The .40-82 Winchester

[larryo_1]

I know that I am probably treading on hallowed ground when I ask this question since it is not dealing with the '76 Winchester but am curious.  Does anyone mess around with the .40-82?  I got three of them.  One is a Rolly block, one is an '86 and one is a custom redone '71.  Now don't bite my head off but am just curious.

[Grizzly Adams]

I know that I am probably treading on hallowed ground when I ask this question since it is not dealing with the '76 Winchester but am curious.  Does anyone mess around with the .40-82?  I got three of them.  One is a Rolly block, one is an '86 and one is a custom redone '71.  Now don't bite my head off but am just curious.

Hi, Larryo.  Not a thing wrong with our question, Amigo!  I don't have any experience with the 40-82, but I'll bet someone will chime in!

Buck, you have an 86 in this caliber?

[Buck Stinson]

Larryo,
I've had a few 1886 rifles and carbines in .40-82 WCF, as well as an 1885 Highwall single shot.  It is a GREAT caliber.  Winchester actually considered it their first .40 caliber express round.  It is a fast and flat shooting caliber and great for any medium size game, up to and including elk.  It's a fairly easy and inexpensive cartridge to reload and you can make brass from .45-70.  You do have to pay close attention to matching the size of the bullet to the size of the bore, which means the same bullet diameter may not work in all three of your guns.  Have fun.

Adios,
Buck

[larryo_1]

   Thanks Buck.  I have already run into that problem.  One needs to slug both the breach and muzzle on these rifles.  and, I agree that it is a very flat shooter as some of my kills can attest to.  My son has a custom .40-82 on a model 71 receiver.  Got a deer with that here a few years back and the bullet went in and out leaving the same size hole but the liver looked like chopped jello.

[Delmonico]

The 40-82 is based on the 2.4" case, not the 2.1" case, also called the 45-70.  You need 45-90 cases to form the round.

[Buck Stinson]

The .45-90 brass will certianly work but I have 200 rounds of .40-82 that I made out of Remington .45-70 brass.  They are all trimmed to length at 2.399.  When you reform the cases from .45 down to .40, they will grow in length.  In fact enough so, where you'll have to trim them back to the proper .40-82 length.  If you use good brass to begin with, the reforming will not leave you with weak cases.

Adios,
Buck

[Delmonico]

The .45-90 brass will certianly work but I have 200 rounds of .40-82 that I made out of Remington .45-70 brass.  They are all trimmed to length at 2.399.  When you reform the cases from .45 down to .40, they will grow in length.  In fact enough so, where you'll have to trim them back to the proper .40-82 length.  If you use good brass to begin with, the reforming will not leave you with weak cases.

Adios,
Buck

Dang, I never figured they'd grow that much, I was just basing it on COW and length.  Interesting.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

My .45-70 R-P cases formed to .40-65 never "grew" THAT much!

[larryo_1]

All my .40-82 cases are either original brass, Bertram (early stuff), or stretched 45-70 cases.  Do have some old CCC cases that were 45-90's.  I do have to trim from time to time and do anneal after about 5-10 shots but other than that no problems.  In my single shot I shoot paper patched bullets seated out farther than for the lever guns.  It sure is a fun caliber to play with I'll grant you that.

[Buck Stinson]

Buffalo Arms used to offer .40-82 brass, which was reformed from .45-70.  I see that they still list reformed brass in this caliber but they don't say what they use as the basic.  As Larryo said, annealing your brass is a good thing.  I always anneal before I reform anything.  This not only allows the cases to "grow" to the proper length, but it will also prevent the lose of any brass during the reforming process.

Adios,
Buck