40 2-5/8"

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50gunner
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:49 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

DD, got it, Thanks Michael, interesting on the dual diameter bullets, can they be a pain to roll a patch on? Thanks for the info on BACO and Beltfed as well, i fired the partial fire formed RMC cases with bullets this time for a final form to my chamber, range tool wouldn't fit deep enough to knock the primers out, used a 500 Nitro Express sizer die to do that, will have machine shop bud turn the range tool down enough to fit, these cases will never see a size die again, i'll trim them all to a uniform 2.625"

They fit the chamber very nice, also a very snug finger seat tells me the bullets aren't going anywhere till the primer pops, i loaded them back:

4 with 100gr Swiss FG
3 with 95gr OE 2F
3 with 90gr OE 2F
I'll chronograph those checking extreme spreads and fouling, after trimming will load for groups, i failed to mention this rifle is a full buck horn, copper penny barrel sighted hunting rifle, it has a 16 twist.

My bullet is 1.285" long and has a 0.250" flat meplat, weighs 396gr at 40 to 1, it's a great hunting bullet.
50gunner
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:49 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

WOW! unexpected ally in 95gr OE 2F, bullets set 0.200" in RMC cases, 1481 fps with 18 fps extreme spread, best part was able to load the second round with no wipe/blow tube, definite re-visit here, chickened out and trimmed all 14 cases to 2.630 inch, approaching with caution, 90gr OE 2F wasn't as soft as the 95gr charge, going right back to what Don said about pressuring up for a cleaner burn.

95gr OE 1.5 F may be the ticket, would need to drive up to Powder Inc. in Clarksville and get a case, will also check back with the Goex FG for fouling and accuracy even if it is 150 fps slower than the OE 2F, this is starting to fall in line, 100gr Swiss 1F fouled harder than a whores heart in my rifle today.
50gunner
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:49 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

BTW, muzzle was 6 big steps [18 feet] from chronograph, that may correct to 1500 fps even, the makings of a great flat shooting hunting load provided the accuracy is there.
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desert deuce
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by desert deuce »

going right back to what Don said about pressuring up for a cleaner burn.

Oh, oh.......next he will be moving you to a rock quarry. :roll:
Sometimes you get the chicken, and sometimes you get the feathers!
Michael Johnson

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by Michael Johnson »

Fouling is a huge consideration if shooting more than a couple of shots in a hunting situation. In other words, not so much. I have never taken more than two shots at an animal. For target shooting with the 40-90BN, I am wiping with MPro7 between shots. Even wiping with 1/10 Napa cutting oil/ distilled water, fouling is not an issue.I like the velocity and consistency with Swiss powder 3Fg in my 40-65 and 45-70, and 1Fg in my 45-2.6 and 40-90BN. The blow tube works well for the 40-65 and 45-70 in western WA. Wiping works well everywhere else.For target work in the larger cartridges, wiping helps a lot.
50gunner
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:49 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

Agreed on hunting and fouling as well Michael.

Africa:
45-70, 530gr paper patch, Cape Buffalo
45-70, 530gr paper patch, Zebra
50-90, 750gr Brooks flat nosed grease groove, Eland
50-90, 750gr Brooks flat nosed grease groove, Sable
All one shot each with PH requesting insurance shot on Buffalo and Eland, they were not needed.

Since early 2012 when Bill Bagwell told me to throw all the crap i had for that "illegitimate red headed stepchild" 45-120 in the truck and get it down there for a weekend of casting, paper patching, sight building, shooting and fine dining from his Wife Sidra, that's when the hook was set, ten '74' Sharps rifles later i see no end in sight, i have shot over three dozen whitetail deer and a half dozen pigs with '74 Sharps rifles, buck horn barrel and copper penny front sight. all one shot each, i did have a couple dying bucks look up at me when i walked over, they got the Colt 45 SAA, no need to prolong it.

Longest shot so far has only been 212 yards.

At the chronograph yesterday i did wipe between every shot, was able to load and unload shot #2 with 95gr OE 2F, but wiped anyway with spit patch.
77 sharps
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 77 sharps »

I’ve been loading using KIK powder for over a decade with great success. Able to fire 10 plus shot strings with 2.5 MOA accuracy. There’s two problems with this. First, sooner or later I’ll run out of KIK powder, second, I can’t tell others how to load sporting ammunition for their Buffalo rifle. About 3 months ago I started testing loads. Yesterday I fired 10 shots from my.44 - 2 1/4 that were just one smear on the plate at 100 yards and no chambering problems using Goex 3FG powder. Today I took 5 rounds of.40 2 5/8 SBN to the range and fired all 5 rounds with no chambering problems. 100 grains of Goex 3FG, milk carton wad on top and compressed to .5” below the case mouth, .25” lube wad and a second carton wad over the powder. Then twisted in a DD 350 grain PP Bullet. All cartridges chambered freely but I suspect that I have too much vertical dispersion so when I get a chance I will start backing off the powder charge 2 grains at a time and hopefully reduce the vertical before I get excessive fouling. This is the first time I have ever been able to get a.40-2 5/8 SBN to shoot clean enough to shoot multiple shots easily.
50gunner
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

That's great news 77 Sharps, thank you, does your 40 2-5/8th" have a 5 or 7 degree leade? my rifle is the first one i've worked without a leade, save two original '74's in 45 2-7/8, i have no idea what chambers they have, sad deal about KIK, it was great shooting soft fouling powder, i have 5lb KIK 2F left, use it with patched ball in a 58 cal Hawken rifle only.

