Winchester 1895 38-72

[shrapnel]

I don't sight many guns in on targets, this 1895 will be no different. Rocks seem to be my preferred target. I borrowed a bullet mould from Mike Venturino and went to his book on shooting lever actions to find a load to try. I am using a 38-55 250 grain bullet sized at .379 with gas check.

This rifle shoots unbelievably well. I set a rock up at 50 yards about the size of a salt shaker, missed high and left. I dropped the elevation one mark and knocked the rear sight over a snitch and busted the rock with the next shot. I then put a rock up at 100 yards, moved the elevator up another notch and hit the rock dead center. I then moved the elevator up one notch at a time and it regulates to 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards on the first 4 notches.

I put it back down to the first notch and then went looking for a gopher that was't afraid of the Covid virus and shot him with another well placed 255 grain cast bullet.

Brass is hard to find, if anyone has any spare, let me know...

[cwtebay]

Good looking rifle. Bertram sells properly headstamped brass. Ken Waters wrote extensively about the rifle.
"38-72 Winchester: Form cases from .405 Winchester brass. Leave cases full length (2.58 inches) and size them full length in a .38-72 sizer die. Turn case rims to 519 inch diameter. Cast bullet diameters are .378 inch. Jacketed bullets are .375 inch. Since Model 1895 Winchesters have a box magazine, roundnosed and pointed bullets may be used.”

Cheers

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[Bazoo]

Howdy, Thanks for sharing. Very nice rifle. What does it date to? What alloy are you using?

[shrapnel]

Good looking rifle. Bertram sells properly headstamped brass. Ken Waters wrote extensively about the rifle.
"38-72 Winchester: Form cases from .405 Winchester brass. Leave cases full length (2.58 inches) and size them full length in a .38-72 sizer die. Turn case rims to 519 inch diameter. Cast bullet diameters are .378 inch. Jacketed bullets are .375 inch. Since Model 1895 Winchesters have a box magazine, roundnosed and pointed bullets may be used.”

Cheers

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I looked at Bertram brass at $3.00/case and can't quite choke that down. 405 brass won't work either, the rim thickness is too much to close the action all the way. I have a 40-72 also and we found that out when we tried to make 405 brass work in that...

[kootne]

Send me your .405 cases, I'll thin the rims to whatever you want. Or take a look at 9.3x74R brass. My stash of Nosler measures 2.922 OAL, .464 head dia, .053 rim thickness and .524 rim diameter. Several companies are making it.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog...categoryId/819

Good to see you are still taking in oxygen.
Dennis

[Shawlerbrook]

That is a beauty. An 1895 is near the top of my levergun bucket list. Always want one in 303 Brit.

[Rick B]

Nice looking rifle. Recently acquired a 35 Winchester. Hornady 405 brass is the prime candidate to form cases from. Dealing with the same rim thickness issue with the 35 W. Roughly .007 needs to be removed from the rim thickness. The 38-72 rim diameter is 020 smaller than the 405. There’s a chance that just thinning the rim would work. Extractor might flex enough to allow a .010 bigger case head dimension. Hornady 405 brass is no longer offered. Loaded ammo is reasonable. I’m sure you have a 405 to alleviate that situation. Sure miss Jamison.
Rick

[Drm50]

I had small collection of 95s, except for the one I really wanted a 405. The only one I have left is a family gun NFS in 30/06. All 95s I’ve owned had good bores and all shot very well. I shot two deer with 38/72 and a bunch with 30/06. The others just target and varmit. I missed a 95 in 303 Brit once because I was a snob. A guy said he had a 303 Brit I should look at. I never went because I have zero interest in 303 Brits, which is a Lee Enfield to me. Days later I found out it was a 95 win.

[Jack Stanley]

Nice varmint rifle ya got there !!

Jack

[shrapnel]

Howdy, Thanks for sharing. Very nice rifle. What does it date to? What alloy are you using?

I follow the most strict lead to hardness mixture and use nothing but wheel weights...

[Bazoo]

I follow the most strict lead to hardness mixture and use nothing but wheel weights...

Just curious, bout all I use myself.

[John Boy]

My reloads in inventory for a CPA 44 1/2 out to 500m, all are accurate:
38-72 50 Accurate 28-120B/30gr Dupont-15.7gr 4198
38-72 50 I375167/27gr 4198
38-72 15 L375167/68gr Olde E

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I don't sight many guns in on targets, this 1895 will be no different. Rocks seem to be my preferred target. I borrowed a bullet mould from Mike Venturino and went to his book on shooting lever actions to find a load to try. I am using a 38-55 250 grain bullet sized at .379 with gas check.

This rifle shoots unbelievably well. I set a rock up at 50 yards about the size of a salt shaker, missed high and left. I dropped the elevation one mark and knocked the rear sight over a snitch and busted the rock with the next shot. I then put a rock up at 100 yards, moved the elevator up another notch and hit the rock dead center. I then moved the elevator up one notch at a time and it regulates to 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards on the first 4 notches.

I put it back down to the first notch and then went looking for a gopher that was't afraid of the Covid virus and shot him with another well placed 255 grain cast bullet.

Brass is hard to find, if anyone has any spare, let me know...

Think you used enough gun there Butch?