38-40/38 WCF

[Leadeye]

A long forgotten cartridge from the BP era of the 1870s, the 38WCF stubbornly hung on into the smokeless era. I'm enjoying this cartridge chambered in my 1902 Colt SAA, 1910 Winchester 1892, and 1915 Colt New Service. Brass is available from Starline, and while it doesn't look period correct, the Lee TL401-175-SWC is producing fine accuracy with Unique powder in all three firearms. Here it is compared for size with the .357 magnum.

 

[SEIndSAM]

Very Cool Leadeye, thanks for the education....

 

[Broom_jm]

Good stuff, Leadeye! I love the classics.

 

[Sling10mm]

For some reason I have a hankering for a Model 1873 in 38-40, or a 1876 in one of the even more obscure calibers (45-75, 45-60, or 40-60 I believe). No good reason for it, just have that bug in my brain.

 

[indy1919a4]

Why & how does it not look Period correct..?? But it does nook nice anyways... Those Neck down rounds always have a JE NE SAIS QUOU all their own..

 

[1988-4551]

I use the same load for my old Marlin.

 

[Leadeye]

View attachment 52601

I use the same load for my old Marlin.

Nice rifle, that Marlin looks like it's got some stories to tell.

Crimping behind that first band was what started me on using the Lee bullet, the truncated cone shape just didn't look right, but there's no arguing with accuracy and feeding.

 

[Leadeye]

For some reason I have a hankering for a Model 1873 in 38-40, or a 1876 in one of the even more obscure calibers (45-75, 45-60, or 40-60 I believe). No good reason for it, just have that bug in my brain.

I load an Accurate Mold bullet for my 1876 in 50-95 that looks like the Lee only larger. It drops 365 grains and I don't size it.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Bring them guns out to Paradise Pass and run them! We have quite a few shooters using 38WCF and 44WCF. Great with black powder!

 

[Cannon]

I've shot quite a few rounds out of my modern 1873 rifle in 38-40 with smokeless (Herco) and black powder. I've loaded 140 grain lead truncated cone bullets and 180 grainers. Getting the crimp just right with smokeless is a little tricky. The neck of the brass is so thin you can crush it with your fingers pretty easily. It's really not a big deal, but you have to be aware of the neck being fragile. Using BP it's really not an issue because the bullet can't slip back into the case. If you are shooting a six gun probably not to big of a deal on the crimp as well. A lever gun will have the bullets slip back into the case if the crimp is not solid.
I've thought about buying some hydra shocks and loading them up with Herco powder. I would probably have to add some type of cannelure to the bullet for a decent crimp on a jacketed bullet. I think you can buy jacketed hollow points from "Buffalo Arms" that already have the cannelure in the correct place for 38-40. A modern 20" rifle could get some pretty impressive velocities without a "max" charge from a .40 caliber bullet.

 

[Sling10mm]

I load an Accurate Mold bullet for my 1876 in 50-95 that looks like the Lee only larger. It drops 365 grains and I don't size it.

Yeah, I forgot about the 50 cal loading. Thanks for sharing.

 

[oldpink]

Not everyone knows it, but the old .38-40 was the ballistic and caliber model used to devise a new, more powerful auto-pistol round in the late 1980s by Colonel Jeff Cooper and the folks at a company known as Dorhaus & Dixon devising a handgun they would go on to dub the Bren Ten.
The result was the 10mm Auto and the Bren Ten.
The Bren Ten was cool, but the company who created it failed, while the 10mm is enjoying a resurgence, but it will have a long way to go to have the longevity of its inspiration, the .38-40.

 

[Leadeye]

Thanks oldpink, learn something new every day.

 

[oldpink]

Thanks oldpink, learn something new every day.

Yeah, but you could probably explain the nitty gritty of how to maximize accuracy from your old revolvers and lever guns for quite some time.
Come to think of it, your .38-40 handguns and rifles should be perfectly legal for deer should you choose, that is if you haven't already done that.
Out of your leverguns especially, it should be just about on par with the average .44 Magnum from a handgun.
There's a certain kind of cachet with bringing home a deer taken with a gun decades or even a century old.