Help With Werndl

[smokemjoe]

I got a very nice Werndl rifle at a gun auction Sat. I dont know nothing about them. Bore is mint, size . 457 By .442, Can I use 45-70 bullets in it and how can I make brass and loads for it.. Thanks- Joe

[Baron von Trollwhack]

You may wish to check with the Cast Bullet Association. They had a 2-part article on the Werndl in their magazine some time back that was pretty comprehensive. BvT

[smokemjoe]

BVT: Just found it No. 167- Jan. 2004, Good story but need more help, Some of you fellows must know something more about them. Thanks- Joe

[Baron von Trollwhack]

I have no Werndl experiecce but enough with the bottleneck BP cartridges: go basic; slug your. barrel,cast slightly oversize of ww, mild primer, 2f or similar, BN's don't like compression, slug should be in throat, touching the rifling. . Have fun. BvT

[Freightman]

Let us see a picture as I had never heard of one. never mind found a lot of information doing a Google search. Here is one site that was interesting
http://www.collectiblefirearms.com/RiflesAntiqueCartridge.html#Werndl
http://www.steyrscout.org/steyr2.htm
Thanks for the question found that he learned his skills from the good old USA, learn something new every day thanks

[jonk]

buffalo arms should have dies and brass.

[DtheD]

smokemjoe, Buffalo Arms has brass, dies & boolets. I bought a very nice Werndl a few months ago. Sold as .446 bore, ( original size ). I couldn't slug it for a few days as my work schedule gave me no time. Well it's .450 bore & .470 groove. Dealer said my 3 day inspection had passed. I did a chamber cast and have no idea what it's been converted to. Just a wall hanger now. I think Baron von Trollwhack's load info pretty much covers it. I called Buffalo Arms and their boolets are sized to .446 and will obdurate fine with a BP load. I have two Lee improved mini molds I was going to use. Both cast a .446 big hollow base mini weighing 288gr & 290 gr. I believe their boolets are 340 gr. Good luck and let us know how it shoots.

[13Echo]

Looking in my references I note there are three different cartridges for the Werndle. There is a short carbine round, the 1867 11.4x50R (also called the 11.15X50R) and the '77 11.15x58R bottle neck. 1867 rifles were rechambered for the larger round. If the designations fo bullet diameter are accurate then a rechamberd '67 just might have a larger bore and groove diameter than the later rifles. Perhaps that's the problem with your rifle. Otherwise I've never handled, much less even seen a Werndle.

Jerry Liles

[smokemjoe]

I wish I could get a pic. put on here to show youall, Mine is like new compared to the pics. I seen, I made a set of dies, Took Lee 458 Mag. dies, annealed them and bored them out to let the case go in, Works for neck sizing and same for seating. I put 15 gr. Bullseye in the 348 Win. brass and filled the case with grits and a wax-wad and fire formed them. The case neck is .700 long,What a nice looking cartridge. I have sized down the Ly. 330 gr. Gould bullet to .456, anything over that is to big on the case neck and will not chamber. Now a load and to the range. Joe

[Newfoundlander2]

Werndl's are fantastic guns and great fun to collect and shoot. If you really wasnt to spealkwith people familiar with the piece go to Gunboards Mannlihcer, Steyr and Blackpowder Forum. Persoannly I have a weakness for these and would love to get my hands on a matching Jaeger.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Sizing down as you have done is easy and if you go carefully, will be fully sat. Most likely neck sizing will get good results without ever having to size the rest of the case. There is a good chance that ffg slightly compressed will do very nicely as will duplex loads and ffg . If the Gould doesn't shoot go to the carbine bullet. Shooting a Werndl that should be a hoot. Walter von Werndl will be proud. BvT

[Mayor]

I have some Werndl ammo I don't need (original) paper patched, in mannlicher? clips with cardboard covers. 11.15X58RMM Anyone here interested?

Contact me via email, I love to trade!

buckoff@alltel.net

[hydraulic]

I've been chasing a Werndl around the county for a couple of decades. I know of two; owners won't sell. During WWI our local home guard bought Werdl's from Bannerman, and I have two pictures of the guys drilling, some with Werdl's and some with .22's and shotguns. The flour mill in town burned down in 1917 and the blame was put on local German farmers. The mill in the next town over was guarded by the home guard and in one of the pictures it shows them with a Gatling gun. I have no idea what happened to that. From what I can learn, the Werdl's were kept by the guys who carried them, after the war was over. There should be more than two around here somewhere, but I can't find them.

[mroliver77]

I wish I could get a pic. put on here to show youall, Mine is like new compared to the pics. I seen, I made a set of dies, Took Lee 458 Mag. dies, annealed them and bored them out to let the case go in, Works for neck sizing and same for seating. I put 15 gr. Bullseye in the 348 Win. brass and filled the case with grits and a wax-wad and fire formed them. The case neck is .700 long,What a nice looking cartridge. I have sized down the Ly. 330 gr. Gould bullet to .456, anything over that is to big on the case neck and will not chamber. Now a load and to the range. Joe

Joe if these dont work you can always nec turn the case a thou or two to get groove diameter boolits to fit. Soft lead should obturate enough though. Hope to see a range report soon!
Jay