The 40 2-5/8ths has been a real challenge, work/farm has got in the way of more shooting so far this week, if i can get to the first shot from a clean cold barrel landing with the rest of the group, and being able to no wipe/blow tube fire two rounds without excessive accuracy robbing fouling i'll be good to go, after two rounds i'll be back at the low water bridge with a kill for dressing and cooling the meat, a wiping stick and patches are there in case more hunting is needed for the day, will need to really have max overboard fouling control now during workup, as humidity is typically much less during hunting season

Interesting on your 44 2-1/4, I've never had a rifle and load come together quicker, shoot as accurate and clean as the period correct Buffalo rifle Shiloh built me a couple years ago, #3 Sporter, checkered steel shotgun butt, 30" #1 heavy octagon polished blue barrel, bone pack colors, fire blued screws with schnabel fore end, and hand select dark wood stocks, there reamer with 7 degree leade, 1.285" long, base pour, parallel sided paper patch bullet from a Brooks mould, 0.250" meplat, weighs 480gr at 40/1 alloy, around 475gr at 16/1, new Jamison cases, BR2's, 77gr Old Eynsford 2F compressed with playing card wad, 0.200" black magic grease cookie, another playing card wad with patched bullet twisted in 0.200, 1381 fps, with several single digit extreme spreads at the chronograph, great hunting load in a fine, fine built rifle, it's a real sweetheart i'm very proud to own and one of my favorites.
77 sharps
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 77 sharps »

I don’t believe that the lead has anything to do with putting the first clean-bore shot into the group. I have several rifles with the standard 45 Deg lead for groove diameter bullets and four rifles with bore diameter chamber’s with the 7 Deg lead. All of them put the first shot into the group with the possible exception of the.40-2 5/8 BN. That one I have not really tested yet.

I’ve had the.40-2 5/8” BN for about 25 years and have been trying to get it to shoot a hunting load on and off for years. I cringe every time someone asks about it on the forum. On the other hand, my 44-2 1/4. SBN has been a real gem. My rifle is a Hartford with a military butt, polished barrel, Lawrence sight, and a blade front sight. It’s becoming my favorite ever though I have much fancier rifles. My load is 75 grains of KIK 1 1/2 or 2 fg, or 75 grains of Goex 2fg. The powder is compressed.5” below the case mouth with a milk carton wad. A 1/4” lube wad under another carton wad and twist in a 405 grain DDPP bullet.
50gunner
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 12:49 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

Thanks 77 Sharps, maybe my 40 2-5/8" is just a special kind of cranky, i tried clean cold barrel shot with leaving the olive oil in the bore, adding more oil to a patch hoping to simulate a fouled bore, the only thing i could do to get it to fire a 1 inch three shot group at 50 yards was an extremely tight spit patch followed by a dry patch, i dont care for the idea of a rust magnet bore while out hunting all kinds of weather conditions.

More testing with the 95gr charge of OE 2F when time allows, loaded all 14 sticks of RMC brass to that load late last night, my paper patch flat nosed hunting bullet patches up to 0.398 inch with 40/1 alloy, this cartridge is definitely a challenge!
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Don McDowell
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by Don McDowell »

Not sure exactly why getting a hunting load together for the 40-90 bn would be a problem.
Mine went quick, and then moving on to a long range load was easy enough.
I think the problem most folks run into with the thing is the recoil is rather nasty. So much so that shooting a 110 seems pleasant.
Fouling problems, more powder. Fire formed cases giving troubles, more powder, the fire formed cases have more capacity than the new ones.
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
50gunner
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Location: Oklahoma

Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

Don, getting the nice round 3 shot group at 50 yards is the challenge, not to mention being able to load and fire two rounds without wiping stick or blow tube, also need to be able to load and unload round number three from a fouled bore without leaving my bullet stuck in the barrel like a crackhead, and yes i've heard of that happening, getting a good handle on the fireformed brass to absolute max chamber length, good tight twist in seating to 0.200, just got off the phone with Tom out at RMC a minute ago.

I still want to give the OE 1.5F a try.
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Don McDowell
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by Don McDowell »

1f is where thing happen
AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
50gunner
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

Recoil and torque with this rifle/round is an absolute non-issue with me, 30 rounds benched of 777gr paper patch bullets from a 50-90 over 130gr Swiss FG, yes, 300gr black powder under an 850gr patched round ball 8 Bore rifle, hell yes! you get the idea, not to mention 500 Nitro, 505 Gibbs and 577 Nitro, those will all command the nut behind the butts attention to detail, if not, one will dearly pay.
50gunner
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Re: 40 2-5/8"

Post by 50gunner »

Ten 4 on 1F, may pick up some of that in Old Eynsford if the Goex doesn't pan out, Thanks.
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