Peters .40-82 Cartridge

[TK Grogg]

Is this a black powder cartridge? What type of rifle fired this cartridge? It is the center fire type. Looks to be a heavy duty cartridge with a very faint bottle neck design. Thanks

[Le Loup Solitaire]

It was a black powder number with a 260 grain bullet and 82 grains of powder. It was fired in the Winchester 1886 Rifle & Carbine. Probably was available in the 1885 Hi-Wall as well. It was/is a powerful or heavy duty (as you call it) cartridge for big game and is still popular for Elk. It would certainly do a number on bigger bear as well. It is a center fire type and uses large rifle primers. With a magazine full of these cartridges in an 86 there wasn't too much that you had to be afraid of in North American woods. LLS

[w30wcf]

If it's a Peters cartridge and doesn't have a case cannelure that would indicate smokeless, it could be loaded with either b.p. or Kings Semi Smokeless powder.

w30wcf

[cajun shooter]

In Mike Venturino's book, Shooting Lever Guns of The Old West he covers the 40-82. It was a cartridge that started out in the 1886 Winchester loaded with BP and then in 1889 was also being offered in smokeless loads. Mike covers the cartridge very well and if you are interested in these cartridges I would advise buying this book.

[bob208]

is it loaded with a lead or a jacketed bullet? if lead it would be b-p if jacket smokless.

i have an 86 extra heavy rifle in .40-82. the bore is oversize like most were it shoots good when i use the right size bullets.

[WARD O]

On a muzzle energy basis - it has a 260 grain bullet running about the same velocity as the average 44 mag pistol. The antique rifles normally have a rather slow twist and will not shoot heavier bullets. Modern rifles such as various Sharps may have much quicker twists so they will handle bullets up to 400 grains or so and are used in competetive shooting with black powder.

I own and shoot a 1893 vintage HiWall in 40-82. It's chamber has such a tight neck that I must either turn the neck until the brass is near paper thin or shoot undersize bullets and expect them to 'slug' up. It would be a good one to try bore diameter patched bullets but I haven't done that yet.

Ward