Marlin 33 CF

[enfield]

I just acquired a 1895 Marlin in 33 Win ( marked 33CF on barrel ) reading up on them everyone says Marlin chambered the 95 in 1912 but the serial number on this rifle works out to 1904 ( 289xxx ) could I have a weird one ? it doesn't look like it was re barreled but it would be hard to know. As a side note, can I turn 45-70 into 33 with 40-65 dies and 33 dies ?

[Nueces]

I make 33 WCFs for a Winchester 1886 from 45-70 cases, using a Redding form set. From memory, the first die looks much like a 40-65 sizer, in that it forms the body taper, not the neck. Die #2 is the full sizer. I think you can do as you suggest.

To complete the set, I sent Lee a couple of dummy cartridges for them to make a collet crimper die.

[DeputyDuke]

Reference your side note. I take Starline 40-65 brass an anneal the necks and run them into my standard RCBS full length sizing die and end up with 33 wcf and no lost cases.
Duke

[SvenLindquist]

Before anything, do a chamber cast. 33CF is not a normal marking.

[OverMax]

As a side note, can I turn 45-70 into 33 with 40-65 dies and 33 dies ? I don't thinks so. Swagging down from 45 to 33 cal will likely pile the extra brass onto the cartridges shoulder. If you intend to try? Consider annealing first so to soften the cartridges neck & shoulder area's.

[kjorgy]

when Winchester came out with the 33 it is called 33WCF. It was considered a "fad" at that time. Marlin called it 33CF because it did not want Winchester name on it rifles. Apparently when the 33 came out Marlin had some 95 recievers that were not in use chambered them to the 33CF. I have a 1895 Marlin chambered for 33CF with serial number on the receiver of 303xxx. That does not make sense because the 33CF did not come out until 1912. This is a reasonable theory because I have seen other Marlin rifles like this. the receiver with the 303xxx serial number dates to 1903-04

[6pt-sika]

I had an 1895 Marlin of about 1912-1916 vintage that was chambered for 33 WIN . At the time I had 1895’s for 33 , 38-56 , 40-65 and 45-70 . So I wanted correct headstamps and ordered 60 pieces of 33 and 60 pieces of 38-56 from Quality Cartridge and of course got the 40-65 from Starline .