Suggestions for .38-40 Winnie

[Kraschenbirn]

A shooting buddy picked up a really nice '92 Winnie in .38-40 a couple weeks ago and I'm trying to help him put together some ammo for it (he doesn't cast his own...yet! :bigsmyl2:).

I haven't slugged the bore but I'm thinking, maybe, the Lee 401-175-TC might be the way to go...for starters, anyway. It casts a nominal .401 and I can always beagle or lap the cavities out a bit if need be.

Anybody out there got experience with one these puppies?

Bill

[TexRebel]

the 38-40 is a true .401 bore, it will shoot any lead boolit in the .40/10mm cal group, just watch the pressure signs as you build your load
PS, do no use plated bullets in the 38-40 as they do not like them

[Harry O]

I use a Uberti 1873 Winchester clone in CAS. You will need a crimping groove (cannelure groove) when using it in a lever action rifle. I do not know if the small tumble grooves in that bullet will work as a crimping groove. If not, you will have problems. The other two 40 caliber bullets they have definitely do not have a crimping groove.

The classic Lyman 38-40 bullet 401043 also does not have a crimping groove and I had problems with that bullet being pushed back into the case when using a partial case of smokeless powder. If you plan to use a full case (with some compression) of black powder, you don't have that problem.

You may have problems with OAL. The 1873 requires an OAL + or - 0.005". Anything above or below that will jam. I understand the 1892 is more tolerant with OAL, but I have no personal experience with it.

I also have an RCBS and an NEI mould for the 38-40. Neither work well. The only one I have found that works perfectly is some that I purchased that were made in a Magma mould.

[runfiverun]

try getting a crimp on a 40 s&w boolit.
rcbs,saeco and magma all make an acceptable 38-40 mold.
i use the magma and like it.
i'd suggest starline brass and be prepared to take a couple of thou off your sizing die.

[405]

Very similar to dealing with the 44-40 in guns like- Colt SAAs, Win 73s and 92s. Each gun has its druthers but I've never had a problem in the original guns using a proven, traditional design. The RCBS 40-180-CM is a good standard. If the Lee drops at .401 that should be fine. Grooves on all my old ones run .400-.401. The original Win 92 you're asking about should be similar. BUT the diameter may not be the overriding issue. You'll want to crimp in the groove on these bullets so there is not much fudge factor for OAL. The OAL of the cartridge with the Lee TC bullet along with nose profile cannot be changed much so just dunno how smoothly it will cycle thru the 92 at the normal OAL. I use fairly soft alloy in mine along with mild loads and get very reliable function and excellent accuracy.

Mike Venturino has a good article in Feb. Handloader on the 38-40 mostly for SAAs but would also apply to the long guns. Additionally, his book Shooting Lever Guns of the Old West is an excellent resource.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've been loading these for a 73 Winny with Lyman 401043 a 175 grainer that was designed for a case full of BP. Crimping behind the front band made the OAL too long to feed...too long for the little brass elevator. Since I was not using BP I had to get a crimp on the case mouth. I tried the Lee factory crimp and it worked except it was beating the heck out of the case mouths...not a good idea if you consider the thiness of 38-40 brass and what it costs. ....I trimmed the case length back a bit to the same amount of the front band and then was able to crimp the case mouth behind the front band and get the right OAL. Its still working the brass but nothing like the punishment dealt out by the LEE FC die. I don't have a 92 so don't know if the OAL is as critical as with the 73. Mine has a throat and bore that has seen a fair amount of use so my mold dropping casts at 403" so it lets me shoot them unsized/as cast. Accuracy is good. 73actions are not strong; 92's can move out somewhat faster in the fps department. LLS

[Jbar4Ranch]

I've got several 38-40's; a pair of 1866's, a Marlin 1894, an 1873, and three Ruger Vaqueros, and the best bullet mould I've found is the NEI 401-195-WCF. I've also got the RCBS 40-180-CM, Saeco 62401, and Ideal 40143. My 2nd choice is the Ideal, but it's a black powder design and doesn't have a crimp groove. The throats on my rifles are very short and the forward driving band on the other two designs hits the rifling before the round is fully chambered. FWIW, the Marlin slugs ~.404 - .405", while the other three are ~.401". I had to chuck my sizer die in the lathe and take a few thousandths off too, as per runfiverun's post.

[KCSO]

That T/L bullet in both my SAA and a M 73 is a real winner. With either Trail Boss or Bullseye powder the pistol will group under 2" all the time at 25 yards and the rifle will cut a ragged hole at 50.

[405]

I think the OP was about an original Win 92 and the Lee Truncated Cone, GG bullet. May be the cart before the horse to get too far along until you slug the bore. If it's .400-.401 then no problem trying the Lee TC. It may do dandy. I've shot a few TC bullets in these guns and they do very well but sometimes they require single-shot feeding or double pump levering :) never know until tried. The Win 92 feed angle is fairly steep.... like all pistol/carbine cartridge lever guns with that style of feed. The 66s & 73s are radically different with the lift block design. Because of that angle, the OAL and nose design are important to smooth feeding. Any crimping really has to be impressed into a band or crimped in a groove so the bullets won't get driven deeper by recoil in the magazine. The opposite is true of revolvers where the crimp can go over the front of a band or ojive. Most of the time the "original style, traditional type" bullets of short RNFP design with a crimp groove in the right place do well.