured by the United States Cartridge Co., 1881 edition. This 3-1/2x6-inch soft cover booklet contains 113 pages of the U.S. Cartridge Co.'s extensive line of metallic cartridges of the period. This is a great reference piece as each cartridge is shown in actual size, along with its poweder charge, bullet weight, original 1881 price per thousand, and the arms that each round will chamber in.

The information in this catalog is fascinating. Try this one on for size. The U.S. Cartridge Co.'s No. 44 Central Fire cartridge, with 40 grains of black powder and a 200-grain bullet, which will adapt to the Winchester Model 1873 or the Forehand & Wadsworth New Army revolver, would set you back a full $20 per thousand. Compare that with the $30-plus cost of a box of 50 .44-40s of today! Perhaps you prefer plinking with your favorite .22 Long rimfire. Well, get ready, 'cause a thousand of them will cost you a whopping $8, and if you shoot a lot, you can buy them by the 10,000-round case. Times sure have changed, huh? As you can see, the historical researcher can benefit greatly from reprints such as this and other old gun catalogs. This replica pamphlet retails for $8 postpaid.

Rolling Block Press also offers Remington Breech Loading Arms and Ammunition, 1875 edition. This 76-page, 5-1/2x7-1/2-inch softcover catalog lists the guns then sold by the historic firm along with a treatise on target shooting, cartridges, hunting, and a host of other interesting facts as seen from the 1870s shooter's eye. It too is filled with clear line art illustrations of firearms, and accessories, produced by Remington. It sells for $6 postpaid.

The third catalog in Rolling Block's latest publishings is the Illustrated Catalog of the "Remington" Breech-Loading Fire Arms and Ammunition, 1878 edition. Like its companion catalogs, this 100-page booklet is full of line art and interesting facts of the late 19th century's gun prices, and optional equipment, along with vintage comments on rifle shooting, and records of the International Rifle Matches at Creedmoor Range in New York. Also included for the old Creedmoor matches. Anyone interested in this era of firearms history will find this booklet invaluable. This softcover retails for $7 postpaid and measures 5-3/7x7-1/4 inches in size.

These reprint catalogs can be ordered directly from Rolling Block Press, Dept. GA, P.O. Box 9374, Brea, CA 92621, Attn: Jerry Landskron. If you have an interest in old Remington firearms and/or ammunition, don't let these books get by you. They are definite must to the serious collector!