30-40 Krag Winchester 1895

[don45]

After many years I have a new 30-40 Krag.


Lets Get busy making some boolits...


I've dug out my old molds. This one is a 301620. I'm also casting some 311284 and 311467 which I'll use in my initial load development.


Here's the three boolits all loaded up...


Ain't technology wonderful! Here's my iPad loading log with the 30-40 loads.
DON'T TRUST MY LOAD DATA...ALWAYS USE RELIABLE MANUALS!


The proof is in the shooting...

The groups are color-coded. The first 5 shot group is blue. Low with factory sight setting. I moved it up two clicks for the pink group. Both of these are Load #1:
311284 30gr IMR4895, source LASC.
Stats: MEAN FPS 1728, MIN 1704, MAX 1740, STD DEV 10.2, VARIANCE 105.2.
These loads were beam scale loaded for precise load.

The Green is Load # 3B, 311284 21 gr SR4759, source Lyman #4. These boolits were cast with Lyman #2 Alloy. This was my best group.
Stats: MEAN FPS 1742, MIN 1673, MAX 1858, STD DEV 67.5, VARIANCE 4550

The 311467 and 301620 all strung vertically with about 1 MOA horizontal. The velocity of these were about 2050 and 1850 respectively. I've never had great success with paper-patch and the 311467 is a new-to-me mold. These old Guy Loverin designs were considered the best by many. I'll be working more with this and the lighter 311466.

It's interesting that the small group is from the load with the most uniform velocity. I'm not sure if there is a correlation but it is interesting. I've always had good results with SR4559 and am not surprised by these results. I took this from the Lyman 3rd edition Cast Handbook, 'Speaking Frankly' on cast loads for 30-06. Also be sure and read the 'Cast Bullets in the 30-40 Krag' article on LASC (Los Angeles Silhouette Club).

Most of my groups were strung vertically. I'm sure it's my eyes and the open rear sight. I have a Lyman #21 coming from buffaloarms.com. I think this peep sight will help a lot.

Just a little nostalgia..my first rifle was a Model 71 in 348 Win of course. I think it was about 1959 or so. I bought a Lyman Ammunition Maker kit with 310 tool, Lead Pot and 350447 mold. I love Winchesters, old and new.

The 30-40 is a great cast bullet cartridge, and the 1895 is a great gun. Even Teddy R loved it!

[don45]

Correction:
I have the Stats reversed. The SR4759 Load is the one with Std Dev of 10.2. The 4895 Load has SD of 67.5

[don45]

Yes, I throw them short and weigh them in a RCBS 10-10 beam scale using a little-dipper to get the exact weight. I'm not sure of the accuracy but it's better than an electronic which bounces between 1/10's and they also drift off zero. I tried an automatic powder dispenser but found it to throw charges way off so I returned it. I load a lot of somewhat near max stuff in 270 and 325 WSM and don't want any surprises so just prefer the beam scale.
My Redding and Lyman measures drop very consistent charges and I doubt if the difference in an exact scale load is anything to be concerned with but especially during load development I just don't want that variable.

[NickSS]

Well you got the rifle I wanted but could not find when I was looking so I settled for one in 30-06. It shoots really well with both jacketed and cast bullets so I am satisfied with it but I still wish it was in 30-40 Krag

[don45]

You can never go wrong with a 30-06. It's a great cast bullet cartridge too. Did you know that the 30-06 was first introduced to American hunters in the Winchester 1895? It was only after the war was over and surplus 03 Springfields and other bolts became available that the switch to bolts began.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
You made a fine choice.
Every time up north there one of the first rifles to see light again is a 1895 Krag. Fine rifles.. a bit plump in the middle but for a lever repeater that can safly shoot other than flat nose bullets they are just fine. Mine is a bit older and needs fat boolits (.315) but they will do what needs done.
Mike in Peru

[mroliver77]

I am not trying to offend anyone but the 1895 look a little "clunky" to me. I have never shot one or even handled one. I am wondering how smooth the action is and with such long cartridges how is the throw of the lever?
I have read that they don't carry as well as say a 94 Win. How DO they feel when out for a couple hours toting one along?
I sure would not be a bit ashamed to be seen with your gun!\
J

[StrawHat]

mroliver,

I have an old one I carry about quite a bit. It hangs fine in my hand. As far as I can tell the 1895 has a lot of old wives tales and misinformation accompanying it. Mine is in 405 WCF and while you know you have pulled the trigger, it is not nearly as bad as some writers would have you believe.

