I Guess It's Set.

[Kansas Ed]

Went out yesterday with 5 possible rifles to pick the two I would be hunting with this year.
1895 40-72
1894 25-35
1873 38-40 (30")
1895 303Brit
Pre '64 Mod 70 300 H&H

The 1895 .303 Shot great, but was exhibiting brass issues, so pulled all the bullets this morning and switched to all new brass. Probably won't get another range session before hand...so it stay home.

The 40-72 for some reason disliked the loads that shot great in it last summer...flyers everywhere. Pulled all remaining rounds this morning and will try teflon tape on the bullets with the previous loads which shot fair to good. But wont get it done in time..so it stays home too.

The 25-35 is wearing a new front sight, and after a minor adjustment is putting them into about 1" at 50 yards. So it goes. I'm looking forward to this rifle as it is using the modified Nosler 115gr Ballistic tips (Cannelure added and nose trimmed). I've never shot anything other than turtles with this combination, so I'm interested to see the bullet performance on this cartridge with deer.

The 300 H&H shot well, but I can't get into the thought of using a bolt gun. I may take it for longer shots if I shoot the big field, but it likely won't come out of the case.

The '73 shot incredibly well. Using Speer Gold Dots. But this rifle always shot well. One minor sight adjustment and it's clipping the 1" bullseye at 50 yards. I wanted to get it about an inch or two high at 50, but the next notch up on my sights puts it about 4" high, so I'll use a little holdover for 100 yds. It also goes this year.

Ed

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Wow ... hard times at Kansas Ed's place I see. He's only got some of the all time best Winchesters to choose from this year.

Good luck on the hunt this year. Be safe.

[Gun Smith]

Actually that 1" over at 50 yds may be close to where you want it at 100, as the bullet is still going up in relation to the sights at 50.

[Kansas Ed]

Actually that 1" over at 50 yds may be close to where you want it at 100, as the bullet is still going up in relation to the sights at 50.

I thought about that today, and as my 180gr loads chrono almost exactly factory loads out of this rifle (1135 fps), I used their trajectory charts for reference. Sighted at 50 it's 6.7" low at 100. So I may just go ahead and click it up a notch and leave it. Though most of my shots at dad's place run 60-90 yards, with the occasional shot out to 130. Unless of course I hunt the big field in which case it can be 300+ from where I sit.

And Rimfire....thanks for the nice remarks, made me feel good today.

Ed

[John in MS]

Great rifles! I hope you will report on your results with the .25-35 if you get one with it.
That caliber fascinates me, and it would be great to have field reports on those bullets.

Thanks much, and good luck!
John

[JohndeFresno]

Went out yesterday with 5 possible rifles to pick the two I would be hunting with this year.
1895 40-72
1894 25-35
1873 38-40 (30")
1895 303Brit
Pre '64 Mod 70 300 H&H
Ed

Tough luck on having to choose - NOT!

Great stable of classics!

[KirkD]

Sorry to hear about the accuracy problems with your 40-72. Sure wish you were just down the road, as I am sure we could get a very accurate load for that rifle.

[Kansas Ed]

Sorry to hear about the accuracy problems with your 40-72. Sure wish you were just down the road, as I am sure we could get a very accurate load for that rifle.

I wish we were closer too. There's a lot of experiments I'd like to try with some of these rifles. I loaded up 12 rounds of the same load the other night but teflon wrapped the 265 gr bullets. That's what it took with the 38-72 to bring it in. But alas...it rained last night and we have rain in the forcast all week, so won't be able to get into where we shoot. I may have to drop the load some though with the teflon, as it gives another 10%+ on average for velocity which will put it up around 1800fps. I try to keep it around 1600 normally, but the chronograph will tell the story there.

The other two rifles will perform I'm sure though. Just need to pick my shots a little more carefully and not count on county to county penetration

Ed

[stew71]

Pre '64 Mod 70 300 H&H

Me want one....very much badly...me want one.....(Drooooool....)

I'm sorry. What was the question?