.40-65 Rebarrel with .410" barrel

[insanelupus]

Anyone ever rebarreled a 336 Marlin with a barrel intended for the .41 Magnum (.410") and chambered for .40-65? Sounds like a terrific Express type concept where j bullets or cast could be used, decent velocities wrung out of the platform and one hell of deer/antelope/bear gun.

[Seafarer12]

I am not sure if the threads are the same between the 94 and the 336 but could be a cool project.

[docone31]

The barrels are not directly swapable.
I suggest starting with a blank, then cutting threads and the chamber. The dovetails would be cut later.
I had tossed that around in an octagonal barrel. I wanted to up a 30-30 336, to 38-55.

[insanelupus]

It would be a whole new barrel, propably a Douglas, but I'm not sure. The ejection port would have to be opened and a half round half octagon barrel would be my goal.

The biggest issue I would foresee is using jacketed bullets as I'm not sure even a "premium" .41 Mag bullet (around 220 grains or so) would hold together at the velocities you could churn (I'm guessing around 2300 fps MAX).

A hard cast wide meplat gas check would work well to about 2100 fps or so, but then a guy might be better off going to a heavier bullet and just trying to stay in that 2000-2100 fps realm.

I've done a lot of hunting with the 30-30 and .45-70, and some with the 35 Remington (though I haven't killed a deer with that yet). Basically, my thinking was that it would do very well with a heavier, larger bullet than the 30-30 yet at similar velocities. Additionally, with the right bullet it could be pressed into service as an elk rifle for short range woods hunting.

I'd thought about going up to .411 for the .405, but then you are hampered by pretty heavy bullets at a significantly reduced velocity. I know Ken Waters recommended using .41 Mag bullets for plinker loads, but I don't think those included heavy type hunting loads. Like I said earlier, I'm more interested in the Express aspect of it.

[Pepe Ray]

This sounds like a whole lot of fun! Also a slick way to drain the "toy" account.
Considering what you'd be getting, wouldn't it be cheaper to just get a ,444 Mar.?

If ya got it spend it. It's good for the economy.
Pepe Ray

[insanelupus]

Sure, it would be cheaper. But what fun would that be? :D

[onceabull]

My 40-65 was made up by lining the barrel of a late model 45-70..Might find that to cost a greenspan or three less than rebarreling a 336,--no ejection port mod's necessary--Onceabull