[don45]

I am not trying to offend anyone but the 1895 look a little "clunky" to me. I have never shot one or even handled one. I am wondering how smooth the action is and with such long cartridges how is the throw of the lever?
I have read that they don't carry as well as say a 94 Win. How DO they feel when out for a couple hours toting one along?
I sure would not be a bit ashamed to be seen with your gun!\
J

This morning I did a few simple comparisons of three Winchester Levers...The new 1895, an early 88 and a 94 from 1925. The lever throws are roughly 62, 60 an 85 degrees respectively. I tried to get a feel of the smoothness and ease of throw for each. This is very subjective but I find the 94 and 95 very similar. I think the 95 has less 'bump' throughout the cycle than the 94. The 88 is smooth but heaver perhaps due to the short throw. With cartridges present I think the 95 is the smoothest except for the last round which for some reason is harder to pull from the magazine. I don't see any negative for the 95 in my quick, simple compare.

As for carrying, the 95 has a nice balance point with my hand just touching the magazine but most of the load being carried just forward. Of course the 94 has perfect, very light, balance right at the receiver. The 88 seems the least balanced with my hand around the magazine well forward of the trigger guard. Don't get me wrong, the 88 is one of my favorites.

The 95 is really in a class by itself considering the cartridges it uses...30-06, 405, 30-40 and some old goodies like the 35 WCF. You can hardly compare it to a 94 or even the 88 for that matter.

The 95 weighs in at 8 lbs. That is exactly what my Winchester 70 Extream Weather 325 WSM with 2-7 Leupold weighs. For a woods gun, especially if you want to shoot cast boolits, and enjoy a classic of yesteryear, you can't go wrong with a 95.

[muskeg13]

Ditto to what StrawHat and Don45 have said. I have 2 Winchester 1895s, an 1886 and a M92, plus I've done extensive cleaning on a neighbor's M99 and M1894. I think the M1895 is the smoothest action, particularly the Miroku .405. I sometimes have to check twice to see if I actually chambered a round, and the 1895s shoulder and point naturally for me. I also think the .405's ferocious recoil is overreported. If you are going to shoot a long string of full power shots from the bench, use a recoil pad. Finally, you can shoot the .405 faster and stay on target better than with any bolt gun offering the same power.

[mroliver77]

Thanks guys for your opinions and comparisons on the different models.

I am pleased to find the 95 is so smooth and carries well. I am a big man and a little bit of heft in a gun is not a big deal. I do not cover much ground either. I like the idea of an 06 in a lever and the heft would be apreciated in this or the other chamberings.
J

[405]

Win 95s- love em. I carried my 35 WCF around the hunting hills 3 years ago and carrying them is not a big deal... but they are different from a Win M94. Then again they were designed for much more powerful smokeless pointed Jbullet cartridges- so is an apples to oranges comparison with some other lever guns. The reason they are so smooth in feed is because of the inline, stacked magazine. When the next round is on deck and ready, it's very nearly lined up with the chamber so little extra angle, friction, bumping is required for the bolt to push it into the chamber. The Climbin' Lyman aperture sight is a big plus for accurate shooting. To tame the crescent butt with the heavy loads in the 405, a simple, flat leather pad can be added. The 30-40 is a very tame, nice cast bullet shooter in the M95.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I agree with what has been written so far; the feeding and handling are smooth factors. The 30-40 Krag and the 06 will give the flattest trajectories, but the power is definitely in the 35 and the 405. The latter was the most powerful cartridge ever developed for a lever action(commercially). It was favored by T.Roosevelt for his hunting of lion, although some of the other famous hunters did not agree with him. The recoil, especially in the larger calibers is substantial, but tolerable, but then again you don' t have to load full-house ammo to enjoy the gun. If your's has a curved buttplate, watch where you position it or it will get your attention. Original 95's, in good/decent shape command strong prices, especially if they have express sights or if they are a take-down model. They are all well made with strong actions, good steel and dependable with smooth functioning. And definitely a good investment as well as the prices on them just keep going up. LLS

[rintinglen]

I have a take down 29" Model 95 30-40 from 1924 that is one of my faves. I have had very good results with the 311-291 and WW-748 at 2300 FPS. I had poor results with the 311-467. If you can find some, give the 311-465 a try with Unique--makes a great plinker!! You can search a long ways in far places for a better cast boolit gun. I would like one of the carbine length ones, but My long gun buying is on hold until I either sell something or get a(nother) gun safe.

[405]

Legitimate, original Win 95 carbines are very pricey- right up there with some of the special order and deluxe 95s. Because of that, a repro carbine in 30-40 would be a peach. Not cheap, but a fraction the cost of a top condition original.

Also, I avoid original 95s in '06. But that's just me.

[moodyholler]

My 1895 is a carbine in 30US made in 1912, and wears a climbing Lyman 21, and is a dream to shoot and carry. I hope to make meat with it this year. moodyholler