40-85 Ballard velocity

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Bulseyetom
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:55 pm

40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by Bulseyetom »

I am shooting a Ballard Pacific with a 28" barrel using a dual diameter pp bullet weighting 330 grains. My load is 82 grains of Swiss 1.5 with two 0.060 hdpe wads. What is the approximate velocity of this combo? Thanks. Tom
beltfed
Posts: 1962
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:07 am
Location: Central Wi

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by beltfed »

I would say about 1425-1450fps
based on similar loads in my 40-72/ 370 grain bullet.
beltfed/arnie
beltfed
Posts: 1962
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:07 am
Location: Central Wi

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by beltfed »

MOre exactly:
40-72 Shiloh/16 twist/30 inch barrel
371 grain Elliptical MInigroove bullet 9+1 ww/lino

80 grains Swiss 1.5 Velocity: 1436fps over my Oehler 33 Chrono

79 grains gave 1423fps

beltfed/arnie
Bulseyetom
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:55 pm

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by Bulseyetom »

Thanks Arnie
craigos
Posts: 194
Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 10:10 pm
Location: Issaquah, WA

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by craigos »

is this a .403 bore like the 40-63/40-70 Ballard?
beltfed
Posts: 1962
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:07 am
Location: Central Wi

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by beltfed »

I can tell you that my 40-72 is 0.408 groove diameter
beltfed/arnie
Bulseyetom
Posts: 34
Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:55 pm

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by Bulseyetom »

I believe it is a .403 barrel with a 1:20 twist. Haven't shot it in a year so don't remember all of the details but it is a fairly accurate old original Ballard. Tom
beltfed
Posts: 1962
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:07 am
Location: Central Wi

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by beltfed »

Tom,
COW suggests that the 40-85 ballard did indeed have a 403 BORE and a 408-410 Groove. So, a patch to 403 bore , fitting the PP
chamber with a 0.403 patched bullet that has to bump up . Common back in the day and even now.
beltfed/arnie
marlinman93
Posts: 200
Joined: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:17 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: 40-85 Ballard velocity

Post by marlinman93 »

craigos wrote: Sat Jan 07, 2023 6:16 pm is this a .403 bore like the 40-63/40-70 Ballard?
I own 6 original Ballard rifles in .40-63, and one in .40-85 on a Pacific. All with excellent bores, and none are as small as .403". All of them have groove diameters between .409"-.411" when slugged.
And Marlin built all their .40 calibers as a 1:20" twist rate. Same for their .38-55 barrels.
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