Elk with a .38-40 !! ????

[Eutectic]

I haven't posted in a good spell .... however I am still experimenting with "Extreme Lube". Those that have read the quest for Extreme lube thread know that I have a 60 year old love affair with the .38-40.... I got a Winchester '92 for Christmas in 1953 in .38-40...
I have a lifelong friend and we used to pass hunting 'notes' back and forth in school. We dreamed back then about hunting with the Winchester Model 92 .38WCF (.38-40)

Over the years, my old friend went on to hunt all over the world! He calls me a while back and says he has a guided Canadian Elk hunt lined up.... "For you." He says.... He had one stipulation.... "You have to use the .38-40! Over 60 years we have talked about this!!"

So I go to Saskatchewan with a 110 year old gun with open sights and 70 + year old eyes. But I had cast boolits!!!! 8.5 bhn soft to mushroom great! I used the Magma mold and made my own gaschecks. I duplicated the old .38WHV/M92 Hi-velocity load of 1775fps with a 180gr bullet. Mine was a 184gr boolit at 1820fps and it was lubed with my best lube formula (so far to date)....... Polybutene Felix.

I had worked six months on both gun and ammo. Any failures would be me.

It was open country for an old mountain man. We were able to get up to an elk sunning on a hilltop within 60 yards of him before he stood up. Not just any elk mind you, but a 6 x 7... 850 pound bull!!! I put one through his heart. I couldn't believe how impressive the impact sound was! He was hurt. He lifted a front leg to go and I gave him another one through the heart. He did go this time but piled up 30 feet later! He couldn't get up....He bled out internally in a minute or two and gave it up. We could not believe it! 60 years my friend and I waited for this and it was worth the wait believe me!
I've attached a couple pictures and also a picture of one of the heart shot boolits we found in the off shoulder meat. It still weighs 180grs and mushroomed to .70" caliber!!

Do I recommend a .38-40 for elk? Heck no!!! But this big guy never knew the difference!

Eutectic
878808788187882

[Hickory]

They're not boolit proof are they.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Great story and photographs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love it! AWESOME!!!!!!!!

Can't in anyway question your great results, but considering the on again, off again results of expanding soft or hollow point cast bullets when compared to the consistent results of the non expanding Wide Flat Nose cast bullet I wonder how that would work out.

I know my 45/70 with a 465gr WFN cast is sure deadly on elk and deer, and that at only 1650fps.

One way or the other GREAT JOB, STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS!!!

Where do we read more about your lubes and the test results?

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[725]

Outstanding !!! What a great story. You have to be tickled pink. Congratulations on a fine hunt, admirable woodscraft skills, & your long time friendship with your buddy. Well done.

[TCFAN]

Great story thanks for posting...........Terry

[Gibbs44]

Awesome elk and story. Gotta say it, dreams to come true.

[sixshot]

Great story, 60 years is a long time to wait, you earned it, congratulations!

Dick

[doctorggg]

Awesome Elk, story and photos. Thank you for sharing. Wonderful memories that last a lifetime.

[AlaskanGuy]

I am sooooo excited for you... Sometimes the victories just get sweeter with time.... Incredible.... Congrats.... Woooooo Hoooooooo....

[runfiverun]

CDOC:
Pete has been working with us in the extreme quest, he is the originator of the "C.O.R.E. theory" we have been working over.
I like that same 38-40 mold too it seems to hold just enough lube, and feeds in everything, with the crimp in just the right place.

[Rainier]

Brilliant story! Brought a smile to my face to read it - thank you! :) great work getting so close and "closing the deal" - wonderful looking animal.

[Beerd]

No that is just plumb cool!
..

[richhodg66]

Excellent story! Great old gun and that is one impressive animal. I'm very envious. Congratulations!

[waksupi]

Dandy!

[square butte]

Your story and photos made my evening. Thanks.

[GunnyJohn]

To live a long life and realize a dream.... Something we all can wish for. Congrats on a fine hunt.
Thanks for sharing it with us

[sharpsguy]

Great adventure and story! Thanks for sharing it. I'll say it again--that is a great elk, done right. Congratulations.

[357maximum]

In them few paragraphs you made me feel like I was there and part of the action. Thank you and gongrats on a great story that was long in the making. Have your feet touched back to the Earth yet?

[kenyerian]

Well Done!!! Thanks for Sharing.

[No_1]

Fantastic story! Congrats on your hunt.

