Who Shoots .40 cal?

[Huntschool]

Well, I had the H&A out today and tested five shots each from 30 to 45 grains 3f goex, in five grain increments. So far the 45 gr. fffg is the winner. I hope to extend it to 60 grains tomorrow. After that, I'll start over again using ffg goex. I'm using a .395 ball with .018 pillow ticking patch. Not as accurate as my .54 so far, but getting there.

Sinner: I dont think 2FFg is the way to go in a .40. Thats just my opinion. My primary .40 is a Getz Transition barrel from back in the day (like plus 40 years ago) which I had Getz rifle 1:66. Yep, thats slow but..... It shoots a 30 gr load of FFFg for squirrels (one hole group at 25 yards) and a 90 gr of FFFg for bigger stuff quite well. Your 1:48 twist may shoot better with lighter loads as the barrel "breaks in" or you might try a thicker patch with a lighter load.

JMHO

 

[stewart.leach]

I love the 40 caliber, have two of them, one fine Jack Patterson lefty flinter, the other a lefty from a Pecatonica Southern Mountain kit in percussion.

The Patterson rifle has a Getz barrel, and won't admit a Hornady .395 ball except with a patch so thin it burns through. Had to get a Lee mold in .385 diameter. Shoots best groups with 40 grains of GOEX 3Fg.

The very plain Southern Mtn rifle has a Colerain barrel, shoots very nicely with .395 ball, ticking patching from Wally Mart, and 30, 35 and 40 grains of GOEX 3Fg.

Both rifles are great for hunting cotton and squirrels, and do well on paper. Won Grand Aggregate (flint plus perc) at 2018 Buckhorn Skinners Squirrel Shoot. Flinter won first flint at 2018 Colorado Masters shoot at Fort Lupton ML Club.

Fort Lupton Muzzle Loading Club is the site of the NMLRA Colorado Territorials June 14, 15 and 16, and Colorado State Shoot August 30, September 1 and 2. Purpose built as a ML range, it's a great place to shoot. Located 25 minutes north of Denver, two hundred yards from the site of the 1837 Fort Lupton trading post. Come shoot with us!

 

[nkbj]

TC Hawken rebarrelled with a .40 1-16 twist, globe and tang sights. Have hardly shot it, keep getting rained out this spring.

What mold will you be using in that 16" twist?
How wide are your lands versus the grooves?

 

[Einsiedler]

I had a .40 Bedford perc style rifle over 35 years ago built by a local fellow and in a fit of insanity I sold it. Killed a bunch of deer and hogs with it. About 3 years ago I was moving into my new shop and found an old Douglas 15/16” AF 40 bbl I forgot I had for the past 40 years or so.

So, I built this one about 2 years ago from a second stock (couple of worm holes) from Pecatonica. Davis Jäger lock ( yeah I know it isn’t percussion). 50 grns of FFFG. 390 RB. Nice and easy to tote in the woods!

 

[Sinner]

I hear ya Huntschool, but I had a couple guys in the area swear that their .40 rifles with 1:48 shoot ragged one hole groups at 50 yds off a rest with .395 ball, pillow ticking and 40 gr. ffg Goex. I find it's always worth a try. I remember when I was told my Lyman GPR with 1:60 twist .54 wouldn't shoot conicals worth a hoot. It shot VERY well with Lee REAL bullets and 90-100 gr. fffg Goex.
I surely appreciate your input

 

[Sinner]

I had a .40 Bedford perc style rifle over 35 years ago built by a local fellow and in a fit of insanity I sold it. Killed a bunch of deer and hogs with it. About 3 years ago I was moving into my new shop and found an old Douglas 15/16” AF 40 bbl I forgot I had for the past 40 years or so.

So, I built this one about 2 years ago from a second stock (couple of worm holes) from Pecatonica. Davis Jäger lock ( yeah I know it isn’t percussion). 50 grns of FFFG. 390 RB. Nice and easy to tote in the woods!

I like it!

 

[Rockvillerich]

View attachment 10041 View attachment 10042

Me!

North Carolina.40 rifle, H&H straight tapered barrel 1:48 twist, L&R lock

 

[52Bore]

It appears there are lots of good ones out there.
My only 40 RB.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather shot a 40 caliber. He packed it from Missouri to Oregon in 1845. Many are the times over the years I've fondled this rifle and wished it could tell me a story or two. I did load it up with a Dixie 40 cal round ball back in the 70's and missed a duck that was sitting on a pond below the hill I was standing on. The bore is so bad I haven't shot it since.

