700x for 38-40?

[bigbossman]

I just picked up a nice 1892 winchester in 38-40, am researching loads for it. I happen to have a ton of 700x on hand, and Googling has revealed some general mention of using 700x for this caliber.

Does anyone have any experience with this cartridge and powder?

[FLIGHT762]

The Speer #14 manual, pg. 914, has data for the 180 gr. lead F/N & C/M bullets @ 4.6 gr. (754 FPS) starting to 5.1 gr. max. (789 FPS) for 700X.

Speer used a Colt new service 4.5" for the data.

[bigbossman]

The Speer #14 manual, pg. 914, has data for the 180 gr. lead F/N & C/M bullets @ 4.6 gr. (754 FPS) starting to 5.1 gr. max. (789 FPS) for 700X.

Speer used a Colt new service 4.5" for the data.

Thanks for that - it's a good starting point! Anyone else?

[Bumslie]

Lyman cast bullet #2

[bigbossman]

Thanks, Bumslie!

I just got off the phone with Hodgdon, and their tech recommended 5.0 to 5.7 grains with the second bullet in your scan - Lyman #401043. That is a good bit more conservative than the table in your book, which starts at 5.5 and goes all the way up to 9 grains. So, it looks like I have a couple of good starting points to consider.

[Bumslie]

When I get home from texas I'll browse through some more of my old books. I'm pretty sure I had some other data

[bigbossman]

Thanks Bumslie, I appreciate the effort!

As it happens, I just stumbled on this site:

http://castpics.net/dpl/

All kinds of good new and historical load data for most cartridges. As an example, under the tab "Reloader's Referene" I selected "Cast Bullet Data Lookup", chose "38/40" in the drop-down menu, and was presented with the table below. A virtual treasure trove of loading data, and exportable as either a csv or printer friendly HTML table:


Cartridge Bullet Weight in Grains Bullet Powder Max Charge (gn) Max Velocity OAL Load Source
38/40 Winchester 140 140 GR. CAST LRNFP Titegroup 5.9 983 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 140 140 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Clays 5 960 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 140 140 GR. CAST LRNFP Clays 5 960 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 140 140 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Titegroup 5.9 983 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 172 Lyman #40143 172gr Unique 10.2 1582 0 CastLoads L1
38/40 Winchester 172 Lyman #40143 172gr 2400 23.6 1980 0 CastLoads L1
38/40 Winchester 172 Lyman #40143 172gr IMR 4227 26 1996 0 CastLoads L1
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 AL Blue Dot 13.5 1276 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP HP-38 6.8 934 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP UNIVERSAL 7.5 955 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP TITEGROUP 6.4 990 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP CLAYS 5.5 889 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 Hodgdon Hs-6 11.5 1137 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 Hodgdon Hs-7 15 1356 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Titegroup 6.4 990 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Titegroup 6.4 990 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 Win 231 8 1159 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 Win 452 AA 7.5 1071 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 AA No 9 19 1296 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 AL 2400 18 1251 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Trail Boss 5.5 800 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Clays 5.5 889 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Titegroup 6.4 990 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Clays 5.5 889 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Clays 5.5 889 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 Hodgdon H4227 19 1181 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 AL Herco 11 1326 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Hp-38 6.8 934 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Hp-38 6.8 934 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 Lyman 401043 AL Unique 10 1220 0 Taffin
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Universal Clays 7.5 955 2 hodgdon
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Universal Clays 7.5 955 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180gr LRNFP Hodgdon Trail Boss 5.5 800 2 IMR
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Trail Boss 5.5 800 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP Universal 7.5 955 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 180 180 GR. CAST LRNFP HP-38 6.8 934 2 Hodgdon Web - Pistol data
38/40 Winchester 200 Lyman 401452 AL 2400 18 1394 0 Taffin

[bigbossman]

Just to circle back for closure, in case anyone is interested. I used a 180 grain LFN Badman bullet

5.0 grains of 700x worked pretty good, 5.5 grains was a real winner.... 1 -2' group at 50 yards. Just a tad better was 8 grains of Herco. This powder is the shiznit for 38-40, and the 5.5 grains of 700x is right behind it.

Three test loads, and I'm done. Development is over, no more calls I have a winner.