Bullet weight and diameter, .40-65 and .40-82
- Thread starter orpington
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highlander 5
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I use 300 and 350 grain bullets sized to .410 diameter. I've a rebarreled 1885 Browning Highwall in 40/65.
Don McDowell
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If those are original Winchesters 403 for the 4065, and probably 406 for the 4082. Would be best to slug the barrel or do a short chamber cast to know for sure. 260 gr is the weight for both cartridges if they're original .
If they're rebarreled, it could be anywhere from 403-410 just depending on when and who made the barrel.
If they're rebarreled, it could be anywhere from 403-410 just depending on when and who made the barrel.
steveno
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for reference get Mike Venturino's book on shooting lever action rifles
Curator
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Having owned both .40-82, and .45-90 Winchester 86s, I can attest to the fact they are made to shoot short, light bullets, not the modern long, heavy BPCR bullets. My .40-82 liked 250 grain flat nose bullets because it had a rifling twist rate of 1 turn in 28". My .45-90 liked bullets up to about 300 grains and it had a rifling twist rate of 1 turn in 32." These relatively slow twist rates were considered correct for these "Express" rifles. Back then "express" meant large powder charges and light bullets for high velocity and flatter trajectory.
I have not yet reloaded for the .40-82, but have 100 rounds of brass, and the dies.
I have not fired my .40-65 in over ten years. I recall it always shot high, and I had to try lots of rounds before getting one that even worked. I could not recall what that was. I just found something that supports what the previous post stated (e.g., lighter bullet):
"40-65 LOAD: Shoots 5 1/2 to 6 inches high at 60 yards, and holds a 2 inch group. Bullet: 210 grains, Rem 41 (.409)." (That is the best accuracy I could achieve with this rifle). I now load for black powder, but, at that time, used 28.0 grains of AA5744.
I don't know what would achieve better accuracy, but this was the best I could do at that time (mid-'90's). I don't know if a different diameter light bullet would lead to better accuracy--hence, the question.
I have not fired my .40-65 in over ten years. I recall it always shot high, and I had to try lots of rounds before getting one that even worked. I could not recall what that was. I just found something that supports what the previous post stated (e.g., lighter bullet):
"40-65 LOAD: Shoots 5 1/2 to 6 inches high at 60 yards, and holds a 2 inch group. Bullet: 210 grains, Rem 41 (.409)." (That is the best accuracy I could achieve with this rifle). I now load for black powder, but, at that time, used 28.0 grains of AA5744.
I don't know what would achieve better accuracy, but this was the best I could do at that time (mid-'90's). I don't know if a different diameter light bullet would lead to better accuracy--hence, the question.
Don McDowell
Member
Might try some 260 gr bullets like it was built for. Try to get them to 406 diameter, larger diameter bullets will shoot but the finning of the base won't do much for accuracy.
When using 5744 in blackpowder cartridges I've found that most of the time using a charge of 5744 that equaled 35% of the stated blackpowder charge puts the bullet very close to the correct velocity, and generally delivers the best accuracy.
When using 5744 in blackpowder cartridges I've found that most of the time using a charge of 5744 that equaled 35% of the stated blackpowder charge puts the bullet very close to the correct velocity, and generally delivers the best accuracy.
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