Slufoot Stainless Super Smoker .45

This has been a dream of mine to have a 1:20 twist .45 caliber Huntsman. I bought a stainless 24" .45-70 barrel some where around a year ago with the intention of putting a breech plug in it. Well, it got put on the back burner until last fall when I seen a couple posts about the Slufoot conversion that uses a Savage breech plug. That got the wheels turning, but I didn't know at that time if he was doing them for just anyone. I later read about the one he done for his father, which led me to others that were having them done. In early March I finally got ahold of Slufoot, and he agreed to do it if I got the Savage breech plug. At first I was just going to get the plug installed and the crown lapped, but then decided to get the complete conversion. I supplied the thimble and the Universal Power Rod, which Slufoot customized to a collapsable ram rod. I sent it out on April 19th, and got it back on May 2nd. Pretty quick turn around.

I am a sucker for brown laminate stocks on a stainless steel tip-up, and H&R/NEF never made a Huntsman with them. The wood looks so much better than the pics show. I topped it off with a Leupold Ultimate Slam in Warne rings. Now I have the exact rifle I have been waiting several years for.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I should be able to quit typing now. Slufoot did an awesome job, and I think you will agree.















And since the turkeys didn't want to talk today, I even got to squeak in a quick range session this evening. This was more of a function check of what might work to weed out some things, but it looks like I have something to work with in each of these bullets. Probably the best FIRST range session I ever had? That is until that dark rain cloud went over. Kinda put a damper on things. Can't wait to really wring her out!

That's a darn nice gun Busta. Fine groups too, with some good bullets. What was the range? I really like the old style simple break opens like the Huntsman. Probably a nostalgia thing, but I do like them and that stock really tops it off.

Very Nice. I have an Ultra Varmint Hunter and Ultra Slug Hunter Deluxe with very similar laminated stocks. Looks like a great shooter.

That is one beautiful rifle. And without question a great shooting rifle. That's a rifle to remember.

If you wish, i will pm my address, so you can mail that rifle to me.

Very nice Busta, Are you going to hunt with it this fall?

SABOTLESS!!!!!!!!!!

I bet that beauty will shoot sabotless really well with BH209 and a good sizing die such as the Swinglock. Swinglock got a resized 350gr 458 to shoot at 2000fps with 85grW of BH209 AND produced some really nice groups too.

The 1-20 should handle a 350gr with ease at that fps and still only makes about 27k psi according to them. He used a full form die though that also makes the grooves from a section of the barrel used to make the die.

That combo in a carbine would put most 50cals to shame in knock down.

BTW i love the stock. That is a really sweet looking muzzle loader with tons of potential.

very sweet...
I love the brown laminate/stainless look tone reason I got a X7.

Are you a lefty Busta !!
Can't wait to see how she shoots.
Steve

Semisane said:

That's a darn nice gun Busta. Fine groups too, with some good bullets. What was the range? I really like the old style simple break opens like the Huntsman. Probably a nostalgia thing, but I do like them and that stock really tops it off.

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Thanks, I know the gun shoots much better that the nut behind the butt. Almost every group had two very close, some touching, then the weak link through one out. That is on my 100 yard range, out behind the barn.

flounder said:

Very nice Busta, Are you going to hunt with it this fall?

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Thanks, that is the plan.

sbuff said:

very sweet...
I love the brown laminate/stainless look tone reason I got a X7.

Are you a lefty Busta !!
Can't wait to see how she shoots.
Steve

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Sorry, Steve, not a lefty. Just trying to write with an ink pen on a low posted vertical target. I left my sharpie in the house or I would have done better. I figured by walking down and back, it would let the barrel cool down a little and I would get some exercse. Not that I need it. :lol:

Thanks for the comments guys, I figured you might like to see it. What some see as warts, I see as beauty spots! :wink:

To bad they don't make a FPB in .45 ....But those XTP's shot really nice...

Nothing like a good ole one of a kind custom made ML.

Steve

Very nice.

Wow, that's a sweet muzzy Busta... I've kinda had a Handi problem for quite some time now,,, I only have two right now, so I've done a good job keeping it in check.

Nice Rifle, Busta! I like Handi's(have 5), and muzzleloaders. You look to have best of both worlds.

Thanks guy's, I have 1 or 10 of them Handi's as well. It's funny to think, I never gave these little rifles a second look until I bought my son that J.A.K.E.S. gun at a NWTF Banquet back in 1996. Then I guess I got bit by the Handi Bug? Just a little bit! :wink:

1996 20 ga NWTF J.A.K.E.S. Topper Jr (sons) (the one that started it all)
1999 .410 Pardner (daughters)
2002 .223 Ultra Varmint (my first, then I don't know what happened) :lol:
2003 .50 cal SS NEF Huntsman 24"
2003 20 ga Ultra Slug Hunter LE
20 ga Tracker II (barrel)
2003 .17 HMR Sportster
2004 .50 cal SS NEF Sidekick 24"
2008 .50 cal SS H&R Sidekick 26"
2011 .45 cal SS Slufoot Custom Huntsman 24"

This is the one that started it all.

I wish they offered the Buffalo Classic 45/70 in a 45cal ML.

GM54-120 said:

I wish they offered the Buffalo Classic 45/70 in a 45cal ML.

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Slufoot said he hadn't done a BC barrel yet, but he would. You could be the first! :lol: I think I was the first stainless barrel.

I always thought a BC conversion might make an interesting conical shooter for mostly target use. It kind of reminds me of the target rifles from the 1850s.

It sure isn't as functional as yours and not nearly as application flexible. Slufoots work is sure hard to beat if you want a fast twist 45 and the barrel strength leaves you with tons of options.

I would love to see how it shoots a 325gr FTX sabotless that has been sized with a heavy dose of BH209. Over 2000fps is quite possible with a full form sizing die without exceeding Westerns load data.

Im not sure i would want to pull the trigger though without adding a few lbs to it.

Busta said:

Thanks guy's, I have 1 or 10 of them Handi's as well. It's funny to think, I never gave these little rifles a second look until I bought my son that J.A.K.E.S. gun at a NWTF Banquet back in 1996. Then I guess I got bit by the Handi Bug? Just a little bit! :wink:

1996 20 ga NWTF J.A.K.E.S. Topper Jr (sons) (the one that started it all)
1999 .410 Pardner (daughters)
2002 .223 Ultra Varmint (my first, then I don't know what happened) :lol:
2003 .50 cal SS NEF Huntsman 24"
2003 20 ga Ultra Slug Hunter LE
20 ga Tracker II (barrel)
2003 .17 HMR Sportster
2004 .50 cal SS NEF Sidekick 24"
2008 .50 cal SS H&R Sidekick 26"
2011 .45 cal SS Slufoot Custom Huntsman 24"

This is the one that started it all.

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I have that same gun. It's my varmint shooter.