[bstarling]

The results speak for themselves. Great great shooting and write up. Reading comments on modern hyper magnum latest and greatest, makes me wonder how the early folk ever killed anything before the smokeless high powers came into being. :holysheep

You had a long wait, but the wait paid off. Congratulations.

Bill

[Maineboy]

Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

[Ron Williams]

That is the best thing I've read in a long time. Congratulations on a fine hunt and a lifelong friendship.

Ron

[kbstenberg]

With country that flat. How in the world did you get that close? I am not disbeleaving you, just amased. Kevin

[jmort]

I agree, this is the best post/thread I have seen in a while. All good.

[Idaho Mule]

Great job, good to hear success stories such as yours with the classic calibers. By the way, that is a dang fine bull. JW

[dualsport]

The 'sleeper' part of that story is that you were able to work in to 60 yds. Well done, and congratulations. My elk dream remains a dream-I missed twice in Colorado!

[L Ross]

Well done sir, you've set a great example!

Duke

[rlb]

Glad to see you're still kickin' Pete. Great stores and a big congratulations for a fine bull and a great memory. Well done.

[Cheap Trick]

Now that my friend is a awesome story. You got it done.

[Ben]

Perfect bullet placement.

That is what hunting is all about ! !

[skeettx]

Sweet!!!!!!

[TXGunNut]

Nicely done, thanks for sharing!

[Ramjet-SS]

Such a wonderful experience and you put it to the story as well as anyone could. The great thing I took from this was not how great the bullet was but how the shooter and gun have such a bond that two excellent shots to the heart of the great beast. That gun is you.

[Spruce]

You are a very lucky man sir. To have a great life long friend, a good old rife, and to have a life long dream hunt come true with success. Congratulations. Thanks for sharing a well written story and great photos. I'm guessing the lube worked well.

[TCLouis]

Congratulations!

Great story.

[gandydancer]

Truly great story.an adventure to behold. and at our age to with stand.WELL DONE.also I like your avatar. The Liver Eater. I have that photo also. got it from the great people at C.Sharps arms on a visit back in 93. saw it on display and ask if it was for sale I was told NO it was not. John Schoffstall showed my wife and me around the shop and we purchased a few things & headed home to CT and when we got home the photo of the Liver Eater was in my mail box. Later on I sent him the story on 1st Sargent John Ryan of Custers 7th Calvary from west newton mass that I found in the west newton library from a interview Ryan gave to a newton newspaper in the 1920's. John ran it in the sharp shooter newspaper of his in serial form and it reads great. The people at C.Sharps are the best.

[Love Life]

Great story!! Thank you for posting it for all of us to enjoy, and congratulations on your bull.

[gandydancer]

So that is Liver Eatin Johnson?
He had a interesting life. They cut that part out of the Robert Redford movie.

That is very true. you should read the book on JOHNSTON/JOHNSON.called Liver eating Johnson and that may not have been his real name. He ended up being buried in some hills in cal around 1900 Them hills turned out to be Beverly Hills Cal. He was re buried around 1976 in Wyoming I believe.

[Jailer]

Obviously shooting is not the only skill you possess. The way you told your story was like reading a chapter from a good book.

Congrats on a great hunt, great shot and an even greater friendship.

[GunnyJohn]

In Cody Wy. Just as you come into town from yellowstone, there's what appears to be an old ghost town. Abunch of old buildings this feller relocated from other parts of the state. Johnsons
grave is there. Robert Redford was there for the reburial. The wife and I stopped in and saw it this past summer. Neat place. Lotsa history around Cody.




That is very true. you should read the book on JOHNSTON/JOHNSON.called Liver eating Johnson and that may not have been his real name. He ended up being buried in some hills in cal around 1900 Them hills turned out to be Beverly Hills Cal. He was re buried around 1976 in Wyoming I believe.

[Prodigal Son]

Great story and everything else, I too am so impressed with the "stick to it " attitude you have. That is what keeps me going when things don't go the way I want the first 20 times! Thanks for sharing!

[danomano]

Wonderful!!!

[MarkP]

Great story Thanks for sharing.

[TheGrimReaper]

This is AWSOME!!! Congrats to you, Sir.

[LIMPINGJ]

What a great outcome for the dream of a lifetime. From your pics my 92 in 38WCF looks about yours just not as well taken care of. When I get through with trying to get it cleaned up a little deer hunting is in the plan.

[Three44s]

WOW!!

Like others have said, besides the hunt ...... your story telling ability speaks well also!

No, the .38-40 is not an elk rifle ......... that is if you want to sit in one county and wish one dead in another!! HOWEVER, if you want to use a particular tool wisely ......... like putting the sneek to within 60 yards ..... then .... yes, it is!!

