Not your Grandpa's 38-40 WCF...

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As always, first I measured out the gun. Very tight and extremely well made cylinder. The throats are all .401" which is perfect for cast and jacketed bullets. Barrel gap is .0015" and Starline Brass has .002" gap to the recoil shield.

I won't post load data unless Gary OKs it. I did not build this gun to plink with.

Using 2400 (plenty of it) I pushed the 200 grn GT Hollow Points out the muzzle at a solid 1375 fps. I worked up to this load using the same five cases. They remain in excellent shape. Fired cases fall from the chambers with no effort. The tight chambers nearly eliminate the need for resizing.

I didn't experience a hint of leading with the none gaschecked bullets.

Loaded rounds drop into the cylinder with no problem. Accuracy averaged 1-1.25" and I believe that's about my best.

I have Linebaugh's Data to push the 200s up to 1600 fps. But, probably won't ever load it that hot. This moves another old warhorse into the very useful category.

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Are you looking to adopt any extra children?? LOL the gun is a beauty !!

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those grips and make them "perfect fit" to that gripframe. They are so pretty grain.

You can do very naughty things with the .38-40 case. It has huge capacity. Cases can stick if you don't know what to do. But a very fun and useful .400 caliber cartridge. With some advanced skill and resources it can fit right between the .41 GNR and .410 GNR, but the cartridges are little bombs forgotten or let astray. Gary's .401 GNR remedied that situation and is the full equal of the .41 GNR. Maybe even better with some custom bullets.

I have toned down things to sub-sonic and have been enjoying it very much. Mr. Taffin's excellent article on the .38-40 is still circulating on the net and can be found. A must read for the .400 fancier, I'm indebted to his efforts. Why re-invent the wheel? I'm growing a little wearing of blasting the crap out of paper targets and stinging my hand in recoil. New powders are a fun diversion and the old stand-by's work just as good as they always have. At first I worried about bullet pull with non-cannuler 10mm bullets but problems have not arisen. I like to be on the weird side of things and the .38 WCF fills that bill. I'd love to have a modern 1873 rifle in the caliber. I'll have to save $ome change.