Ok,so I bought this H&R single shot from a guy at my club this morning.

Single shot 45/70 break open.
On the top of barrel  "Buffalo Classic"
On the side of the barrel "Model 1871 cal 45/70 Govt"
On the rieciever

"Harrington&Richardson Manufactured in Gardner Ma USA Ser No. HX 272XXX"

Round 32" barrel
Case hardened rieciever
Walnut checkered stock and foregrip
curved metal butt plate (with vicious sharp edges)
Globe type front sight
Williams adjustable peep on top of the rieciever
older holes where ladder sight (?) was mounted just behind trigger in wood buttstock.

Would this have been the original H&R that went out of buisness in Jan 1986 or a product of the new company (H&R 1871 llc formed in 1991)?

I have found some lists with date codes for H&R but all are single letters , not the" HX" that is on my rifle.

I have found some discussions about loads with some folks claiming Marlin lever gun loads and Ruger #1 loads would be fine in this,I can't hardly believe that and I will likely only shoot my Trapdoor loads but I still wonder.

I have original and repro Trapdoors and a nice Marlin 1895 so its not like I needed another 45/70 but I do believe this gun could be fun!

That rifle sounds like a "Buffalo Classic".

I owned one for years and shamefully sold it too a friend because I did not need (3) 45-70's.

It is a bit nose heavy because of the barrel weight vs the stock weight.

I took the stock plate off, (Brass, it should be) and rolled in either 8 or 10 (1- Ounce) salmon fishing weights for a couple of reasons.

1. It made the balance point of the rifle right in front of the action.

2. It reduced the whack it had on recoil.

I shot most all of the modern rounds through it, including the Buffalo Bore rounds.

It did favor the 405 Gr rounds for some reason but the 300 grain Fusion rounds and the Lever Revolution 325 Grain round performed quite well also.

Good accuracy out to at least 200 yards.

You may want to consider putting a tang sight on it if your going to shoot it at longer ranges.

Over the years I took a couple of deer with it at around 100 yards.

I used a pair of crossed shooting sticks with it simply because of the long barrel and the weight.

A great rifle in my opinion-

(Hope this helps)

Nice gun; I've had 3 Handi-rifles in .45-70, and there is no way in hell I would fire Ruger No. 1 loads in it.

The Buffalo Classic was introduced in 1995 by the "new" H&R 1871 Co., and was still catalogued in 2018.
The "HX" serial number prefix indicates manufacture by H&R (the "H"; those made by NEF have an "N" prefix) in 2007 (the "X").

I would not go so far as to feed it Ruger #1 level loads, but it will happily digest Marlin 1895 level loads. Your shoulder will hate you for it, however. If you are considering Marlin level loads (and even if not), one of the mercury recoil reducers will help, but it's still not pleasant for a long range session. I had one of the Handi Rifles (not the Buffalo), and found it "thumpy" but still fun with Trapdoor level loads. With Marlin level loads, 3 rounds was all the fun I wanted.

Thanks PB

Glad to get the born on date.

About what I expected on the loads.

I once took a shot with a Ruger #1 with a load similar to Marlin lever gun type and even if it was proven that my gun could handle the Ruger loads (can't believe it could) I would never go that hot.

This gun is kind of plain and simple but it strikes me as a honest fun gun.
Thinking I will shoot it mostly with trapdoor 405 lead loads but I will be messing about some trying to wring a more accurate performance from it

Neither would I as H&R said they were rated only to Marlin level loadings.

Op, I had a BC and sold it right before the announcement of H&R closing. Full face palm. Wish I still had it.