Colt's .38-40 Bound to Join the Herd

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I've won a bid on a Colt's .38-40 SAA and without ever having loaded for this caliber I've placed an order with Midway for components. Midway had the Starline brass and H&I die, but the Lyman 401043 and Redding dies are on back order.

The Colt's hasn't arrived yet but it sure is going to be difficult waiting for components before I can start rolling boolits for this new horse.

[DougGuy]

You have bought the "original" 10mm! In the old days it was said to shoot "harder" than the 44-40 or the .45 Colt. Good luck with it I know you will have fun at the range!

[Multigunner]

I've heard these are comparable to the .40 S&W in power and bullet weights.

[35 Whelen]

I have four 38-40's; two ancient '73 Winchesters, a 4 3/4" 1903 Colt Bisley and a 4 3/4" 1903 Colt SA. Wouldn't take for any of them and am on the lookout for another SA.
The cartridge is a piece of cake to load for. I personally prefer the RCBS 40-180 mould over the Lyman 40143, which drops bullets at a little over 190 grs. Power Pistol, Herco and Swiss 3f are my favorite powders.
Hope you enjoy yours!

35W

[bouncer50]

I have a Colt sa made in 1905 in 38-40 before you buy a mold slug the bore they can run large. Should be about 401 to 402 but can be up to 406 or more.

[Harry O]

I spent several years with the 38-40 as my CAS caliber. It still is my CAS rifle caliber (handgun caliber is now the 41LC). If you get some factory loads to compare with reloads, you will notice that the length of the neck is longer on them than what the sizing dies sized them back to. The length of the neck out of the sizing die is shorter than the way it comes from the factory. If you are shooting it out of one gun only, that is not a major problem. It is similar to neck sizing a case for a particular gun. However, if you have several different guns (especially from more than one manufacturer), you will find that reloads with the short neck will not chamber easily on one or more of your other guns.

Shorten the bottom of the sizing die approx 1/32" to take care of that problem. It makes the neck 1/32" longer. Naturally, Starline brass is better than Remington or Winchester. It is thicker and grips the bullet better. You need to find a bullet that has a crimping groove if you shoot it in a rifle. I have had the bullet (without a crimping groove) push down into the case in a lever action more than once. Particularly so if with Remington or Winchester brass (the neck is too thin to grip the bullet). The standard Lyman 401043 does not have a crimping groove. It can only be used in a lever action if you use a full case of Black Powder.

With 1873 Winchesters or clones, the overall length of the finished cartridge is critical. Anything too long or short will not feed and jam the gun. Many bullets with a crimping groove are too long to cycle through an 1873. I have several I bought that way. If you are just shooting with a handgun, you don't need a crimping groove. Just crimp over the start of the curved portion of the bullet. A good bullet for the 38-40 (for rifle and pistol) is the RCBS 40-180-CM. If you buy your cast bullets, anything cast from a Magma 38-40-180RNF will work.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Thanks for the info guys. So far I've just got the one Colt's modern .38-40 coming. The guy I bought it from has several .38-40's, he recommended the Lyman and I've had good success with both Lyman and RCBS dies.

I cast a lot of scrap lead in my .45 Colt's, .44 Specials and .45 ACP but I'm planning on my higher grade alloy mix of 6 parts wheel weights and 4 parts alloy for this .38-40. I'm hoping it will reach out for longer range shooting than my .45 Colt's.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I've taken possession of the Colt's and it's a beautiful piece, nickel black powder frame with Eagle grips. Buffalo Arms was able to supply the Lyman 401043 and Redding dies.

I cast up a pile of boolits and sized, primed and belled a bunch of cases which I took to the range with several powders, my chronograph, press, scale and dies. Unique gave the most promising results. The Colt's was right on for elevation and a little off to the left for windage.

I read where .40 S&W carbide dies can neck resize .38-40 brass so I tried it. I crumpled 2 cases at the shoulder. A health dollap of Unique straighten out those cases.

Back at the progressive I've loaded up a box and a half and can't wait for tomorrows range session. It'll be difficult to listen to the preachers message in the morning.

[roysha]

A 38-40 Colt that my cousin had for his under the pickup seat gun was the first centerfire handgun I ever shot, back in 1959, so the cartridge has a special place in my heart. Always wanted to get one but could never get the coin together to get a real Colt, especially since the 38-40 was not real high on the commonly available list.

I finally settled for a 38-40 Cimarron with a 7 1/2" barrel. It shot 2" left at 15 yards with the, more or less, traditional bullet and velocity. I tried several different things but it was quite consistent with the POI. My Grandson has a 40 S&W and a 10mm which shoot the Lee 175 BBTC. I decided to try that bullet. VOILA! Spot on at 15 yards. Since the gun is not a real Colt I see no reason to try to stay traditional with the ammo either. This is the only handgun I shoot one handed. Have to try to live up to my heroes Matt Dillon and Paladin, doncha know.:Fire:

[Ithaca Gunner]

I think I remember from long ago that the "Duke's" personal Colt SAA he used in most of his later movies was a .38WCF.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

The Duke's movie Colt's your talking about was a mixed serial numbered gun that started out as a .38-40. The Colt's was such a Heinz of serial numbers that even the trigger guard was cut and welded with a half a trigger guard from a Bisley. The Duke like this Colt's because he had very large hands.

[DougGuy]

I've taken possession of the Colt's and it's a beautiful piece, nickel black powder frame with Eagle grips.

Oh man pics when you get the chance!

[Silver Jack Hammer]

179147

[Silver Jack Hammer]

179239

[B. Lumpkin]

Those ponies need some ivory.

[smkummer]

Congrats on such a fine gun. The Lyman bullet works very well out of a Colt revolver. AND, the hard rubber/nickel is such a beautiful combination, IMHO. I shoot an original bisley 4 3/4 in this caliber with the lyman bullet and with the current max charge of unique, it is accurate to the sights. The older lyman manuals used about 2 grains more of unique and a SAA with a 7 1/2 barrel to run the bullet out well over 1100 FPS (10mm power). Current manuals have that bullet going close to 900 FPS (40 S&W power). The 900 FPS load lets itself known out of my short barrel bisley. And is probably very comfortable out of a 7 1/2 gun. For cowboy action, I am using about 4.5 grains 700X for maybe 700 FPS, which is a wonderful plinking load.