modern .40 caliber rifle? (straight walled)

[tahoe2]

So! ; there's a .375 Winchester, a 444 Marlin, and a 45-70 Government.(modern propellants). Looking up obsolete American cartridges, I came up with 40-40 Maynard, 40-60 Maynard, and 40-70 Maynard and the .405 Winchester(all black powder). Now I realize the .405 Winchester has been reintroduced by Winchester(1895) & Ruger(# 1 Tropical), but these were limited runs. So why has the .40 cal (in a short rifle) never caught on? Just curious, cause there seems to be no shortage of other calibers getting reinvented all the time.

 

[tahoe2]

WOW !! 96 views, and no takers or comments? Is the .40 caliber medium range concept just not interesting enough? maybe if it was called a 40 Creedmore? The 45-70 has been around forever and is still going strong ! I actually have a Marlin 375 but I would personally like to see a 40 with leverevolution pointed soft points; say a 280grn or a 300grn or 325grn at about 2200-2100-2000fps !

 

[garyhan]

My .40cal is a Ruger #1 .450/400 nitro express, and I love it! Groups near moa, kick is quite manageable, and enough power for the Big 5. I reccomend it highly.

gary

 

[tahoe2]

gary

what grain bullets are those? and is the Nitro a three inch case? I know it's major horsepower !!

 

[Jim Watson]

I'm not sure just why there isn't a "modern" .40 rifle. Maybe it is because neither the .375 Win, the .444 Marlin, nor the .450 Marlin are particularly big sellers themselves and no manufacturer wants to spend the money to try to establish a .40 Whatever. The smokeless .45-70 seems to do everything in the straight case niche pretty well. But you can have a .405 if you want one and that will do what you are talking about.

And if you think "the .405 Winchester(all black powder)" you might should do some more reading. The .405 came out in 1904, smokeless from the start. Some say it is just a .40-72 Smokeless but there are other differences.

 

[brianr23]

Bring it on

I would love a modern 40 cal rifle. I have been looking at the ruger 450-400 but am worried about ammunition cost and recoil. Post above says its "manageable" and I do reload. I'll have to rethink the ruger.

 

[jpwilly]

I think it's because the 45's have it covered with selection and performance already. What is the 40 cal going to do that the 45 won't?

 

[garyhan]

I use the Hornady factory loads with 400 grain bullets in my Ruger.450/400. It is the 3 inch case.

gary

 

[tahoe2]

why a .40?

Just a little less felt recoil(quick follow up), a little flatter shooting, than a .45 and still enough oomph !! to get things done. The 1895 Winchester is a heavy gun, I was thinking more in line with a 2" case and Win 94/336 Marlin size rifle or the likes of a BLR carbine. I like the thought of a 270+ grain bullet @ 2000+ fps, a 265grn in .375 cal is traveling about 1800-1900fps which I guess is adequate @ 150yds or less. I hunt alot of thick/dense woods with the occasional 200-250 yard clearcut in western WA. You can lose an animal real quick if you don't "put it down, right now". You can truly, do whatever you want! with enough money !! since I don't have unlimited resources, I would rather the factories do it for me, and then I can just buy it!! haha!! Not looking for an African round!
Sorry Jim, I thought the .405 was bp, sorry my bad. I'll look into it some more. Maybe a .405 short !