Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Forum rules
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
Welcome to the Leverguns.Com General Discussions Forum. This is a high-class place so act respectable. We discuss most anything here other than politics... politely.
Please post political post in the new Politics forum.
- KirkD
- Desktop Artiste
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
- Location: Central Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Boys, this will not be a fancy range report; I'm a little short on time this week. However, here's a quick one .....
I've been wrestling with the decision as to what rifle to deer hunt with this year. The season is coming up in mid-November, so it was time to make a decision. I've decided to use my original Winchester Model 1895 chambered for the early 38-72 cartridge. This rifle was received in the warehouse August 8, 1904 and shipped June 3, 1905, and has a tapered octagon barrel.
For tradition's sake, I wanted to use the original cast bullet, a bunch of which I cast from an original Winchester 38-72 mould. I have never been able to get that bullet to stabilize ..... it always wobbles slightly, giving so-so groups at 100 yards. I figured I'd give it one more try using cotton filler to see if that helped at all. After 10 rounds, I decided that the original bullet is not going to do it, no matter what I do.
Fortunately, I had ordered a custom mould from Accurate Moulds that drops a 264 grain, gas check bullet that I can use in both my 38-72 and 38-55. The load was 24 grains of 5744 for a velocity of 1,492 fps with the 265 grain bullet. I only had time for five quick shots and no time to cool the barrel between shots. Up went the target at 100 yards. The five rounds gave a group of 1 & 7/8" at 100 yards, using my shooting bag as a rest and using the original open iron sights. Good enough for deer hunting this fall. For the next few weeks I'm going to practice with this rifle offhand, but first I'm going to adjust the windage a bit. Right now, it shoots about 2" to the left at 100 yards.
Here's a photo of the rifle .....
and here's another one showing more of it, including that gorgeous crescent butt ....
Here's a photo of the mould and the GC bullet. To the left is the original bullet that I have given up trying to stabilize (faster, slower, still wobbles) dropped by the original Winchester mould ....
Finally, here's a photo of the five shot group at 100 yards .....
I've been wrestling with the decision as to what rifle to deer hunt with this year. The season is coming up in mid-November, so it was time to make a decision. I've decided to use my original Winchester Model 1895 chambered for the early 38-72 cartridge. This rifle was received in the warehouse August 8, 1904 and shipped June 3, 1905, and has a tapered octagon barrel.
For tradition's sake, I wanted to use the original cast bullet, a bunch of which I cast from an original Winchester 38-72 mould. I have never been able to get that bullet to stabilize ..... it always wobbles slightly, giving so-so groups at 100 yards. I figured I'd give it one more try using cotton filler to see if that helped at all. After 10 rounds, I decided that the original bullet is not going to do it, no matter what I do.
Fortunately, I had ordered a custom mould from Accurate Moulds that drops a 264 grain, gas check bullet that I can use in both my 38-72 and 38-55. The load was 24 grains of 5744 for a velocity of 1,492 fps with the 265 grain bullet. I only had time for five quick shots and no time to cool the barrel between shots. Up went the target at 100 yards. The five rounds gave a group of 1 & 7/8" at 100 yards, using my shooting bag as a rest and using the original open iron sights. Good enough for deer hunting this fall. For the next few weeks I'm going to practice with this rifle offhand, but first I'm going to adjust the windage a bit. Right now, it shoots about 2" to the left at 100 yards.
Here's a photo of the rifle .....
and here's another one showing more of it, including that gorgeous crescent butt ....
Here's a photo of the mould and the GC bullet. To the left is the original bullet that I have given up trying to stabilize (faster, slower, still wobbles) dropped by the original Winchester mould ....
Finally, here's a photo of the five shot group at 100 yards .....
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- Paladin
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1891
- Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 9:55 am
- Location: Not Working (much)
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Your quick report surpasses my reports. Well done, great photos, and best of luck on the hunt.
It is not the critic who counts
- ollogger
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 2808
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:47 pm
- Location: Wheatland Wyoming
- Contact:
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Kirk very nice as always, Wow what a gun, thats nice & that kind of shooting will stomp a deer
ollogger
ollogger
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Well if a Deer gets away from that group U didn't want Him anyway. Just out of curiosity how did You come to choose the 95 ? Coin Flip, Arm Wrestle or short straws, so what was the tie breaker. Nice shootin btw, these old Irons just don't quit do they.