Well done ......... you really made my day!

Three 44s

[Jal5]

I add my congrats to a great hunt and a wonderful lifetime story! Joe

[telebasher]

Well done sir! that just made my day! I'm so tired of all the BS about Obamacare that this hunting story reminded me of what we love to do and still can make it happen.

[Smoke4320]

sometimes good things happen to good people .
Congrads on the Elk and great story

[gwpercle]

Wonderful story, Thanks for sharing and congratulations . I just love reading about a dream coming true...Kinda restores your faith and makes you feel good. What a hunt!
Gary

[Fisher]

Excellent !

[shredder]

Great story. Welcome to my back yard. Glad you had such a fun time with the old rifle. I intend to show my lever guns some big game too. The old stuff still works but you have to hunt more, and that is the best part.

[taco650]

Great story-thanks for sharing.

I can't help but wonder if a hard cast version of your boolit would've been better because it could penetrate all the way through? Maybe this is a can of worms I should leave un-opened... sorry.

[Eutectic]

I can't help but wonder if a hard cast version of your boolit would've been better because it could penetrate all the way through?

I think penetration was just about optimum taco.... We found two bullets. The one shown was all the way through and in the off shoulder meat. The other was under the skin on the far side, had broken a rib, and was .64" caliber. For me 1" holes through the heart is vastly superior to having a smaller caliber non-expanded slug breaking out the off side skin.

Hard cast hunting boolits are sort of a modern thing when you look back at history. The buffalo was almost made extinct with boolits probably 1 in 16 alloy at the hardest.

Eutectic

[missionary5155]

Greetings and Congradulations !
This was an enjoyable read sitting here in Peru. Thanks for the photos and taking the time. Up close and accurate.. The Best combinations !
I also shoot 38-40. Have never considered elk. I hope to one day be permitted to pop a lowly corn cruncher in ILLinois with a center fire pistol cartridge from a rifle.
Attached a photo of my 44 WCF boolits after impact at 40 yards. Range scrap (mine) pushed with 7 grains Unique out of a 24 inch Winchester barrel made in 1896. Probably would not exit a large critter but would not have to if the right spot is wacked.
Mike in Peru

[Nrut]

Great story Eutectic..
The two things that impress me the most is your getting a 8.5 BHN bullet up to 1820 fps with accuracy, and a big guy like you sneaking up with in 60 yards of that bull out in open country..
Good job!

[alrighty]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing , wonderful read.

[Eutectic]

getting a 8.5 BHN bullet up to 1820 fps with accuracy,

Hi Nrut,

Sometimes attributes that are usually considered a disadvantage work to accomplish good advantage like the above with great accuracy.

A short boolit with a very low sectional density....

A very slow twist.... (1 in 36")

The gascheck helps a lot for "traction" as well!

Eutectic

[Nrut]

1. Soft bullet that retained 100% of its weight and hellacious expansion..
2. Low sectional density but still great penetration..

Eutectic,
You have me re-thinking about using my slow twist B92 in .44 mag.
Never had much luck shooting 300 + grainers in that rifle..
thanks!

[taco650]

1. Soft bullet that retained 100% of its weight and hellacious expansion..
2. Low sectional density but still great penetration..

Eutectic,
You have me re-thinking about using my slow twist B92 in .44 mag.
Never had much luck shooting 300 + grainers in that rifle..
thanks!

Heavy bullets usually like a faster twist rate, lighter one like it slower. These are general terms, YMMV.

[Nrut]

Exactly taco650,
That is common knowledge..

I have always prefered high S.D., heavy bullets per cal. in cast so that is why I tried the 300 grainer in the B92..
It didn't shoot that well so I put the rifle back in the safe as the 300 grainer is the only .44 mold that I have..
I am not onto the .44 maggie as I have a bunch .45 colt rifles but no 92 carbines..
That is why I bought the little B92 .44..
IMO a 92 carbine is just so dang handy for knocking around in the bush..

Eutectic has shown me that you don't need a high S.D. bullet in a large caliber to down a large big game animal "if" you have all your ducks lined up right and that was the point of my post above..

BTW I have found that the above twist rate/bullet length general rule doesn't always apply to jackets bullets as I have a few 1:9 .224 cal. rifles that shoot the little Remington HP 50 grainers as well or better the long high B.C. match bullets..

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, as commented above, "all your ducks in a row."

I am greatly pleased with all the positive comments rec'd here about a great hunt and the photographs.

