again thanks.
My sharps is an early italian (IAB) --using the CBE 535 grain boolit (mold they recommend for Pedersolis) -needs seated almost full depth - crimp is just under the front driving band - wad is the .045 HDPE + one newsprint - I clean the boolit bases with WD40 before loading - got a wad of flanellette tacked to the bench with a wet half and dry half - its quick and easy - wipe on - wipe off
My 1876 is where most of my energy has gone the last couple years - made some single load rounds for it using a shortened version of the boolit above (minus one driving band and lube groove) its 465 grain - Winchester back in the day actually marketed a 450 grain PP x 90 grain charge for single loading in the '76
This one seats .300 deep with one lube groove out of the case - same wads as the sharps .
Seated .125 is pretty shallow - you would think that boolit would be out of the neck before it had a chance to grab at all eh!
on another tack - been considering getting a 40 cal barrel for the sharps - a project for later - we can still get a spare rifled barrel through the mail without any hassles (within the country) but dont see that working for much longer - a 40/65 blank sitting under the bench might be good insurance - I hear there are numerous different chamberings - what would you recommend - ? cases formed from stock 45/70 ? - maximum range is gonna be 600yards - I like simple stuff that works. (this might never happen either)
Joe,
I have .40-65 brass made from Remington .45-70 and .45-70 Winchester and when Starline started I stocked up with it. All works just fine.
I have two .40-65's and the last one I designed a reamer for PP only. It has a tight neck with the outside dimensions at .425" and a 5º transition into a 2.5º throat. It's a PP only chamber designed close to the early chambers used. Most of my rifles have this shallow transition from 3.5º to 7º but most are 5º funnel from the chamber neck. I have several chamber casts from original rifles and they all have a shallow funnel transition.
I don't like the 45º now used and all my shallow transitions shoot very good.
My .40-70 Shiloh has a 5º also. and it holds very well out to the 1000 yard line. But the .40-65 out performs the .40-70 but not by much.
I cant recommend any chamber design for you. I just use these and they work well for me.