What kind of range can I expect?

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Just bought a Marlin Short rifle in 38-40 WCF What kind of max range can I expect with BP rounds 3F or 2F?

Thanks,

Sam :D

[Lonegun1894]

I would bet on at least a mile and a half, but wouldn't be surprized if you might be able to launch one for two to two and a half miles--assuming we are talking absolute maximum range. If we're talking hunting range, it's a pistol round, and will start dropping fairly quickly once you get much past 100-150 yards. I'd probably limit it to about 100-125 (at absolute most) on deer-size game, and that's only if i was completely sure of my sight settings and ability to place the shot precisely. This is based on studying up on this caliber and others of the same general time frame, and NOT from hands on experience. The closest I have to hands on is with .40 S&W which is a ballistic twin if both are fired from handguns. Just go shoot the rifle and see what kind of accuracy and drop you get at various ranges. I'd expect it to be fairly flat out to 100 at least, but would expect drop--and therefore range estimation--to become critical soon after that mark. Best of luck, and I hope the rifle performs better than I expect, but even if not, dont be discouraged. Just use it while remembering the limitation's imposed by any pistol caliber carbine and it will serve you well.

[NickSS]

If you are loading black powder you can with enough rear sight elevation hit targets out to a few hundred yards but accuracy will fall off after 200 yards max due to the short blunt bullets that caliber uses. If you are talking hunting the old timers considered the 38-40 and the 44-40 to be good 10 rod rifles for deer hunting. 10 rods is 55 yards. Beyond that the chances of taking a deer cleanly go down. After all you are talking about a 180 bullet going at around 1200 fps at the muzzle and they slow down fast due to their blunt shape. If you hot load the rifle with smokeless powder (if it is a modern made rifle) you can extend deer hunting range out to around 100 to 125 yards.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Nick,

This is a 3 Number Serial Number, Will probably never see smokeless.

Thanks,

Sam :D

[NickSS]

I had a 92 winchester in that caliber and it was a great rifle but like an idiot I sold it. Ever since then I wish I still owned it. By the way I did kill a deer with it in New York State when I was 19 at about 30 yards with one shot so it can do the trick.

[KCSO]

I lever sillouette shooting the 38-40 will make reliable hits on the rams at 200 yards, but it won't knock them over. I have seen deer taken cleanly out to 80 yards with the 38-40 and B/P rounds. I wouldn't wan't to try it at over a hundred though. Back when you could still do it my Grandfather shot various guns from hill top to hill top and said that he could keep the bullets from his rifle on a haystack size area at 1 mile. So figure the size of a big stack and you are hitting a maybe 25x25 feet. In thoose days the haying crews would play around and shoot from stack to stack and watch the dust puffs where the bullets literally fell.

[405]

I shoot quite a bit of 38-40 in revolvers and lever guns. Don't know about the stories from the old past and long shots but for me they are a 50-75 yard gun in the rifle/carbine. Here's the numbers for 38-40 180 gr RNFP starting at 1250 fps---- and just for comparison a 30-30 173 gr RNFP starting at 1800 fps.

38-40 with 50 yd zero

muz---------1250 fps----624 ft lbs____NA
50 yds-------1105 fps---488 ft lbs_____0
100 yds-----1009 fps----406 ft lbs____-6.1"
150 yds---- 940 fps-----353 ft lbs____-20.7"



30-30 with 50 yd zero

muz--------1800 fps----1244 ft lbs___NA
50 yds-----1654 fps----1051 ft lbs____0
100 yds---1518 fps------885 ft lbs___-2.2"
150 yds---1394 fps------746 ft lbs___-8.1"