The 40-82WCF

[Larryo1]

Now here is another one for you folks. I got three 40-82's. One I built up to use for some long range playing and it is on a Remington Rolling Block action and built to look like a "Gemmer Hawken" rifle. One is a restoration of an '86 and the other one is a modern customization of a Model 71. That one has made "Meat" but the other two haven't. When I got started with this caliber I could not find any data on this caliber so did all my work by the "Seat of My Pants". After playing around with about 25-30 different loads and powders I finally got some that work. With the New Model 71, I use 58 grains of 3031 and a Barnes 260 grain jacketed flatnose bullet with super results. My question, now, is--how many of you have or are playing around with this caliber. Would be curious to know. Thanks.

[historicfirearms]

Those sound interesting and I'd like to see pictures, especially of the rolling block. I've never played around with the 40-82. Does it use .416" diameter bullets?
I recently picked up a boolit mold that throws a .408" 240 grain boolit. Now I'm thinking I will have to find a rifle to go with the mold.

[Larryo1]

The Model 71 custom uses a 0.403 bullet and the other two use 0.408 bullets. My oldest boy who is up in Alaska has a 40-82 that uses 0.408 bullets that are paper patched up to 0.410. Seem to work okay as that rifle has got him lots of deer and one moose so far. As far as photos go, I would have better luck e-mailing them to you than to try and figure out how to do it the "easy" way. So if you want send me your e-mail and i will see what I can do.

[Step N. Mud]

This is a timely post for me.
Just today, I received a tracking no. for a Winchester 1886 made in 1891 from a GunBroker Auction.
This Win. 1886 in 40 82 caliber, supposedly has a excellent bore and we shall see in a few days.
I ordered a 3 pcs. die set from Redding, Betram 40 82 brass and .406" dia" SPG bullets from Buffalo Arms. and have these in my hands.
Figured on slugging the bore and ordering a mould for proper size and using blackpowder loads.
Gonna be fun working up loads for this old rifle.

[Geobru]

I have an 86 in 40-82 WCF that was made in 1887. The barrel is a .409, and I use .410 bullets in it. I have developed a couple of loads for the cast bullets I have for it. I use 5744 and RL 7, depending on the bullet that I am loading. I found out that a change in bullet design demanded a completely new load. I was using a load of 25 gr of 5744 for the first bullet I had for it and got sub 3" groups at 100 yards. I got some bullets that were similar, but different, thinking that I could just use the 5744 load. I loaded up some ammo, and I could barely keep 5 shots in an 8" circle at 100 yards. I tried all kinds of combinations of 5744 with the new bullets without finding an accurate load. I finally found a winning combination with 31 grains of RL7. Best group at 100 yards was a 6 shot group that was 2.5". Take away one flyer and it was a 1.5" group. At 200 yards, I shot a 3.25" group. I replaced the semi buckhorn with a Marbles tang sight. It has been quite a trip figuring out this old rifle.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/asset.php?fid=98382&uid=12462&d=1403323545


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/asset.php?fid=111117&uid=12462&d=1418543552http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=124420&d=1418543199&thumb=1&stc=1

[John Taylor]

Just getting started on a 40-82. A couple weeks back I traded into an 1886 basket case with a cut off barrel. I have a new barrel sitting on the shelf in 40-82 so I might as well put it all together. I would have preferred to go with the 40-65 because it would be easy to make up brass from 45-70 but the barrel has already been chambered. Most new barrels being made today will be .408 groove diameter.

[Larryo1]

One thing that I found in my doings with this caliber was that it is very sensitive to bullet length with that slow twist. If a person wants to use a heavy bullet then it can tumble on you. I used the Greenhill equation to make sure about that and the original bullet length does work. Slugging that barrel is a definite must. I got one that is 0.403 and two that are .408. My oldest boy's 40-82 is over .408 and he just paper-patches it and that works great for him. As far as getting Bertram brass,, well, I went down that road once myself and the cost, for me, is too prohibitive. The last batch I got was from Jamison and they are good cases. I also have made cases from .45Basic cases.

[Kansas Ed]

I load this caliber for two different 1886's. Both have tight chambers and loose groove diameters. One slugs at .4080, and the other slugs .4085. I tried using resized 45-90 brass but didn't like that option. Ended up using BA stretched 45-70 which thins the case some, and still had to neck turn them a few thousandths. Both rifles seem to come into their own around 1500 fps. One prefers 4198, the other likes 3031. Both like a toilet paper filler. I had a bunch of gas checked .411 bullets at 265 grains I size down which were bought from Leadheads years ago. Both rifles like them, but they are hard. I just bought a new mold from Accurate which casts both a 260gr and a 320gr bullet. I plan to try them both. I noticed that Dave Grullo (sp?) at BA had an 1886 shooting a 300+ gr cast bullet, so I plan to try.

A couple of years back, I took the one rifle deer hunting in Mo. Had a buck coming uphill following the fence line straight on at me. He was about 70 yards or so out, head down grazing. I'm thinking...if I shoot him at the base of the neck right between the shoulder blades, at this angle that bullet should bust his neck and follow his spine a short ways and exit out the top. (remember, he's facing me, head down, coming uphill). We all know about the best laid plans. I hit him exactly where I wanted to...right on the spine at the base of the neck....But, the bullet traveled south and came out his nut sack....passing through everything I never wanted to hit.:shock: He hit the ground splay legged so hard it was unbelievable. But that was the most disgusting mess I've ever had to field dress. That 40-82 sure will penetrate :grin:

Ed

[Larryo1]

Yep! I know what you mean. My oldest boy got his first moose with his 40-82. He shot that bull in the chest and when we dressed it out we found the expanded slug about 20 inches down in the spinal column. I made a belt buckle for him out of that. Wrote an article in-the Rifle- I think back in '83. I got me a little buck with that custom M71 using that 58 grain/3031 load and a Barnes 260 grain flatnose jacketed bullet. That went right through and never opened up. Same size hole going out as going in. Made the liver look like chopped jello. That caliber was and still is-in my opinion one hell of a big game caliber.

[Geobru]

I have learned a lot from different sources on the internet. I read Larry's article before I got to the point of reloading my 40-82, and have swapped notes with Ed over the years. I you reload a 40-82 and shoot it. you will learn about powders, fillers, oversize barrels, bullet design, tight chambers, outside and inside reaming of brass to get it to size, rainbow trajectories, chronys, and when you finally get a load that works, you have had a barrel of fun! It is the most difficult round that I reload, followed closely by the 45-90, largely due to the length of the case and me trying to use smokeless powder in a BP rifle!

[Larryo1]

It is worth the effort but the dividends are great. I went the same route with our 45-90 but that was back in the early '60's when I got that rifle. Since then it has done very good on game. 58 grains of 3031 under a Hornady 300 grain HP. You keep playing with that 40-82 and it will bless you.