Thoughts on Old Levergun Cartridges (some photos too)

...1954 built Model 71 in .348 Winchester... of course...
VieillesWinchester014.jpg

Very nice!! I've recently acquired a similar 'beauty' at a local gun show. A deluxe model 71 in about 98% condition. My favorite lever action/caliber combo and I got it to use as I'm not a collector. At a following gun show I picked up some components, in addition to some I found available at a shop in Edmonton.
I've loaded up a variety of jacketed and cast bullet loads and once it warms up a little more at the range, it'll be time for some serious 'testing'.
 
Thanks for sharing those pics. It look's like we have the same love affair with those
old Winchesters. My gun room has all those plus '73 's , '"76 's , '85's , & '86's.
I shoot them all , like you , with cast bullets. Last year my deer fell to a .32-40 in a Win.
1894 ,OBR made 1911. I will Hunt this year with the same in .38-55. The following year
will be a .40-82 M-'86. I killed an Elk in Albt. in 2005 with a Win. M-1895 ,made in 1904 , in .405 W. Nothing like hunting with an old Win. lever gun. AKA,,,,,,,Indian Frank
 
Very enjoyable read, great pictures and thoughts on a bye-gone era that some of us can only dream about. I bought my first lever action when I was 18....wow that's over 20 years ago. A Winchester in 30-30 that I paid 199$ for at Crappy Tire. This weekend I was going through my files and found the original reciept......the rifle was sold long ago. lol
 
I only have one lever gun... for now. :D
It's just a humble Win94 in 30/30 built back in 66.

I inherited it from my Father in law from my first marriage.

It is such a handy and fun rifle I doubt I could ever part with it.
Last year I treated it to a Williams aperture site and this simple change breathed new life into her.

And out of all the rifles I have it is the only one that gets the most truck rides and hike through the woods. It's like a good buddy dog. :)

I'll try to dig up a picture later...
 
Well lads, when I first started this thread, I hadn't met the 38-40 yet. I was over at a collector's place and he showed me this old Winchester Model 1892 38-40 (aka 38 W.C.F.), made in 1913. I wasn't interested in the cartridge, never had one, but that bore sure did look good. I kept thinking about it after I got home and before too much time went by, I bought it off him, intending to enjoy it for a few months and then sell it. Well, by gum, I sure do like this cartridge. The original Winchester load sent a 180 grain lead bullet out the barrel at 1,325 fps. In the early 1900's Winchester also began to sell a high velocity load for the Model 1892 that put a 180 grain bullet out the barrel at 1,770 fps and handloaders get up to 2,000 fps. Anyway, I stick with the original high velocity loads myself. This is a sweet cartridge. I know several fellows who have dropped Whitetail and Mule deer with this cartridge, using the slower black powder loads, all with one-shot kills. This is a cartridge with history, being first released in 1879 for the Winchester Model 1873. Here's a shot of the cartridge, and the old Model 1892 that I shoot it in ....

38-40-bullets.jpg


Win38-40-closer.jpg
 
My father gave me his old collection... he never fired it but I am looking for a few rounds so he can try his old Win 1894 in 32-40 I hope to fire it this summer. the gun was manufactured in 1907
 
32-40! Now there's an old-timer! I know a fellow who has an old Winchester Model 1894 in 32-20, but I've never fired one.
 
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