405 Winchester ??

[crs]

Those wildebeast do tend to run if the shot does not break them down.
Years back, I but a 230 grain Black Talon .338 Win Mag bullet through the heart of a blue and he ran full gallop 100 yards before collapsing in a cloud or red dust ! It was spectacular, but our video equipment and operator were late, so the scene was recorded only in my mind and that of outfitter Hannes Els of Limcroma Safaris. Great memory though, as that had been the toughest stalk of the hunt.

 

[PBBaker]

PB do you have any picture s to share from you hunts?

Sure.

 

[CAustin]

@PBBaker you have done very well with the 405! And may I say the wood is very nice on that stock.

 

[PBBaker]

Yes, they do. We spotted this black from the cruiser and were lucky to have just enough small clumps of trees between us to get about 75 yards from him broadside. His attention was focused on the truck driving away and when I finally got on the sticks, they had driven away about 400 yards. I will never forget the incredible whack upon impact which they guys on the cruiser said was louder than the rifle’s report! The bull was driven sideways and made it about fifty yards before going down bellowing.

 

[PBBaker]

@PBBaker you have done very well with the 405! And may I say the wood is very nice on that stock.

Thank you! It is a well-worn Deluxe. Whenever I hold it I wonder what tales it could tell.

 

[PBBaker]

Those wildebeast do tend to run if the shot does not break them down.
Years back, I but a 230 grain Black Talon .338 Win Mag bullet through the heart of a blue and he ran full gallop 100 yards before collapsing in a cloud or red dust ! It was spectacular, but our video equipment and operator were late, so the scene was recorded only in my mind and that of outfitter Hannes Els of Limcroma Safaris. Great memory though, as that had been the toughest stalk of the hunt.

Somehow my reply ended up below.

 

[CAustin]

Thank you! It is a well-worn Deluxe. Whenever I hold it I wonder what tales it could tell.

Exactly......I hope to hand down a couple of rifles to my son that have tales to tell.

 

[fourfive8]

Here's my original finish '95 made in 1904- 1st year production for the 405 Win in the '95. This one has factory installed Lyman 21 and sling eyes on barrel and buttock as special order. Otherwise standard straight walnut stock and standard crescent butt. I added a DYI leather lace-on pad with thick leather insert to "flatten" the crescent.

 

[PBBaker]

Here's my original finish '95 made in 1904- 1st year production for the 405 Win in the '95. This one has factory installed Lyman 21 and sling eyes on barrel and buttock as special order. Otherwise standard straight walnut stock and standard crescent butt. I added a DYI leather lace-on pad with thick leather insert to "flatten" the crescent.

View attachment 207032 View attachment 207034
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Nice! Mine has a nice fat shotgun butt which makes recoil negligible except on the bench. I was thinking mine was made in ‘02, but I now recall it was ‘’12.

 

[PBBaker]

I wish I had a sling mount and peep. I shoot with contact lenses made to have my right eye focused on the front sight and left for distance, but shots beyond 75 yards or so take a lot of faith with that fat bead!

 

[fsrmg1]

I have an original 1922 in the perfect condition to be a collector shooter, so yes I do use her as a hunting rifle as she was intended. She has original 3 leaf express sights with the deep V.

Shooting the 300 grainer at factory equivalent level I put the bead at the bottom of the V, and with the 400 gr I put it level with the top. I drive the 400s at about 1950 fps or so with good accuracy.

My groove diameter is a bit oversize, so I use Woodleigh 300 gr and use their .416 400 gr projectiles shoved through a Lee .413 lube sizer die.

I took her buffalo hunting last year loaded with the 400s and shot two huge bulls. I was about 35m or so and she visibly delivered a tremendous blow with amazing penetration. The .416 Woodleighs are a bit hard at 405 speeds, so only just started to expand, but plowed full length of the body when recovered. Their .411 400 gr designed for the 450/400 would have worked better at those speeds.

That said, I love my old girl and wouldn't hesitate taking her out buffalo hunting again.

 

[Timbo]

I recall my Dad said he used a Winchester .405 in India. As a 10-year old boy he used to breed guinea-pigs on their the tea estate. But soon the local leopard took to eating his guinea-pigs. One morning, after pinching his father's .405W, Dad sat up waiting for the leopard and as it put its head over the cages shot it in the face. He told me he got a hell of a hiding from his father for shooting that leopard. Nevertheless, his father had the skin mounted, and ever after proudly pointed it out to visitors to the house - but curiously - he never divulged who in the family had actually shot the leopard!

 

[Timbo]

Somehow my reply ended up below.

A nice venerable old rifle still taking nice trophies! Congratulations!

 

[sestoppelman]

.405 Rem??

 

[crs]

Welcome aboard. I agree and the .405 WCF is my favorite big bore cartridge.
I shoot a Miroku 1895 .405 and a Simson Suhl double rifle in .405 and have made several posts on this forum. Also hand load 300 and 400 grain bullets for both. My 400 grain loads range from 2050 to 2076 fps , which is equal to the Hornady factory 450/400 ammo, a well known killer of game in Africa and other countries. See 1895 rifle leaning on the critter to the left.

 

[crs]

Get one of these, the design and weight will tame the 400 grain recoil so that it is pleasant to shoot off the bench rest:

In rest with scope mounted in grooves milled into rear rib:

 

[sestoppelman]

I sold the 95 I had after I used it in RSA a few years ago on an nyala. Had a hankerin for another of late. Just snagged a Browning 95 in .30-40 yesterday.

 

[crs]

Your new 30-40 looks like a clean rifle.
How does it shoot?

 

[sestoppelman]

Your new 30-40 looks like a clean rifle.
How does it shoot?

I will tell you when I shoot it. Made a real score off Gunbroker for ammo though. Got 4 boxes of silver box Win 180gr ammo for $80 shipped! Came today.

 

[Velo Dog]

I sold the 95 I had after I used it in RSA a few years ago on an nyala. Had a hankerin for another of late. Just snagged a Browning 95 in .30-40 yesterday.View attachment 274536

About 15 years ago, I bought this exact make, model and caliber rifle, used but it appeared unfired.
I shot several hundred rounds through it at paper targets, steel gongs and etc., over the few years I owned it.
But alas, I never got around to hunting the normal things one would use a .30-40 on, here where I live, such as deer, caribou, moose and black bear.
It was very accurate with 180 - 220 grain bullets.

Then, I sold it during a fit of stupidity.
Generally I do not regret selling any particular firearm to pay off a safari bill or buy a different gun or a canoe or whatever the voices tell me to buy.
That Model 95 Browning is an exception.
Wish I had it back again.