Mojave Lever Crew - Roll Call!

[Killer Bee]

John Hart Lone Ranger owned Ruger 44-40 Vaquero & in a Book

I HAVE OWNED THIS REVOLVER FOR 20+ YEARS. IT HAS ONLY SAT IN MY GUN SAFE. ONLY JOHN HAS EVER SHOT IT.

JOHN USED THIS REVOLVER FOR A FEW COWBOY ACTION SHOOTS & TARGET SHOOTING. HE ENJOYED IT AS ONE OF HIS FAVORITES. IT IS A REALLY COOL REVOLVER WITH PLENTY OF CHARACTER!

[pennstater]

I have a Winchester 92 rifle and a carbine chambered in 25-20. It is a great cartridge to shoot. The caveat is that, unlike the other calibers mentioned, no one makes brass for it any more. It used to be a seasonal production, but no longer. Finding brass can be a bitch, and since Speer discontinued their Hot Cor 60gr JFP, you are limited to cast or coated cast bullets. Iv' never had much luck with lead cast in this caliber, but the coated bullets from Missouri Bullets work well.

I only have about 800-900 of the Speer bullets left, so I'm stingy with them..... although I did win last week's pistol caliber lever-gun silhouette match with the rifle.

I posted this pic before, a long time ago. Here it is again - my vintage Winchester 1892 carbine collection. From the top down, 44-40, 38-40, 32-20, and 25-20:

Those are all really nice. Really like that 38-40! You're on a roll 'bossmsn!

MLC

[BOBGBA]

Speaking of 38-40.....

I was watching this one a couple of weeks ago. The dual caliber was interesting as I had never seen this combo. Unfortunately, there's other guns that are ahead of this one on the list.





There's many more pictures here, but I think they only stay up on GB for 90 days...https://www.gunbroker.com/item/922686348

[Killer Bee]

Try to find reasonably priced 25-20 brass or loaded ammo right now.
I'll wait...

these aren't terrible considering the rarity and shelf price of everything else

$1.93/rd 150rds
Winchester WESTERN .25-20 150 Rounds Ammo 25-20 Win 86 Gr SP Brass

$2.80/rd 250rds + some bonus brass
25-20 Winchester Western 6 Nice Factory Boxes of Ammo Ammunition 25 WCF

couple of auctions and buy now $2.80 - $3.80 /rd

https://www.gunbroker.com/Rifle-Ammunition/search?Keywords=.25-20&PageSize=24&Sort=5&View=1&Ch-Caliber=.25-20%20Win.

[ar15barrels]

Brass is available for the other 3 calibers ?

None of them are easy to get brass for right now.

[ar15barrels]

Thanks for posting this. I really need to get further into these flavors. That 25-20 looks like a fun one ...

Try to find reasonably priced 25-20 brass or loaded ammo right now.
I'll wait...

[200Apples]

Oh, and, someone, please! Change Randall's mind.

I have a 37 and a 49 but figured the 66 would be too heavy to swing nicely.
Change my mind...

[200Apples]

...and congrats on another bout of great shootin'!

[200Apples]

I agree in that I've always thought the Win '92 the most lovely lever action. The Win '73 has grown on me but it's action strength is lacking for the service of Magnum pressures.

The Marlin 1894, however, while not as svelte, trim or as just plain beautiful as the W'92... the Marlin is simpler, shoulders better and shoots just as well. The bonus! is it's ease of disassembly for a thorough action and bore cleaning.

Love 'em all.


In other news...

Glad to see the .44-40 brought up in discussion here. Yes, it's a bottleneck cartridge, but just barely so.

I've said this numerous times (forgive me) -and- I don't own anything so chambered, but for my metal buttplate Browning/Miroku/Win '92 in .44 Mag I will load some 205-grain moly coated .44s over so many grains Bullseye for 1100 fps from my gun's 20" bore... mimicking one of the four or five 19th Century black powder loads for .44-40. They're nice to shoot and in a pinch will serve for close range hunting (outside of CA) or defense.

[golfish]

They look well broken in..just beautiful guns. It's my opinion that the Winchester 92 is the perfect lever action.

Brass is available for the other 3 calibers ?

What's the age on them ?

[bigbossman]

Thanks for posting this. I really need to get further into these flavors. That 25-20 looks like a fun one ...

I have a Winchester 92 rifle and a carbine chambered in 25-20. It is a great cartridge to shoot. The caveat is that, unlike the other calibers mentioned, no one makes brass for it any more. It used to be a seasonal production, but no longer. Finding brass can be a bitch, and since Speer discontinued their Hot Cor 60gr JFP, you are limited to cast or coated cast bullets. Iv' never had much luck with lead cast in this caliber, but the coated bullets from Missouri Bullets work well.

I only have about 800-900 of the Speer bullets left, so I'm stingy with them..... although I did win last week's pistol caliber lever-gun silhouette match with the rifle.

I posted this pic before, a long time ago. Here it is again - my vintage Winchester 1892 carbine collection. From the top down, 44-40, 38-40, 32-20, and 25-20:

[golfish]

Yeah, I know.... but that's how the cowboy's rolled. 44-40, 38-40, 32-20. All bottle-necked, all pistol calibers that were used in revolvers and lever guns. Made thins simple out on the prairie. Even the little 25-20, but not sure if revolvers were chambered for that one.

Thanks for posting this. I really need to get further into these flavors. That 25-20 looks like a fun one ...

[bigbossman]

I've known for years that the 44-40 is a bottle neck cartridge but everytime I hear that it also works with the Colt 6 shooter I have to stop and think for a minute, you know what I mean?

A bottle neck cartridge in a revolver....??

Yeah, I know.... but that's how the cowboy's rolled. 44-40, 38-40, 32-20. All bottle-necked, all pistol calibers that were used in revolvers and lever guns. Made things simple out on the prairie. Even the little 25-20, but not sure if revolvers were chambered for that one.

[Killer Bee]

been shopping on and off for a Colt /Winchester pair in .44-40

this is all the further I got so far

[golfish]

Thanks. 44-40 is a wonderful cartridge to shoot, as is the sister cartridge 38-40. I'm after that next, already having Winchesters in both calibers.

I've known for years that the 44-40 is a bottle neck cartridge but everytime I hear that it also works with the Colt 6 shooter I have to stop and think for a minute, you know what I mean?

A bottle neck cartridge in a revolver....??