38/40 jacketed loads?

Old Stony · July 21, 2015, 03:49 AM

I've got a Winchester model 92 vintage of about 1895. It's an octagon 28" barrel that I had relined some years back. I haven't shot this for some time and decided to dig it out of the safe and hunt some with it. I have always used cast bullets out of it, but decided I would like to use some jacketed for a change. The headspace is nice and tight on it and it was always a good shooter with lead.
I just thought I would like to try it with some 200 gr. jacketed bullets and wondered if anyone had any favorite loads for this combination.
My barrel is a .400 dia. with a 1-25 twist.

Clark · July 21, 2015, 10:36 AM

I have a Winchester 92 made in 1904 in 38-40.

I posted pictures
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=538258

my range notes
Win 1892
25 gr H110
Win large pistol or magnum primer
180 gr plated 0.58" long
seated 1.590"
QL 25,656 psi 2012 fps 24" barrel
Kicks like a 30-30

Old Stony · July 21, 2015, 04:49 PM

Thanks for your input. This is along the line I am contemplating. I have some Hornady .400 hp bullets and wanted to experiment with them for hunting purposes. I shoot a lot of hogs and smaller critters and want a little better performance than I get from my wimpy lead loads.

Kosh75287 · July 21, 2015, 08:25 PM

With a 28" barrel, I might be tempted to try the slower-burning Reloader-7, but it might involve more experimentation than you have time for.

Old Stony · July 22, 2015, 06:54 PM

I thought of some Re7 as one of the possibilities. I don't want to push the pressure envelope too far, just get a little bit better performance. The lead cowboy loads I'm shooting out of it now are probably in the 800 fps range. I guess I could pump them up a little and forget the whole jacketed thing really, but it seemed like an interesting project for me to play with.

Old Stony · July 24, 2015, 04:39 AM

Couldn't find any 180 gr. jacketed bullets around here locally, and decided to just work up a cast load that would do a better job. I ended up at 10.5 gr of Unique and it's averaging 1418 over the chrono with no signs of excessive pressure. I probably could actually get a little more speed, but this will suffice, as accuracy was good with this round as is.
I mentioned the project to a friend and last night he brought me over a box of Hornady's, so I guess it's back to the loading again. I'd already loaded 10 of the cast into the rifle and propped it in a corner ready to go...but now I guess it's back to the drawing board.

Kosh75287 · July 24, 2015, 01:14 PM

My thoughts about Re-7 were to keep the charges and pressures modest, but let the projectiles gain velocities with the slower-burning powders. At one time, Alliant published data for the .38-40 in rifles with Re-7, and they kept pressures within SAAMI specs.

The data is out there somewhere. I ran across another load in my search:
13.0/Alliant 2400/180 Cast. Gave 1300 f/s from a rifle, and below 14,000 C.U.P.

Kosh75287 · July 24, 2015, 01:39 PM

Found it. 2001 Alliant Reloading Data. 25.8/Re-7/180gr. Sierra JHP. Gave 1745 f/s, probably from a 24" barrel. Pressure was 13,500 c.u.p.

Old Stony · July 26, 2015, 06:27 PM

Now that is more what I had in mind!! Your assistance is really appreciated...Thank You

July 21, 2015, 03:49 AM	#1
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	38/40 jacketed loads? I've got a Winchester model 92 vintage of about 1895. It's an octagon 28" barrel that I had relined some years back. I haven't shot this for some time and decided to dig it out of the safe and hunt some with it. I have always used cast bullets out of it, but decided I would like to use some jacketed for a change. The headspace is nice and tight on it and it was always a good shooter with lead. I just thought I would like to try it with some 200 gr. jacketed bullets and wondered if anyone had any favorite loads for this combination. My barrel is a .400 dia. with a 1-25 twist. Last edited by Old Stony; July 21, 2015 at 10:12 AM.

July 21, 2015, 10:36 AM	#2
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I have a Winchester 92 made in 1904 in 38-40. I posted pictures http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=538258 my range notes Win 1892 25 gr H110 Win large pistol or magnum primer 180 gr plated 0.58" long seated 1.590" QL 25,656 psi 2012 fps 24" barrel Kicks like a 30-30 __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

July 21, 2015, 08:25 PM	#4
Kosh75287 Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2007 Posts: 820	With a 28" barrel, I might be tempted to try the slower-burning Reloader-7, but it might involve more experimentation than you have time for. __________________ GOD BLESS JEFF COOPER, whose instructions, consultations, and publications have probably saved more lives than can ever be reliably calculated. DVC, sir. انجلو. المسلحة. جاهزة. Carpe SCOTCH!

July 24, 2015, 01:14 PM	#7
Kosh75287 Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2007 Posts: 820	My thoughts about Re-7 were to keep the charges and pressures modest, but let the projectiles gain velocities with the slower-burning powders. At one time, Alliant published data for the .38-40 in rifles with Re-7, and they kept pressures within SAAMI specs. The data is out there somewhere. I ran across another load in my search: 13.0/Alliant 2400/180 Cast. Gave 1300 f/s from a rifle, and below 14,000 C.U.P. __________________ GOD BLESS JEFF COOPER, whose instructions, consultations, and publications have probably saved more lives than can ever be reliably calculated. DVC, sir. انجلو. المسلحة. جاهزة. Carpe SCOTCH!

July 24, 2015, 01:39 PM	#8
Kosh75287 Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2007 Posts: 820	Found it. 2001 Alliant Reloading Data. 25.8/Re-7/180gr. Sierra JHP. Gave 1745 f/s, probably from a 24" barrel. Pressure was 13,500 c.u.p. __________________ GOD BLESS JEFF COOPER, whose instructions, consultations, and publications have probably saved more lives than can ever be reliably calculated. DVC, sir. انجلو. المسلحة. جاهزة. Carpe SCOTCH!

July 21, 2015, 04:49 PM	#3
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	Thanks for your input. This is along the line I am contemplating. I have some Hornady .400 hp bullets and wanted to experiment with them for hunting purposes. I shoot a lot of hogs and smaller critters and want a little better performance than I get from my wimpy lead loads.

July 22, 2015, 06:54 PM	#5
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	I thought of some Re7 as one of the possibilities. I don't want to push the pressure envelope too far, just get a little bit better performance. The lead cowboy loads I'm shooting out of it now are probably in the 800 fps range. I guess I could pump them up a little and forget the whole jacketed thing really, but it seemed like an interesting project for me to play with.

July 24, 2015, 04:39 AM	#6
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	Couldn't find any 180 gr. jacketed bullets around here locally, and decided to just work up a cast load that would do a better job. I ended up at 10.5 gr of Unique and it's averaging 1418 over the chrono with no signs of excessive pressure. I probably could actually get a little more speed, but this will suffice, as accuracy was good with this round as is. I mentioned the project to a friend and last night he brought me over a box of Hornady's, so I guess it's back to the loading again. I'd already loaded 10 of the cast into the rifle and propped it in a corner ready to go...but now I guess it's back to the drawing board.

July 26, 2015, 06:27 PM	#9
Old Stony Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2013 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,705	Now that is more what I had in mind!! Your assistance is really appreciated...Thank You