The .40 Cal?

[Jarikeen]

Just out of curiosity, are many of you shooting .40 cal? Is this a fair calibre for 50 yard paper and out to 100 yards silhoutte. I get the impression that it is a favourite of target shooters, but I suspect that are using conicals and not PRB.

I know this sounds like a stange thing, but I was thinking of putting a 30" x 13/16" .40 cal on my Scout which has a 28 3/8" x 13/16" in .45. Don't ask me why - its complicated. (I'd like a drop in barrel with a little more wall thickness - stupid I know).

Cheers

 

[roundball]

"...I get the impression that it is a favourite of target shooters, but I suspect that are using conicals and not PRB..."

No, they're shooting PRBs...

 

[Larry Pletcher]

It's my favorite caliber. Mine has a 42 inch Douglas barrel. It likes 40 gr of fffg with the .395 ball. I never have shot a conical in it. I always thought of it as a roundball version of a varmint rifle. I once saw 2000 fps on a chronograph - but not with 40 gr.
Regards,
Pletch

 

[bwhoffman]

I know this sounds like a stange thing, but I was thinking of putting a 30" x 13/16" .40 cal on my Scout which has a 28 3/8" x 13/16" in .45. Don't ask me why - its complicated. (I'd like a drop in barrel with a little more wall thickness - stupid I know).

Cheers

I put a 32 inch 40 on a TC hawken chassis, could not be happier with the shootability of this barrel. 50 yd paper puncher??? more like a 100 yarder easily. it has become my favorite shooter.
You wont regret your idea! Go for it!

Brett

 

[arilar]

I get the impression that it is a favourite of target shooters, but I suspect that are using conicals and not PRB.

Yes, we are using conicals for 100 meters distance in MLAIC-event "Whitworth". .40 are getting more and more popular over .451 and also at 50 meters in event "Vetterli" you find .38-.40 much more in favour compared to .44-.45 when using conicals (maxiballs and minies).
ARILAR :grin: :thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

Just out of curiosity, are many of you shooting .40 cal? Is this a fair calibre for 50 yard paper and out to 100 yards silhoutte. I get the impression that it is a favourite of target shooters, but I suspect that are using conicals and not PRB.
Cheers

The .40 is my favorite small bore caliber & it is Awesome. Great out to 100 yards if the wind is not too bad. Cheap to shoot & a kid or lady can easily shoot it as it has no recoil. IMHI, not enough punch for consistant sihoulette plates at 100 yards tho, unless ya really push the velocity. IMHO to be consistant on the 100 yard plates you need a 50 cal or more. With the 40 cal at 100 yards I hit the plates one day dozens of times, but only the ones hitting the bear on the ears or very top of his head would topple it, any other hit just shook or turned the plate a tad. But hits on the ears & very top of the head would barely topple it over. Just not enough ball weight & energy out there at 100 yards with this small ball & shooting normal loads. Possibly a conical would do it with the more energy at 100 yards, but I shoot all round balls in my ML rifles.

I like the .40 cal for general target shooting, .54 for hunting & sihoulette plate shooting.

:thumbsup:

 

[shmrck1]

Jarikeen,
I don't own or shoot a .40 but a lot
of folks I know do and swear by them. I have
a .45 GM barreled Hawken and I stay close, but
they do out-shoot me. But I think it is the
shooter, trading guns I think they would still
out-shoot me :hmm:
snake-eyes

 

[Herb]

I've built 8 or 9 or 10- have to go add them up. Still have, lets see, six? I really like .40's, and I have .45, 50 and .54 calibers also. Others around here also have .40s.

 

Yes, I have a little .40 custom flinter with a 37" barrel that shoots very well with 40 gr fffg and a .395 ball. The rifle started out as a percussion western PA style longrifle with a tapered barrel, but I made a flinter out of it. The maker howled that I would ruin its accuracy, but it didn't [he had it shooting real good in the original perc mode, but I don't know why he thought it would be less as a flinter...]. The little L&R Bailes lock he used lent itself to conversion reall easily. But, I might add that my old .45 is still my most accurate rifle since I traded off my old .36 years ago. I also shoot a .32, .50s(2), a .54 and a .62, and used to have a .58....The .54 shows signs of being very accurate, but is still in the breaking in stage. Basically, I do not believe any one caliber has a choke hold on "best accuracy". Individual barrels might, individual shooters might, but not calibers....

 

[redwing]

Birddog6 has it right. He has given you the advise of a some one who shoots. The little .40 is great but it has its limits. The little 98 Gr. ball will only do so much. If you live in an area where the wind blows, like the American West its only a fair weather rifle. :thumbsup:

 

[Ridge]

I have a .40 cal Berks County rifle with a 13/16ths, 38 inch barrel. It's my favorite rifle in my gunsafe.

Here's a question of my own if you don't mind;

What's the max charge you'd shoot out of 13/16ths barrel? I've been firing 60grains of 3f but recently cut it back to 50. The guy who built it said it would be ok to 65.

Anyone?

 

[Wehrmacht]

Ridge,

I have a contemporary early York rifle attributed to George Shroyer shown as #93 on page 408 of Dr.Shumway's Vol II of RCA. It's .40cal with a 42 inch very small Getz barrel. I've worked up two different loads using 3f GOEX, felt wad over the powder,PRB using .017 denim, dry lubed IAW Dutch Schultz's method.

First load is 30grains of powder,and the rifle is exceptionally accurate with this load which I will use on small game. The second load is 63 grains,and while it isn't quite as accurate as the first,it's almost there! In working up the top end load,I went up to 70 grains before settling on 63. I think 75 is a little high,and I didn't go there :winking:.

 

[Patricknwohio]

I have three 40 Cal. rifles 2 are Green Mountain drop in barrels and the other is a Mowery. Very accurate with patched round balls.

 

[DickJ]

I HAVE A .40 CAL FLINT LONG RIFLE THAT HAS BEEN IN LOTS OF MATCHES SHOOTING FROM 25YDS TO 125YDS AND TOOK AN ANTELOPE BUCK AT 80 YDS (WENT) BOUT 40 YDS BEFOR PILING UP.FROM A ROUND BALL AND 70 GRS OF FFF POWDER.I'VE ALSO HAD THIS RIFLE POKE A 40 CAL HOLE IN A 3/8 INCH SOFT STEEL GONG AT 30 YDS.WHILE THE SHOOTERS WITH THE LARGER CALS ONLY RANG IT.

 

[Java Man]

I also have two .40's for target shooting. I bought a steel spinner for my kids to shoot at with their ML'ers. Also noticed the .40 putting much depper dents than either .45 or .50 they were shooting.

Java Man