1892 in 38-40

[Deputy Dog]

picked up a 92 winnie chambered in 38/40 the bore is alittle rough shot it with winchester factory loads 180 grs it did good at 50 yds. do not knw if will shoot lead im concerned the bore is to rough. what I need is help finding a loading data if anyone could help me on some pet loads for this gun Iwould apreciate it. I would like to put adeer down withit next year.

[Tracy]

My ca. 1964 Lyman manual shows a #40188, 175 grain plainbase Keith bullet over 10.2 Unique for 1570 fps, rifle only load. Interestingly the top 2400 load they list is 17.0 for 1350 fps, but they list 20.0 H240 (Hodgdon's version of 2400, no longer made) for 1610 fps. 26.0 4227 for 1870 fps and 15.0 4759 for 1410 fps.
Some if not all of those powders have changed over the years, but it should be good for some insight.

Looking at Lee's first manual (1996), those Lyman loads don't sound hot at all, for a rifle-only load that is. It lists 12.7 grains of 2400 under a jacketed 200 grain bullet as a 13,500 psi revolver load, for example.

[Deputy Dog]

that sounds better than the 750 to 1000 fps loads i found. I will most likley start with a jacketed projectile i could not find any with a conalure so I ordered a tool from buffalo arms that will put a conalure on a jackited bullit lots of playing around with this old gun

[runfiverun]

these bbls are supposed to be 401 sized but i doubt that diameter will work for your rifle.
i use a magma mold for the 38-40 mine pours at 403 and has the correct profile and crimp placement for the leverguns.
the usual powders for revolvers will work well in this caliber also.[unique and 2400]
the winchester brass has thinner necks than the starline which might be helpful if you need the fatter boolit.
your biggest issue is most likely gonna be setting the shoulder properly on the case for longer case life.