Want to start loading for a 1876 40-60, dies seem to be difficult to find. Wondering if 40-65 dies from the 1886 can be used. Brass / bullets are not a problem supriseingly. If anyone has a line on some 40-60 dies that would be great.
Thanks
Want to start loading for a 1876 40-60, dies seem to be difficult to find. Wondering if 40-65 dies from the 1886 can be used. Brass / bullets are not a problem supriseingly. If anyone has a line on some 40-60 dies that would be great.
Thanks
Last edited by Jcm800; 08-13-2023 at 08:17 PM.
Appears the 40-65 is based on the 45-70, 40-60 is its own thing. May be able to get by with a bushing neck die. Have some jameson brass coming, will have a better idea then.
40/60 is based on 45/70 brass shortened to 1.88" and tapered to .40 caliber. Dies I believe were made in the last 20 years or so by Lyman and not too expensive. They may still be a current item. Original bullet was in the neighborhood of 210 grains. There is a book by Mike Venterino about shooting lever guns of the old west. If you can find a copy, there is everything you need to know in one place. It's a pretty easy obsolete caliber to get shooting.
this is the best place for hard to find dies for not so common calibers
https://chtoolanddie.com/calibers/40-60Win
C and H tool and die
Thanks for the info. Rcbs made dies as well. Have 41 mag bullets that I can size down. Grafs has brass if anyone is looking for some. Will be fun to get her going, probably been 100 years since it's been fired. It's a heavy beast...lol
Do join us over at the 1876 forum. https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?board=89.0
I have a set of lee dies I use for an original 1876 in 40-60. They work OK but the crimp is lacking. It appears everyone that sells dies is out of stock. I'd keep an eye on Ebay. I had issues using an original Winchester 40-60 mold as bullets were to small, both diameter and weight. Bought an Accurate 40-250gc mold and all is right in the world. A very accurate bullet over 21grs of IMR4198. Brass is easily made from 45-70 brass if you don't want to pay Grafs price.
I believe that the 40 60 Winchester and the 40 65 Marlin are essentially the same thing.
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Congrats on the 40-60. There doesn't seem to be very many of that caliber around. I've got one manuf'd 1883 that I had to do extensive work. I lucked out finding a set of RCBS dies. Here's a thread on the CAS forum about my project rifle. https://www.cascity.com/forumhall/in...?topic=64765.0
40-60 marlin and 40-65 win are the same. 40-60 win is whole different thing.
I found a set of Lee dies last year for my 40 60 thanks to someone on the internet. Some obscure little gunshop had them out east somewhere
I think the guy can be found on the CAS forum. In fact the 76 section of that forum has about as much shooting and loading information as you'll find.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |