130 Year Old Winchester Still Putting Meat on the Table

[35 Whelen]

It's taken awhile, but I finally got a shot with my old 38-40.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Hunting/3%20point_zpswtji6qwy.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Hunting/3%20point_zpswtji6qwy.jpg.html)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h6/308Scout/Cast%20bullets/38-40%20bullets-4_zpsdubhkaai.jpg (http://s60.photobucket.com/user/308Scout/media/Cast%20bullets/38-40%20bullets-4_zpsdubhkaai.jpg.html)

35W

[lrb605]

Awesome!

Sent from my SM-T230NU using Tapatalk

[Texas by God]

That's how you do it. Great eating there. Details please- the old '73 ain't talking... Best, Thomas.
Merry Christmas!

[richhodg66]

Very cool. I started hunting seriously with a crossbow last year and again this year as it's the only way to hunt legally during our rut, but I hate the darn thing. Seems like the whole time I'm on stand with it, I'm wishing I had an unusual, vintage rifle with me instead.

That's a nice rifle and deer. I'd like to hear some load details as well.

[Thumbcocker]

Congratulations. Please share the story of the rifle.

[elk hunter]

Way to go! Nice buck and a great rifle. I've found I enjoy deer hunting a lot more when I use a vintage rifle.

[EMC45]

Very cool. Great deer, rifle and great looking ammo.

[Shawlerbrook]

:awesome: I love filling the freezer with a piece of history. I did a couple years ago with a 109 year old 25 35.

[35 Whelen]

Thanks everyone.

The rifle was made in 1886 and has REALLY been used. In fact if you look closely at the bottom rear of the forearm where it meets the receiver, you can see the forearm is very worn from being carried, the magazine tube is a little dented and bent, the dust cover flops around, etc. The bore was beyond hopeless so I had John Taylor line it. The bullet is cast of ACWW from an RCBS 40-180 mould and weighs 192 gr. Loaded over 1.9 cc of Swiss 3Fg it runs right at 1300 fps and is surprisingly accurate to at least 200 yds.

The buck was about 45 yds. out when I shot him. The bullet enter low behind the left shoulder, broke a rib, through the left lung, perfectly centered the heart, creased the right lung then exited the off side. He hauled *** off in the mesquite and broomweed, so I sat in my little brush blind for 20 minutes before going out after him. He'd gone 50 or 60 yds. and keeled over.

35W

[kenyerian]

Congratulations are in order!!

[smokeywolf]

Really great 35W. Do I see a tang sight on her. Your ammo; as I think I see no crimp and lube resembles SPG or a variant, are you using black powder?

[35 Whelen]

Really great 35W. Do I see a tang sight on her. Your ammo; as I think I see no crimp and lube resembles SPG or a variant, are you using black powder?

That is an aftermarket tang sight that came with the rifle. I have it set for 200 yds. and it's only used for banging the 200 yd. gong.

For hunting, I am using black powder, about 1.9 cc of 3Fg. The lube from our very own Randy Rat. It's his TAC1. It's marketed as a smokeless lube but has worked fine as a BP lube so long as I don't fire over 10 or so shots without cleaning.

35W

[smokeywolf]

That's even better. 38-40 BP cartridges in a 130 year old Winchester. As I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Winchester man, I've got a pretty good case of the warm fuzzies from this.

[tdoyka]

way to go!!!!

of course, that buck forgot to wear its body armor.:bigsmyl2::kidding:
we all KNOW that you couldn't take it because you where using black powder and a lead(gasp!!!) boolit!:kidding:

[35 Whelen]

I have another rifle that's identical only it's all original and was made in 1888. The bore is a teeny bit rough but the rifle is just about as accurate as the one pictured here.

35W

[PaulG67]

Well done 35W. Very well done. Black powder is not my thing, but for some reason 38-40 and BP has interested me. Perhaps one day.

[smokeywolf]

I have a model '73 SRC in 38-40 that's a parts gun and about 90% finished. Looking forward to shootin' BP cartridges in that.

[jtaylor1960]

Great job!tThat deer is a real trophy.

[Huntsman]

That's awesome!! Good job.
Enjoy your venison.

[Eddie Southgate]

Congratulations .

Eddie

[TXGunNut]

Good job! My backup this year was a 92 in 38WCF, think it will get the nod next year. Nice looking deer, rifle and rounds. I wouldn't be surprised if that's scabbard wear on the fore end given the manufacture date. These old rifles have more than a few good hunts left in them, I'm glad you got to take a nice deer with your old Winchester.