But, go to Eutectic's original post and check out the distance of the shot etc.

His ducks for whatever reason, his prowess as a hunter/stocker, the luck of the hunt or?? whatever, were in a row. GREAT HUNT AND STORY!!!! --- but the results could have been different as to the great expansion and results had the range been extended and the impact velocity lower.

Hard to fault heart shots, but expansion well ----

Taking NOTHING away from all the positive aspects of this hunt, it was fantastic to say the least, but one reason there has been over a hundred years of development and testing with jacketed bullets was the reliability and predictability of expansion.

A bullet that does not over expand or blow up at close range with higher velocities OR simply pass through at longer range and lower velocity.

Hunting being what it is, and the range and velocity seldom being predictable, the goal to find an alloy that always provides predictable results is and will continue to be iffy at the very best.

This is one of the reasons the bullets with the larger meplat, cast of an alloy which makes them for the most part, non-expanding are so good. The meplat does the work and the shooter does not need to be concerned about the bullet over or under expanding as ranges increase or decrease.

For this great hunt, everything and every duck was in place for a simply fantastic result, but I dare say the results would have been - in this case with the excellent shot placement - equally as good with good Wide Flat Nose (WFN) cast of basically a non or limited expanding alloy.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[35 Whelen]

Congratulations and thanks for a wonderful story!

[Nrut]

Yep, as commented above, "all your ducks in a row."

I am greatly pleased with all the positive comments rec'd here about a great hunt and the photographs.

But, go to Eutectic's original post and check out the distance of the shot etc.

His ducks for whatever reason, his prowess as a hunter/stocker, the luck of the hunt or?? whatever, were in a row. GREAT HUNT AND STORY!!!! --- but the results could have been different as to the great expansion and results had the range been extended and the impact velocity lower.

Hard to fault heart shots, but expansion well ----

Taking NOTHING away from all the positive aspects of this hunt, it was fantastic to say the least, but one reason there has been over a hundred years of development and testing with jacketed bullets was the reliability and predictability of expansion.

A bullet that does not over expand or blow up at close range with higher velocities OR simply pass through at longer range and lower velocity.

Hunting being what it is, and the range and velocity seldom being predictable, the goal to find an alloy that always provides predictable results is and will continue to be iffy at the very best.

This is one of the reasons the bullets with the larger meplat, cast of an alloy which makes them for the most part, non-expanding are so good. The meplat does the work and the shooter does not need to be concerned about the bullet over or under expanding as ranges increase or decrease.

For this great hunt, everything and every duck was in place for a simply fantastic result, but I dare say the results would have been - in this case with the excellent shot placement - equally as good with good Wide Flat Nose (WFN) cast of basically a non or limited expanding alloy.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
dreary old coot,
If you are using a marginal cartridge (45-70) in a marginal rifle (rooger #1) then I can understand why you might want to use a heavy wfn at 1650 fps to compensate for your other poor choices..
One tip however..
Instead of your rock hard wfn try a Lyman Gould 340gr HP cast of 8-9 bhn at around 1300 fps and shoot for the shoulders..

The little Gould didn't stay in a moose but maybe in an elk..


Just kidding of course old coot as I am sure your were in your post above..

45-70 is one my favorite cartridges and I even own a rooger #3 chambered in one with a Pachmayr recoil pad on it installed by the previous owner..
Having said that I still prefer my Marlin G.G. as we are constantly being pestered by charging grizzlies up here don't ya know..
Ok, maybe not constantly but I did see grizz tracks out in the snow last week on the crown ground just out behind my place..
LOL

BTW I didn't shot that cow moose but casted the Gould for a friend's 10 year old son who did shoot it..

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Sorry Nrut, but my 465gr WFN are anything but "rock hard". ;-) In fact, they are cast of 50/50 Wheel Weights/lead and although they are quenched in cold water as they fall directly from the mold, they sure would not be classified as the "hard Cast" that many folk talk about. ------ However, expansion is not only minimal, but with the big meplat not needed. ---- "Rock hard" would lead to possible fragmentation which would be as unpredictable as expansion in cast bullets. Not a good thing. ------ By the way, keep watch for any of those griz sneak'in up on ya! ;-) ---- Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Eutectic]

However, expansion is not only minimal, but with the big meplat not needed. ----

I've been out of Idaho for a while..... to see the doctor.... This is a good thing in this case as my youngest son IS a doctor!

But I thought I would respond to a few comments I had missed in my absence...

