Range report Winny SRC 44-40 (102 years old)

[missionary5155]

Good evening
I was able to return to my little range [smilie=2: in a washout outside town at 9000 feet to test fire my NEW to me Winny SRC 44-40.
I had reloaded my 13 pieces of 44-40 with my standard load of 8 grains Unique and a 220+ grain boolit from my Saeco 443. These drop at .430 with a very soft lead mix. These loads are EXCELLENT in my older (1893) SRC 44-40 here.
I was not certain what would happen at 50 yards as the muzzle area is "Wallered" out due to past cleaning methods. Muzzle diameter is .431+ and the rest of the barrel runs .429+ but not .430.
Today at about 3:30 pm sky was overcast with a steady 10mph wind just a few degrees off my back and about 58 degrees.
The attached fotos reveal the results of 5 cartriges loaded one at a time through the open bolt. First 3 shots were fired sitting with elbows supported on leg bone and marked with a green pencil. I was tempted to just stop there but decided to fire two more shots to have a real 5 shot group. the next two rounds were fired from the same spot sitting the same.
The first 3 rounds are 1 " spread (actually a shade less). The next two shots opened group to less than 2 ". I included two fotos as the tape measure tends to cover up the results. The boolits were recovered after firing from the sand bank I fire into. These boolits measure about 7.5 brinnel. No leading. Lube is 55/45 beeswax-bearing grease. Sights are a new front BRASS blade I made and rear is a folding Winchester from a more rescent rifle. I have the origonal front blade (much to short) and the rusty ladder sight. This new rifle still does not want to cycle 100%.. it is getting better but I would not trust my life to it yet.
Conclussion [smilie=w: THIS is a keeper/shooter... the best kind of Winny.
Now I have the problem of deciding which SRC goes desert walking. LIFE IS GOOD !

[oldhickory]

I do think that's not too bad at all! Congradulations on your new walk-about gun! Each one has a personallity of it's own, and all you have to do is match that personallity with your current mood and...That's the gun you take along!

[KirkD]

That is excellent shooting, in a very accurate SRC.

[missionary5155]

Good morning KirkD
The interesting part is the older SRC I cut to 18" will shoot the same load a bit better. That is why I was debating wack the New one off 1/2" .... but it does well even with the wallored out muzzle end.

[KirkD]

Given how well it shoots already, I'd be reluctant to whack of any barrel. Those SRC's can be a bit tricky sometimes .... change one thing (like screw tightness on a barrel band, for example) and all of a sudden accuracy improves, or goes down the drain. You never know.

[JDL]

Nice shooting! Congrats on everything coming together.
JDL

[w30wcf]

missionary5155,
Thank you for the range report. Glad to see that your vintage, rescued, Winchester is shooting as true today as it did long ago.:-D
The soft bullets just might be the key to the accuracy you're getting with the barrel's larger groove/bore diameter at the muzzle.

Yours in Christ,
w30wcf

[missionary5155]

Greetings w30wcf The same load with the same soft boolit shoots even better in my cutoff 44-40 SRC that was made in 1893.
One item I did discover on the 1902 rifle... I disassembled it again and polished all bearing points. Now it levers as smooth as it should. I also stretched the sring about 25% and that took care of the feed problem. The only BAD this rifle has (beyond the stock) is the breach face is eroded and permits the primer to back out about 10% on firing.
But it is one nice old rifle I can depend on now.

[runfiverun]

the flaired out end of the bbl is not really a hamper as you have seen.
dan wesson revolvers have this built into them and they all seem to shoot cast just fine.