[fingers284]

Good job sir!! I wanted to use my '89 Marlin in 38 WCF this year as well but when the opportunity arose to put some meat in the freezer I had my '86 45-90 close at hand so used it...Oh well there's always next year for the 38 WCF...or the 38-55 that hasn't earned its keep yet.

[jlchucker]

Nice! Those old guns can still do the job, for sure. By the way--has anyone noticed that the "Shortmag" craze seems to have vanished? My elderly gunsmith friend, who would praise this thread and rifles like 38-40, etc for sure, would cheer at the use of a 38-40 with an "I told you so", and probably cuss shortmag calibers for good measure. It must be really satisfying to get one with that old rifle.

[TXGunNut]

Shortmag? Most of my Winchesters have full length mags but I've been keeping an eye out for a nice Model 53. ;-)

[SSGOldfart]

Congrats good eating little buck:drinks:

[35 Whelen]

Thanks for all the "high-fives" guys.

35W

[9.3X62AL]

My '73 Winchester (in 44/40 WCF) is not quite as old as the O/P's rifle, but it will be 120 years old this year and I have re-committed to hunting with it and SAECO #446 this coming deer season. I planned to do so this season, but life and health didn't cooperate.

[Brad Phillips]

That is just awesome, just gotta love a rifle with history like that getting stuff done.

[commando223]

Nice rifle

[texasnative46]

35 Whelen,

NICE rifle/rounds/buck. = Fwiw, one of the ladies in our XB club has her GF's (who was a Texas Ranger in the 1895-1920 period) .38-40 Winchester rifle & SA Colt in that same caliber.

Mrs. W routinely carries the rifle in her PU (in a "sewn-in pocket" on the rear of the seat) & frequently wears her GF's Colt in his old gunbelt/holster on her ranch near Kerrville. - She has taken all sorts of game with both firearms.

yours, tex

[lightman]

Thats a cool story. I've hunted with my '73' a few times. Its chambered in 44-40 WCF and I shoot the RCBS copy of the original weight bullet made from wheelweights.

Back to the shortmags, it kind of a shame, but predictable. I love my 300WSM, but its about the only one hanging in there.

[35 Whelen]

Thanks again guys.
Neat story texasnative!

35W

[texasnative46]

35 Whelen,

Fwiw, Mrs. W told me at a political meeting out at "her place" that she was delighted when she "- - - - - - - got enough womanly shape to wear Granddaddy's Colt, without it falling to my ankles".

yours, tex

[smokeywolf]

Real nice texasnative46. I greatly admire ladies that have that kind of common sense and gumption.

[texasnative46]

smokeywolf,

True fact.

IF anyone thinks that the old .38-40 isn't A KILLER??
Mrs. W told me that day that she took a Nilgai bull antelope (the size of a saddle-horse) with the Ranger's rifle at about 60 yards. = She said that the bullet entered the "area where the neck meets the chest" & it reportedly exited out the right side of the chest at about a 20-30 degree angle. = GYD.

ADDENDA: Mrs. W also told me that upon her passing that the revolver/rifle are willed to The Texas Ranger Museum in Waco

yours, tex

[1988-4551]

Nice deer, nice rifle, glad to get some reports on terminal performance. I hunt with one weather cooperating, haven't tangled with a deer with mine yet though.

[358 Win]

35W,
I'm 65 years old and when I was in my late 20's, my Uncle Bill related some family history to me that I'll never forget. I barely remember my paternal grandfather as I was 4 years old when he passed away. Uncle bill told me he had a Winchester Model 92 in 38-40 and whatever meat they did not raise was killed with that old 92. In the 1920's the Pennsylvania Game Commission tried their hand at stocking Elk from Yellowstone Park in NE Pa. My Uncle Bill told me that he and my Grandfather were working in the barn one day when my Grandmother came out to tell them a huge deer was in the upper pasture. My Grandfather instructed my Uncle Bill to hitch up the team of horses and when he heard my Grandfather shoot to bring the horses and the wood hauling sleigh to the upper pasture. About a half hour later, Uncle Bill heard a shot and proceeded to the upper pasture with the horses and the wood sleigh. When Uncle Bill arrived on the scene, he was astounded by the size of the deer which in fact was a huge bull Elk. They had to use the horses to drag it onto the wood sleigh. They butchered it down in the barn and my Grandmother "canned" all the meat in crocks and they had delicious meat all through that Winter. One shot with a 38-40 carbine was all it took.

358 Win

[308Jeff]

Noice!

[35 Whelen]

Great story 358 Win!