First I repeat a paragraph from my original post:

"I had worked six months on both gun and ammo. Any failures would be me."

These two sentences were complex testing, as I'm a meticulous sort! I planned on 150 yards being my maximum yardage to attempt with the Model 92... Old eyes and iron sights being my concern. BUT I did test bullet mushrooming performance in fully saturated wet magazines (slightly tougher than elk meat) out to that range. A 135yd example is illustrated for an example. It is full weight and .59" caliber. It is a cull boolit, good enough for this test, and not of 'hunting' quality. One great benefit of the 8.5bhn alloy at slower impact velocity is the frontal area is close to flat in shape! How's a .590" wide flat nose meplat?

It is great you have confidence in your wide meplat C.D.O.C. Confidence equals better performance on OUR part.

Know that my elk hunt went better than I ever could have hoped for. Luck?? Naw.... better than that! I was BLESSED! But please don't equate this to not being prepared! My boolit was tested for expansion in several ways from 15 feet out to 200 yards. It had my confidence, in other words...

A well engineered alloy hardness in a cast boolit with 1850fps MV or slower can be a magnificent mushrooming game bullet; it was in the late 1800's to those of us that remember!. He-He...

Hollow points can be tricky to manage reliability-wise on big game. But I'd like to know the number of head taken with the .45 Gould boolit over the last 130 years!!!! 8.5bhn in the .25-20 with a hollow point makes one super destructive varmint boolit by the way!

C.D.O.C. ...... Ask yourself which is better.... A 1/2" hole in an elk heart or a one inch one?

Nrut ....... I'd try 'soft' in that slow twist B-92..... Maybe 240 grain? I shot a 280lb boar in Texas with a little Winchester Model 94 Trapper in .45 Colt... Yep.... 1 in 38 " twist to boot!

Eutectic
89378

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Not one question about your great hunt Eutectic, No Not One.!!

Great hunt, great story and great photographs! Yep, sure are.

The one place your last post is a bit short on is the reference to the 1 inch or 1/2 inch hole through the heart.

The only 1/2 hole in my critters is, the hole in the hide on the near side.

From there on the big meplat makes a wound channel all out of expectations for what is basically a non-expanding bullet.

To help you know where I'm coming from, I am a long term jacketed bullet hunter and handloader, and entered the cast bullet hunting with a rifle only a few years ago when I was looking to do something in the realm of hunting and handloading that I had not done and was still in the realm of possibility.

Did a lot of reading before I went the Wide Flat Nose cast bullet direction and have since found all the positive reports to be true in spades.

I also read many times the comment about "eating right up to the hole" on cast bullet kills.

However, on my first cast bullet critter that may have been true, but I had no idea or expectation that the "hole" would be so huge.

This was with a 355gr WFN cast at a muzzle velocity of just over 2300fps with the deer at about 100yds.

My thought upon dressing the animal was my goodness what have I unleashed here.

There wasn't the mush and minced meat and bone I would have expected with a jacketed bullet strike in the same spot, the tissue and bone were simply just gone, blown out the off side. BIG HOLE!

I am well aware that there are great successes such as yours, but the reason I steered clear of an attempt to cast an expanding cast bullet of some kind was the well know equation of velocity/distance verses alloy strength/hardness, and the fact that outside of their relatively narrow design window they do not preform as desired.

Instead, I desired the highly predictable results I read the many accounts of with the Wide Flat or Long Flat profile which relies on the large meplat rather then the possibility of proper expansion.

My 45/70 cast bullet critters to this point, which include 2 elk have been just so impressive and so reliable/predictable, with the 465gr WFN at 1650fps proving to be nothing short of awesome.

My first elk did provide me with a reclaimed bullet, which was not expected and is likely the only one I'll ever find. This large and barren cow was taken with a quartering shot which took out the large shoulder bone, some ribs, the lungs, went all the way through the very full and heavy paunch and came to rest just under the hide and in front of the off side hind leg.

The bullet did loose some weight with 327.9gr remaining of the original 462 - 465gr starting weight.

The bullet had some very hard going through the heavy bone and had it mushroomed instead of loosing the nose, the penetration would have been greatly reduced.

My alloy is 50/50 Wheel Weights/lead, water quenched as they fall from the mold.

Great chatt'in and exchang'in notes with you. Hope your visit with the doctor/son went well!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[rbertalotto]

What a GREAT friend you have! You are blessed....(Can you ask him if he needs any more friends?....:smile:)

[Old Ironsights]

;)

Impossible. No failing eyesight, hobbling old coot with an older, worthless, tomatostake firearm could have ever put that much energy into getting that kind of outcome.

