38-40 Six Gun

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  • NKBJ

    at the ark
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    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2010
    6,240
    149
    Decades ago I got my dad a 38-40 six shooter to go with his 1873 buck dropping rifle.
    Normal back then. 38WCF was what it was.
    Nowadays you can't find a revolver or a rifle
    So you fellas, anybody using 38-40?
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    All the time, a good cartridge in lots of guns. I think I use 8 grains of Unique and a 180 grain cast bullet.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,696
    113
    .
    I checked my stock, the bullet is a Lee truncated cone TL variety. Very accurate in the Winchester 1892 and various Colts.
     

    ECS686

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Dec 9, 2017
    1,704
    113
    Brazil
    I had no idea so many caliber existed until i joined this website. Always love these threads.

    Lots of unique cartridges from the old West era, some were and still are quite popular with the Cowboy Shooters. Obvious one might want to get into reloading for that interest. CAS shooting has received a lot of odd (for modern standards) callibers from yesteryear with a decent selection of brass bullets and loading data.

    Also it sort of seems the 38 -40 while a good round back in the day, was introduced a little too late to over take the 44-40 in a rifle/handgun combo and or 45 Colt in a handgun.
     

    AGarbers

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Feb 4, 2009
    1,360
    48
    Martinsville
    If you need components, check with The Outpost in Brazil. Duane and John are cowboy action shooters and have almost anything you need for those older cartridges. BUT, they are not open on weekends because they are out shooting.
     

    indy1919a4

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    41   0   0
    Jan 7, 2011
    2,009
    48
    Lots of unique cartridges from the old West era, some were and still are quite popular with the Cowboy Shooters. Obvious one might want to get into reloading for that interest. CAS shooting has received a lot of odd (for modern standards) callibers from yesteryear with a decent selection of brass bullets and loading data.

    Also it sort of seems the 38 -40 while a good round back in the day, was introduced a little too late to over take the 44-40 in a rifle/handgun combo and or 45 Colt in a handgun.

    In the 1880s about 10% of Colts 1873 SAA were made in 38-40
     

    NKBJ

    at the ark
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2010
    6,240
    149
    Passed up on a double action 38-40 a few years ago.
    I hope that mental incapacity was only a temporary condition.
     

    Lanternman

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Sep 5, 2017
    66
    6
    East Central
    It's a nice cartridge. I suppose there was just not a significant performance difference when the later smokeless cartridges came out and it just fizzled out.

    Seems like the "in-between" cartridges always struggle. love the .41 mag, but it sort of falls into the same category - overshadowed by the .44
     
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