.38 WCF (.38-40) load question

TomBullweed · October 06, 2010, 09:13:26 PM

I am slowwwwly moving to the darkside! I already shoot APP FFg in my 12 gage load for an original 1887.
I am now ready to load .38 WCF for an original 1892 with a 24" barrel. I am leaning to the 155 or 175 grain bullets due to availability. Any load preferences out there? Any loading die preferences?
I like the clean-up and availability of the APP, but I am willing to try other powders.

Montana Slim · October 06, 2010, 09:26:31 PM

Since your getting your feet wet using APP, I'd recommend continuing to use that propellant until (if/when) you decide to take the deeper plunge into real BP. I'd stick to the heavier bullet....I believe the original loadings were 180 grain. Use enough powder (volume) to bring the powder level up to or slightly above the base of a seated bullet. That's about it. Since your using APP special lubes aren't needed....but be sure to soak your brass soon as I hear it's tough on brass, and you don't want to waste expensive 38-40 cases.

Speaking of brass, your choices are pretty much limited to Starline. I've seen good & bad Starline 38-40 brass....the "bad" split after only 1-2 firings. Dies: Lee dies are acceptable, but in my experience I've had to send 38-40 & 44-40 back to Lee for (free) adjustment of the sizing die (alllow sizing the shoulder down lower).

I have no 38-40s of my own..but my Pa has 3-4 revolvers, a Colt Lightning, & Winchester 1873 in this chambering. I'm a 44-40 man for the most part.

Regards,
Slim

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · October 06, 2010, 09:39:15 PM

I agree with Montana Slim; But I use GOEX FFFg., enough for a bit of compression. My bullet is the RCBS 180 gr. cowboy mould. The .40/10mm mould does not have a crimp groove, but while I had it it worked well enough.

I use RCBS Cowboy dies with no problems in my original SAA (1896).

About LEE dies; I have several LEEs, and the .44-40's are very good for me. I had to shorten them to accommodate a very tight chambered Ruger OMV, but no fault to the dies.

Ranch 13 · October 06, 2010, 10:46:26 PM

I like the hornady dies. The rcbs 180 mould, and either goex 3f xpress or schuetzen 2f. As sir charles has said enough to compress the powder a tad.

August · October 07, 2010, 11:47:17 PM

Most of the 155 grain bullets in .401 are Keith-type semi-wadcutters. These can make your rifle grumpy.

Big lube boolits are the way to go in the 38-40. The Big Lube is a 180 grain, which is perfect for the rifle and a little heavy for the pistols. So, you can use fillers to do your pistol loads.

APP and other subs are a vexation to the spirit.

TomBullweed · October 08, 2010, 05:08:40 PM

Alright, you all have convinced me.
I will start with 180 grainers from Meister or XBullets.
Winchester LP's
Starline brass
Powder - I will try real FFG BP if I can find a local, sustainable source.

Ranch 13 · October 08, 2010, 05:14:19 PM

Order 5 or 10 lbs of black from Grafs or Powder Inc. That'll last you a good long while and will cost less per pound than the junk you're shootin now.

Fairshake · October 18, 2010, 10:58:49 PM

If you use the bullets you stated then they will not hold enough lube for BP. If you don't cast your own then contact Springfield Slim to purchase some. If you do cast then the RCBS 40-180cm or 40-180FN will work well. App is not a BP but a sub powder.

Dick Dastardly · October 19, 2010, 10:14:02 AM

Howdy TomBullweed,

Welcome to the Darkside.

If you haven't already done it, get your barrels slugged and miked. I've found 38-40s running all up and down the scale from .400" to .412". I have a "Mystery" pistol that has a .412 barrel and had .402 chambers. It hadn't been shot much cuz there was no way it was ever going to hit anything. I had the chambers reamed to match the barrel and am now in the process of getting a custom mold, lube/size die and loading die set made.

Last weekend I was asked to shoot a Marlin 38-40 for a very accurate shooter that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. I couldn't hit anything with it either. He'll be slugging the barrel and I'm betting that it's not anything like the .401" lube sized bullets he was shooting.

I really think the 38-40 is the perfect SASS pistol/rifle caliber. It's a great balance of power, smoke, accuracy and recoil. Expect some real shooting fun when you get your loads worked out.

DD-DLoS

Wills Point Pete · October 20, 2010, 05:33:29 AM

Dick, the next time you get a mismatched throat/bore size mess, before you go to reaming throats, try a nearly dead soft lead bullet. Say anything from one to forty to pure lead. Back when I was a kid we had several "Frankenstein" Colt SAAs around with that problem. Even one part tin to sixty parts lead is enough to help fill out the mold and give good bullets. And I don't see leading with BP, even using those pure lead swaged bullets from Remington, even with the case rammed full of ffg with a homemade compression die, ramming the powder to where I can turn the case upside down with the powder not falling out. That was when I was seeing if the old canard that you can't load forty grains in a modern .45 case. Um, yes I can. Not without a certain amount of hoo-rah but it can be done. Get a tad of muzzle jump, too.

Too bad we didn't hold on to those old guns when we were kids, they'd be worth some money these days.