C'mon... where did you hide the Marine Snipers? :twisted::kidding:

Do I have to wait another 25+ years before I get to even attempt such a hunt?

You really are annoying. [smilie=l:

(Oh... and yes, I love my Gould... :twisted:)

[marwin95]

Eutecic: Your post has me very interested. No, I do not plan to hunt Elk(with a 38-40) but I did "inherit" a 38-40 in an 1873 Winchester produced in 1892. This much I know. I have never figured out what bullet mold to use. I have never shot this rifle but your post gives me the interest/desire to do so.

[w30wcf]

Eutectic,
Wow! That is a pretty awesome adventure with your vintage '92 .38-40!:smile: GREAT performance from a vintage cartridge and rifle. Your development and testing of the equivalent of the long ago .38 W.C.F. W.H.V. discontinued cartridge is very interesting and quite an accomplishment!:smile: That is a very special friend that you have. Thank you for sharing. Perhaps I missed it, but was the alloy a tin / lead mix?

marwin 95,
The cartridge that Eutectic developed for his special hunt would not be safe in your '73 since it develops pressure higher than what the '73 can handle (15,000 vs the 25,000 approx. of Eutectic's cartridge). The original factory .38 W.C.F. b.p. cartridge developed 1,325 f.p.s. and you can increase that velocity by about another 10% safely in the '73 using Alliant RL7 by using 25 grs. under a 180 gr bullet which produced a bit less than 15,000 cup. That load was originally published in the Hercules 1995 pamphlet and then appeared in several Alliant pamphlets but is no longer shown.

w30wcf

[Eutectic]

w30wcf,

The alloy used was from a couple of hundred pounds of alloy I smelted while working in Texas. It is very close to 1 tin to 20 lead but is not virgin as such as it is ternary; antimony content is small maybe 1%. It is tough, ductile, and perfect for the use related in this story. My .25-20's and .32-20's love it as well! I originally smelted it for handgun use but don't use it for that anymore.... Not that is isn't great for my original plans; just I'm down to 30lbs. or so left. I believe 1 in 20 can replace it.

marwin95,

w30wcf is exactly right in his comments about loading the .38-40 for use in the Winchester Model 73. Stay with the standard loads at 15,000psi or less and have fun!! You don't need the "WHV" version as I used nor should it be fired in the '73.
But don't think that will cut into your fun! I bet I fired 500 rounds through my Model 92 before I went on the hunt. I shot all positions. I shot clay pigeons set into the bank from 50 to 150 yards mostly offhand shooting cycling the gun. I even took two old tires and filled the rim opening with cardboard. My friend and I rolled them down a steep hill and we were able to get three side shots at them with safety ranging from 50 to 75 yards. It was hard shooting!!!! I bet they got to 35mph!!! I was able to accomplish 50% hits but it was hard. I am a pretty good shotgun shot and finally shot that ol' '92 only vaguely with sights and mostly with swing through. A LOT OF FUN!!! I recommend it to all reading if you have a place it can be done safely!

Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments!

Eutectic

[bart55]

Wow,you just made me smile ,I love the fact that you stuck with the dream!I got what I thought was a large doe yesterday,turns out it was a good size buck that had shed his antlers.thought it was a little early for that .Funny how things work out I shot that deer with a 270 win and a box of shells I had loaded in 1972.RCBS mould 130 gr gc and It was a number two alloy .It was a load that I always wanted to try out on deer but just never got around to taking it with me .Usually used one of those new fangled jacketed bullets .The bullet went though the heart and out the other side ,deer ran about fifty yards and dropped . I must be getting old ,cause I forgot my camera and my phone. But here is a toast to you from a happy not too old (63) fellow caster and hunter !

[JDL]

Out standing Eutectic!! My hat is off to you and your 70+ year old eyes. My 66 y/o eyes don't see the front sight any too good unless I'm peering through an aperature. Thanks for taking us on your adventure.

[Eutectic]

Good news!

The Magma mold I used for the boolits used in this thread was by far the most accurate I cast for the .38-40! As Run (r5r) concurred it fits the Winchester's throat nye on perfect as is the crimp groove location.

As mentioned I cut the gascheck shank on the boolits as well as made the gaschecks. Cutting the boolits for gascheck on my small lathe is no big deal... But everyone isn't set-up so well...

BUT! I see Magma now offers this mold in a gascheck version!

The link is below if anyone might be interested.

Eutectic
http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/gascheck032012.pdf
http://