Most Capable 40 cal?

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JonnyV
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Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by JonnyV »

Supposing you had a Shiloh in 45-70 with an 18 twist barrel and were thinking on rebarelling to 40 cal....which one do you pick and why?

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Don McDowell
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Don McDowell »

Depends a bunch on what profile of the barrel, and intended use.
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JonnyV
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by JonnyV »

Right now I'm just gong shooting, however, I may be able to retire within the next year and I really want to branch out and participate more in silhouette and long range target.

Currently, I have the Shiloh in 45-70 (18 twist), a CPA in 45-90 (15 twist) and a Shiloh on order in 45-2.6 (16 twist). My thought was to re-barrel the 45-70 into a 40 cal and use it primarily for silhouette but maybe also at the Q someday. So we'd be shooting out to about 800 with it. Might like to try out the Neilsen bullet in this caliber too...
kwilliams
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by kwilliams »

.40-82 silhouette would be my choice. Cases formed from .45-90 brass. Strong contender out to 800 yds.
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Luke
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Luke »

What's the barrel configuration?
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bobw
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by bobw »

Well Johnny, I don't have one but I've sure seen a lot of people getting all that done with a 40-65 with a 1 in 16 twist. Powder miser, starline brass, and or easily made from 45-70, not to hard to load and low recoil. The common sense answer, yours to use or lose. Bobw
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by gunlaker »

I'd pick a .40-65 in 1:16 or 1:14 twist for silhouette. For the reasons Bob mentioned. Longer range I'd use a .45-90. My Shiloh .40-65's and .45-90's shoot like laser beams. None of my .45-70's have quite managed the same accuracy for some reason.

I wouldn't use the same rifle for silhouette as long range. No point if you already own the bigger .45's.

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Don McDowell
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Don McDowell »

The 45-70 you have will do all of what you mentioned just fine.
The 40-70 ss would be a good pick for the sillhouette, and midrange, and where in the gong matches if the wind picks up it will work well too. The 40-65 is also a good choice, with mostly easier case availability if supply chains ever get caught up.
The 40-90 bn can be a decent long range gun, but to keep the recoil manageable it may not make weight for sillhouette, and it uses just about as much powder as my 110's do.
But I would seriously consider either ordering a new 40 caliber or looking for a good used one that isn't someone else's headache they're just looking to part with.
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Luke
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Luke »

Just me, but someday I'd like to have a Hartford configuration 40 2 1/4" BN to play with paper patch loading. Got plenty of 45 2.4 brass already.
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Clarence
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Clarence »

i agree with Don, with the additional statement that .40-70 brass is hard to come by. You should check with Buffalo Arms to see if they are able to get .30-40 brass to make their stretched .40-70 brass, which works fine; Hornady .405 brass, another option that requires a slightly larger chamber, is completely unavailable last I checked.

I have been shooting a Shiloh .40-65 with 16" twist for 25 years and find it shoots better than I do out to 600 yds. Less lead, less powder, less recoil than any other alternatives for silhouettes and mid-range.

As Don said, you have plenty options for the longer ranges.

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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by SSShooter »

The 40-65 can do it all out to 800yd (and longer) with proper loads. Both GG and PP.

The problem with the 40-70 and 40-82 is that virtually no-one shows up in the winners circle with them in this century. Plenty of folks try them but most become frustrated after a year or three. Not so with the 40-65, which is easy to develop good loads for.
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Don McDowell
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Don McDowell »

I really like the 40-70 ss, but not sure if the brass headache, and as picky as that ss can be finding a good load it really holds any advantage over the 40-65. The amount of powder difference isn't great between the two. Never have got around to chronographing the two in side by side comparison, but the recoil difference sure isn't decernable
The 40-70 bn, or the 45-60 bn both are something I always thought would be fun to tinker with.
The 40-90 bn will sure plant chickens in the berm if you aren't flinching so bad by the time you get to them. :lol:
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by Coltsmoke »

Don't give up the 45-70, get a good .40 Stainless barrel for the CPA.
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MikeT
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by MikeT »

My favorite 40 cal. in not my 40-82 Win, or 40-82 silhouette, or 40-65 Win, or 40-70SS, but my 40-50SBN. It hits the Buffalo at the Q with no problems. I am shooting a 40-65 equivalent load of 59 grains of 1.5 swiss, with a PP 386 grain bullet.

So, if you like grease groove bullets, a 40-65 would be a good one to consider.

Keep on hav'n fun!
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Re: Most Capable 40 cal?

Post by SchuetzenDave »

I have tried both the .40-65 WCF and the .40-60 Maynard both on a CPA action with both 30" barrels 16:1 twist.

The straighter walled .40-60 Maynard had better bullet concentricity and shot a slight bit better than the .40-65 WCF.
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