JS

 

[gharrod]

I have a half-stock back-action lock .40 caliber percussion rifle similar to yours. It belonged to my step-Mom's step-father's grandfather, who won it as first prize at a shooting match in Massachusetts in the 1850's. Dad passed it along to me before he died in 2014. The bore is in excellent condition, but the nipple was buggered up, probably from kids dry-firing it, and the front sight was missing. I took it to Al Edge here in Va., who made a new German silver front sight for it, replaced the nipple, thoroughly inspected it, gave it a 'clean bill of health' for shooting and also measured the rate of twist of the barrel, which is 1-in-25 inches. I've got in on paper at 50 yards, but need to fine-tune it and see how tight I can get it to group before I take it squirrel hunting. The tang is is drilled and tapped for a screw-in 'lollipop' type tang sight, but that must have disappeared years ago.

 

[Rockvillerich]

It appears there are lots of good ones out there.
My only 40 RB.
View attachment 10051

Great looking halfstock. Is that an English pattern rifle?

 

[Rockvillerich]

I have a half-stock back-action lock .40 caliber percussion rifle similar to yours. It belonged to my step-Mom's step-father's grandfather, who won it as first prize at a shooting match in Massachusetts in the 1850's. Dad passed it along to me before he died in 2014. The bore is in excellent condition, but the nipple was buggered up, probably from kids dry-firing it, and the front sight was missing. I took it to Al Edge here in Va., who made a new German silver front sight for it, replaced the nipple, thoroughly inspected it, gave it a 'clean bill of health' for shooting and also measured the rate of twist of the barrel, which is 1-in-25 inches. I've got in on paper at 50 yards, but need to fine-tune it and see how tight I can get it to group before I take it squirrel hunting. The tang is is drilled and tapped for a screw-in 'lollipop' type tang sight, but that must have disappeared years ago.

Wow, with a 1:25 twist you could shoot .40 cal. bullets, and I'd be surprised if it didn't perform well.

 

[Eterry]

Here's the pics of my Isaac Haines Early Lancaster. I've shot it with 40grs fffg behind .395 prb's and 60grs fffg behind 197gr REAL conicals.
I haven't shot it for group yet, me and the flintlock are having a love/ hate relationship... here's a 5 shot group with 1 flyer. The top spot was my aiming point.

 

[nit wit]

I have a .40 cal vincent, sweet little rifle!
Nit Wit

 

[jlatz]

I have a .40 cal vincent, sweet little rifle!
Nit Wit

I have been using a .40 Vincent style rifle since 1992. It was made by Wes Rowe. The Green Mountain barrel performs very well. It has been to many events to include the rifle range at Friendship.

 

[gharrod]

Wow, with a 1:25 twist you could shoot .40 cal. bullets, and I'd be surprised if it didn't perform well.

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That was my thought as well, but I've yet to locate a source for .40 cal. hollow-base bullets, and I'd rather not go to the expense of having a custom mold made, so I'll stick with patched round ball for now.

 

[Rockvillerich]

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That was my thought as well, but I've yet to locate a source for .40 cal. hollow-base bullets, and I'd rather not go to the expense of having a custom mold made, so I'll stick with patched round ball for now.

I'd try a regular 10mm lubed lead pistol bullet if you can fine some. I shoot a 38-40 that uses that sort of projectile. Lyman's #40103 mold that casts a two grove 172 grain 1.59" OAL bullet would be a good choice. TC had solid base miniballs they used to sell, but they didn't stabilize all that well with the 1:48 twist rifling.

 

[Roach Holder]

My newest drool-worthy 40 Cal beauty. This Lehigh Valley style rifle was made by Allen Martin, of Pennsylvania. He is a master gun maker and makes seriously beautiful muzzleloaders. Rice swamped 40 cal 1/48 twist, M&G lock and 3 pound trigger.

 

[flntlokr]

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That was my thought as well, but I've yet to locate a source for .40 cal. hollow-base bullets, and I'd rather not go to the expense of having a custom mold made, so I'll stick with patched round ball for now.

I shot quite a few .477 bullets thru a .50 cal TC. I patched the bullets for a tight fit. they worked surprisingly well. You might try the same with .38 bullets. Pistol bullets might work well for you.

 

[gharrod]

I shot quite a few .477 bullets thru a .50 cal TC. I patched the bullets for a tight fit. they worked surprisingly well. You might try the same with .38 bullets. Pistol bullets might work well for you.

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Thanks! If I was smart, I'da thunka that. I'm a reloader, so I've got lotsa pistol bullets on hand.