30-40 Krag Winchester

[Jimbo2]

I have a winchester 1895 30-40 krag and am considering starting to use cast boolits to reload for it. Any of you out there got any favorites that work well in the 30-40? I was considering a 200 grain bullet, but wondered if the 170 fp designed for the 30-30 would stablilize due to the long throat most 30-40s have.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Been launching from a couple 1895´s for some years. First check the throat area diameter. They will vary. If my memory is working it seems one is .311 and the other closer to .314. I also shoot Krags so maybe the diameters are off a thou but they are both different.
I am pretty settled on 220 grain RN types. They feed without any hassle, hit with authority and when cast of 50/50 anywhere above 1800 fps they will put the hurt on any critter they impact. I hunt river bottoms so have no chance of any long shots. Try a slower rifle powder like 4831 or 4350 or whatever you have handy if you have an origonal with the long 28" barrel. If this is a carbine type you will have to move to a faster powder.
Mike in Peru

[tacklebury]

Bullet: Lyman # 311644 190 gr. (#2 alloy)
Powder: RX7 (Reloader 7)
Start grains:19.5 = 1522 fps.
Max grains: 28.5 =2062 fps
Over all length @ 2.925" BC: .272 SD: .286

Was given this by a long time Krag shooter. Interpolated to 7.5x55 swiss well and now that I have my brass, will be working up in my Krag also. ;)

[Jimbo2]

Yep, I have a 28" barrel on this one. I'll have to cast the chamber or try to drive a soft fishing weight or slug in to the throat and see if I can find out how long and what the actual diameter is. Thanks for the suggestions.

[northmn]

From my reading the Lyman 311284 215 grain bullet was designed for the 30-40 Krag as it was commonly used with that weight jacketed bullet.

DP

[Char-Gar]

I have 4 Krag rifles, a Winchester 95 (1899 vintage) and a Brownchester 95 all in 30-40. I have found a number of bullets that do well in all of them.

1. 311291
2. 311467
3 311284

If I had to pick only one it wold be 311284. This bullet was designed for the 30-40 round over 100 years ago and still is a top pick. If you can't get it to shoot well for you, then your problem is not bullet choice.

As always, proper bullet size for the throat and barrel groove, alloy temper and lube quality are key factors.

[Jimbo2]

I'll keep those bullets in mind as I work on finding a good load for my rifle. I've seen most of those molds available on e-bay from time to time. Thanks

[rintinglen]

I've a Winchester take-down 1895 30-40. It has seen exactly 10 j-balls since i bought it. My favorite loads use the 311-291, the 311-467 and the 311-644, though I also had good luck with the 311-465. The most accurate load in mine is a hunting load I came up with using the 311=291.
In winchester cases, using WL/R Standard primers, I used 40 grains of WW-748 for just over 2300 fps from my 28 inch barrel. The SD was 17 and with the Lyman peep sight it ran 2 1/2 inches at 100 yards for 5 shots. The boolits were sized .310 and lubed with Lee Liquid Alox, double coated. I have also used the 311-367 over 27 grains of RX7 It goes at 1800 FPS from my rifle, and has grouped right at 2 inches at 100 yards. I can't shoot any better with iron sights.
The 311-465 was a pleasant surprise. Sized .310, Lubed with LLA and loaded with 17.5 grains 0f 2400 under a dacron filler, it makes a great squirrel round. I haven't got around to chronographing it, but it shoots nice little groups at 25 yards and has no more recoil than a 22.

[Trailblazer]

The RCBS 30-180-FN with 18 grains 2400 is very accurate in my 1895. It chronoed at about 1650 FPS from the 28" barrel. The RCBS has a long bearing surface that fills the throat well.

I have the NOE 311284 and I have some of those loaded to test right now. On my first test the 311284 shot better in my 1895 in 30-03 than it did in the 30-40. Both my 1895's are good shooters.

[Jimbo2]

thanks for the suggestions.

[scrapcan]

A coworker has an early one marked 30US. It has a generous bore. He has to shoot 311 jacketed bullets and it does well with 313 to 316 cast bullets.

After doing some research it was found that some barrels could have made it into civilian US rfles that were meant for the Russian military contract 1895 rifles.

What does all that convey? Slug the Bore First!

[Char-Gar]

manleyit.. My early 1895 is also marked 30 US and have a barrel groove diameter of .312. In the back of my mind, I figured Winchester chambered some of those Russian barrels to 30-40.

Winchester did recycle parts in the early 1895s. Some were supplied to the US government but rejected and those rifles were broken down and the parts used again. The lever on my 95 has the inspectors initials so war a part of the failed effort. So, I don't find it a far stretch that Winchester used some left over Russian barrels to make up rifles for civilian sales. 30-40 bore specs were pretty loosey goosey at that time anyway.

I have a 1895 vintage Krag that also have a .312 barrel, so I load some 30-40 ammo with .313 cast bullets and they do well in both rifles.

So part of the joy is dealing with rifles in 30-40 is finding them (Krag and Winchester) with bore specs all over the map. So the last line of your posts does convey pure truth.

[Jimbo2]

I will be sure to slug the bore before I get too carried away settling on a bullet mold. anybody out there use the Lee 180 or 200 grain bullets?