Perry
Perry
Perry in Bangor----++++===Calif
- KirkD
- Desktop Artiste
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
- Location: Central Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Perry, a lot has to do with how I feel as deer season approaches. I was all in a lather to use my original '73 44-40, but the place where I'm hunting this year got me a little worried about my high condition '73. The place where I plan to hunt next year is much better for using an expensive old rifle, so my '73 will have to wait another year.pwl44m wrote:Just out of curiosity how did You come to choose the 95 ? Coin Flip, Arm Wrestle or short straws, so what was the tie breaker.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Nice to have choices. Great quick report. Nice shooting
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
- Shasta
- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1558
- Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Shasta County, the far right stronghold in California
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Great report, Kirk.
I too was going to use my .38-72 Model 95 this deer season, but it is having some feeding issues. The first round feeds fine, but the remainder are hanging up down in the magazine. Maybe just a weak spring? Our season ends in three days, and I've had no luck at all.
I don't know what it is about the bullets from that original Winchester .38-72 bullet mold, but they won't stabilize in my rifle either. Those Accurate molds, now there is a bullet mold! I recently got a plain base version that I will be testing loads with this winter.
Best of luck with your hunting! I expect to see a picture of you and that .38-72 with a whopper buck.
SHASTA
I too was going to use my .38-72 Model 95 this deer season, but it is having some feeding issues. The first round feeds fine, but the remainder are hanging up down in the magazine. Maybe just a weak spring? Our season ends in three days, and I've had no luck at all.
I don't know what it is about the bullets from that original Winchester .38-72 bullet mold, but they won't stabilize in my rifle either. Those Accurate molds, now there is a bullet mold! I recently got a plain base version that I will be testing loads with this winter.
Best of luck with your hunting! I expect to see a picture of you and that .38-72 with a whopper buck.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
http://www.hcrpclub.org/schedule.html
avatar pic is Shasta Dam, Shasta Lake, & Mt. Shasta
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
I beeb a waiting for your choice and update Kirk
Nice work friend
Nath.
Nice work friend
Nath.
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 6747
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:30 am
- Location: Lower Central NYS
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Very nice----fine report!
- Old Savage
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 16746
- Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:43 pm
- Location: Southern California
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Good work Kirk - looks like you are there - will be interesting to see how that bullet performs. Wishing you good hunting,
- Griff
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 20877
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:56 pm
- Location: OH MY GAWD they installed a STOP light!!!
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
+1Paladin wrote:Your quick report surpasses my reports. Well done, great photos, and best of luck on the hunt.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
- 2ndovc
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 9363
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:59 am
- Location: OH, South Shore of Lake Erie
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
The 1895 has always been my favorite. My SRC in '06 was the first Winchester I bought on my own.
I've had several and my favorite is my Russian Musket.
I've been close to buying a .38-72 a couple times but they were just a bit out of reach.
Your's is a beauty!!
Have fun!!
jb
I've had several and my favorite is my Russian Musket.
I've been close to buying a .38-72 a couple times but they were just a bit out of reach.
Your's is a beauty!!
Have fun!!
jb
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Now all we're lacking is a picture of that rifle and a pile of dead deer.
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Nice rifle and good shooting! Good luck on the hunts this year.
- KirkD
- Desktop Artiste
- Posts: 4406
- Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:52 am
- Location: Central Ontario, Canada
- Contact:
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Don, I'll do my best. If, by the end of November, you don't see a photo of my '95 resting on a Whitetail Deer, you'll know I'll be spending a long, lean winter with no venison in the larder.Don McDowell wrote:Now all we're lacking is a picture of that rifle and a pile of dead deer.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Kirk I got faith in ya
-
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 2004
- Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:29 pm
- Location: Deep South Texas
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
That is a really nice old Winchester and it shoots well also. The guy behind the butt plate is also doing his part. Go forth and make meat! Best of luck.
- Borregos
- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 4756
- Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:40 am
- Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
Looks like you are ready Kirk
Pete
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
I can visualize the picture already, good shootin Kirk.KirkD wrote:Don, I'll do my best. If, by the end of November, you don't see a photo of my '95 resting on a Whitetail Deer, you'll know I'll be spending a long, lean winter with no venison in the larder.Don McDowell wrote:Now all we're lacking is a picture of that rifle and a pile of dead deer.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Quick Range Report for 108 year-old rifle: photos
I'd never read anything about the 38-72 cartridge. Thanks for sharing!
TR
TR
Fire Up the Grill - Hunting is NOT Catch & Release!