Teddy Roosevelt's Big Medicine Rifle

[Hrfunk]

Here's a fun one to enjoy while you're "social distancing."

Howard


https://youtu.be/zRGpS8QSeRk

[dangitgriff]

Great job on the video, Howard.
The .405 is on my bucket list of rifles.
R/Griff

[rintinglen]

Hard to watch from 6 feet away, I need a bigger monitor. I have a 30-40 1895, but that one looks prettier.

[pietro]

.

I had one of the Model 1895's in .405 that Winchester/Miroku converted from all the unsold .270's.

I mounted an XS peepsight that I had on a .44 mag Marlin 1894 atop the rear section of the Model 1895's bolt, along with a taller front sight blade from XS.

It was a great shooter, and OK to carry - but since I don't reload anymore, I found it too powerful for the home grown whitetails around New England (factory bullets sometimes penciled-through w/o expanding [smilie=b: ), and eventually sold it.

I DO miss it, though. ;(


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[Silvercreek Farmer]

Nice rifle! If you haven't already, visit TR National Park, post Corona...

[square butte]

Now that was just plain old fun. Any idea who the manufacturer of the leather recoil cover is? One last question - Bruise or no bruise ? :)

[Hrfunk]

Now that was just plain old fun. Any idea who the manufacturer of the leather recoil cover is? One last question - Bruise or no bruise ? :)
the
Ha, ha! No bruise, but I felt it a little the next day. The recoil pad is marked "Cimmaron Farearms Co. Texas."

Howard

[Drm50]

I had a small hoarde of Win 1895s, never found a 405 in nice condition I could afford. I had Jap 1895 in 405 for a short while. Shot about 100rds. Can't say anything bad except it wasnt the same as an original Win. which is how I feel about all repros. Only have a 30/06 original left because it has family history from down in southern WVa.

The 405 might be the ultimate straight cased cartridge for flat shooting with right bullet and charge.

[Shawlerbrook]

Teddy was a hell of a man and a Winchester 1895 is tops on my bucket list.

[missionary5155]

Thank you Sir for putting this up here... I get to your regular You Tube weekly.. I really liked the Police Qualifying series.

We do enjoy our's ! And loading your own makes shooting affordable !

[northmn]

The picture I saw of Teddy's rifle was not quite the run of the mill 95. Teddy's was highly engraved and had a shotgun butt plate not the typical curved steel butt plate. That would have a bit less felt recoil.

DEP

[Hrfunk]

Actually, this one had the shotgun stock too. It still bucked a bit.

Howard

[Winger Ed.]

Way cool.

Legend has it even when he was President, he did target practice on what is now the mall by the Wash. monument
before DC was all built up like it is now.

He'd have his Grand kids pulling targets and going back & forth.

For targets: He'd commonly use pictures of other world leaders he didn't like.

[Gray Fox]

I have one of the 80s vintage Browning 1895s in '06 that was someone's safe queen and in great shape. I put one of the repro side mounted aperture sights on it with a higher blade front sight I fabbed from a piece of metal I had that fit. I normally shoot either Lee 200 grain RN boolits or some Hornady 220 grain jacketed someone gave me years ago. It's my pretend .30-40, and is as accurate as I can shoot with aged eyes. GF

[Hrfunk]

Way cool.

Legend has it even when he was President, he did target practice on what is now the mall by the Wash. monument
before DC was all built up like it is now.

He'd have his Grand kids pulling targets and going back & forth.

For targets: He'd commonly use pictures of other world leaders he didn't like.

Some how, I could imagine our current president doing the same thing!

Howard

[Nick Adams]

Way cool.
Legend has it even when he was President, he did target practice on what is now the mall by the Wash. monument
before DC was all built up like it is now.
He'd have his Grand kids pulling targets and going back & forth.
For targets: He'd commonly use pictures of other world leaders he didn't like.

Some how, I could imagine our current president doing the same thing!

Except with a tricked-out AR. ;)

[Hrfunk]

Except with a tricked-out AR. ;)

Ha, ha! Yep! With "Trump" emblazoned on the side of the handguards.

Howard

[northmn]

405 was a heck of a cartridge. Too bad the 30-40 Krag did not make it in levers as the basic case would have made some very good spin off's. 405 makes a lot more sense than the Marlin 444 but would have not allowed for production shortcuts. Heaven forbid.

I have been doing some reading this winter and there are books by Kenneth Anderson, an individual that hunted man eating tigers and leopards in India. I think he was a bit after Corbett's time. His primary rifle was a 95 Winchester in 405. He shot a lot of game with that rifle except elephant which he used a British double. The bear in India would sometimes get ornery and he shot a couple of them also. As he lived to tell about his escapades the rifle must have performed well. Being a lever he could wallop a tiger with follow up rounds pretty quick.

DEP

[nhithaca]

The 30-40 Krag (marked 30 US) did make it into the Model 95 lever (along with the 303 British, the 7.63 Russian, and the 30-03), and I read somewhere that Roosevelt had one of those (a Krag chambered 95) too.
The 405 basic case is roughly the same as the Krag and close to the British 303. An old Lyman manual I have suggested using the Krag cases to make 405 brass which will be a little short, but should work just the same.

I always thought that the basic case for the 405 could be shortened and loaded to the pressure ratings of a 336/444 Marlin lever gun to make a 400 Marlin. The problem would be suitable bullets, either flat nose 250 grain or rubber tipped 225 grain. No idea what velocity you could get out of a 22 inch barrel but it would be a fun project.

[buckwheatpaul]

Howard, Once again you batted 1000! Love your videos....in depth, good and bad, and how they perform.....Paul

[osteodoc08]

TR, not bad for an asthmatic kid from New York. A true “Mans man.”
Need more of his type in government leadership. One of the people I’d love to have known.

[flint45]

Very good video thanks for that one. I have always wanted one of those maybe someday.

[Hrfunk]

Very good video thanks for that one. I have always wanted one of those maybe someday.

They are very nice rifles. The ammo is a bit pricy and it can be scarce at times. Otherwise, they are a lot of fun.

Howard

[Tripplebeards]

I need one!

[missionary5155]

Good evening
That is why I cast my own slugs and reload my brass. I figure it may cost us about 18 cents a shot firing a 250 grainer at 2000 fps. Even the 340 grain beast at 2000 fps may push us up to 21 cents.
But I do agree to be at the mercy of factory load pries would have been good enough reason to be happy with a dream.

[SwissShooter]

If you want the same performance w/o the ammo sourcing problems, find a 30-03 or 30-06 with a rotten bore (normal), send it to JES and have him build you a 400 Whelen ( with the correct G&H chamber). With a 300 gr Barnes it will crush anything in the lower 48 and is also and excellent cast boolit cartridge loaded to 40-65 levels.