SWC in a .40-65 WCF ?

[1Hawkeye]

I was thinking about using a lighter bullet in my 1874 Shiloh and was wondering if a 220 gr semi wad cutter would work. The orginal bullet weight was a 260 gr @ 1420 fps. I know its a little light at 220 grs but I'm curious. Has anyone out there tried this? Currently I'm using a lyman 410678 395 gr @ 1385 fps (I think) and it shoots great but I want to try to duplicate the original loading but all the current molds for that bullet weight are undersized for the original bore diameter of .408" and Shiloh's run .411"

Thanks

[Chill Wills]

1Hawkeye, They are not undersized The old Winchester 1886 had a smaller bore and groove. Those .403" diameter molds are correct for the old rifles.
Also, you might be seeing 40 cal molds for the pistols too.
I hope this helps. BTW - RCBS makes a 300gr you can get close to the 260gr - maybe good enough and may spin better in that 16 twist.

[Boz330]

The twist rate and how fast you push it will be the determining factor. I deer hunt with a 40-65 Roller that I built using a collection of parts lying around my reloading room. The barrel is an 18 twist and I had a custom mold made at 325gr with a 75% meplat. It shoots fine for hunting with BP loads and recoil is very tolerable. Mountain Molds will make you anything you want within certain limits. I'm not sure why you would want to go that light though.

Bob

[country gent]

I to have thought about a .41 cal pistol bullet in my CPA 40-65 for short range chickens lines at 100 and 200yds. My rifle is 1-16 and stabilizes the long 400-430 grn bullets very good. THeb 10mm, 40cals are .401 - .403. the 41 mags are .410-.412 dia. You would gain some extra powder room with these bullets especially the SWC desighn since the front driving band would be the limiting oal and not the ogive. Youl probably gain another .100-.200 of powder capacity. Cast from a softer alloy like 20-1 they should bump up well and ecxpand good.

[marlinman93]

I've tried the lighter bullets in my .40-70SS, and my .40-63 Ballard, and was less than satisfied with accuracy in either. The Hepburn in .40-70SS is a 1:16" twist, while the Ballard is a slower 1:20" twist. I played with powders and velocities, and both guns liked slower velocities of around 1250 fps best. But much farther than 100 yds. the bullets started to tip, and accuracy fell off quickly.